Gourmet Cup Ljubljana will celebrate its 10th anniversary edition this year. The traditional ski-culinary gathering will take place on Monday, 2 March 2026, on the snowy slopes of Krvavec, bringing together restaurateurs, top chefs, young talents, Slovenian winemakers, local suppliers, and culinary-sports enthusiasts from across Slovenia in one place. Set against a unique winter backdrop, they will jointly create a relaxed yet content-rich experience.

The event will conclude on Tuesday, 3 March, with an exclusive Gourmet Cable Car Dinner at Krvavec— a truly unforgettable dining experience above the valley.

The concept, originally created more than 15 years ago at Pohorje by renowned Slovenian winemaker Danilo Steyer, already demonstrated in its early beginnings that the connection between sport and gastronomy could create something far greater than just an event. Since 2016, when Gourmet Cup was first organised at Krvavec, it has gradually evolved — in collaboration with Tomaž Kavčič, top chef of Gostilna pri Lojzetu – Dvorec Zemono, Dean Dubokovič, photographer and culinary enthusiast, and the company Jezeršek Catering— into the Gourmet Cup Ljubljana as we know it today.

The professional significance of the event is also highlighted by chef Luka Jezeršek: »Over the past ten years, Gourmet Cup Ljubljana has grown into a meeting point for the hospitality community — bringing together chefs, young talents, restaurant teams and partners. Its strength lies in mentorship, the transfer of knowledge, and relaxed socialising that encourages networking and new collaborations. These connections form the foundation for the long-term development of gastronomy and the entire hospitality sector.«

For the 10. consecutive year, the event is organised under the umbrella of Jezeršek Catering in cooperation with key partners — Ljubljana Tourism, RTC Krvavec, Colmar and Koželj Wines. Even in its anniversary edition, it goes beyond the framework of a traditional culinary event. It remains an important platform for the hospitality profession, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in hospitality, while also strengthening cooperation with the local community.

Mag. Petra Stušek, Director of Ljubljana Tourism, emphasises: »This year also marks the 10. anniversary of the Gourmet Ljubljana brand, together with the culinary festival November Gourmet Ljubljana. Alongside Gourmet Cup Ljubljana, both projects make an important contribution to the development of gastronomy in Ljubljana and the wider Central Slovenia region, fostering professional collaboration and creating opportunities for new generations. Projects like these strengthen Ljubljana’s long-term recognition as a leading culinary destination and enrich the entire region with diverse gastronomic stories.«

The programme on Monday, 2 March, will begin with a Gourmet Breakfastand the draw of starting numbers, providing the perfect introduction to the sporting part of the day. This will be followed by the ski race for the Colmar Gourmet Cup, where participants will compete on a professional race course.

The competition will be held across seven categories — overall, female hospitality professionals, male hospitality professionals, winemakers, snowboarders, women and men — preserving a relaxed atmosphere while maintaining a true competitive spirit.

Once again, a special feature of the Cup will be the award for the best median time, presented by Elan. This distinction highlights the joy of skiing and the social spirit of the event, rather than focusing solely on race results.

Taking place alongside the race, Gourmet on the Snow will unfold at Krvavec Beach as the central culinary gathering of the day. Guests will be treated to outstanding creations prepared by top chefs from JRE-Slovenia, who will take on the role of mentors and, together with young culinary talents, craft authentic and innovative dishes.

At Gourmet Cup Ljubljana 2026, 11 hospitality and tourism schools will present their talent, with more than 20 young culinary talents joining forces with their chef mentors to create 11 signature dishes, available for visitors to enjoy throughout the day. Participating schools and mentors include the Vocational College of Hospitality and Tourism Maribor under the mentorship of Sabina Repovž (Gostilna Repovž), Secondary School for Catering and Tourism Maribor mentored by David Vračko (Restavracija Mak), Higher Vocational College for Hospitality, Wellness and Tourism Bled under the guidance of Igor Jagodic (Restavracija Strelec), Biotechnical Educational Centre Ljubljana mentored by Ksenija Mahorčič (Gostilna Mahorčič), Secondary School Izola under the mentorship of Tomaž Bevčič(Rizibizi), School Centre Velenje mentored by Martina Breznik (Hiša Raduha), Secondary Education Centre Radovljica under the guidance of Uroš Štefelin (Hiša Linhart), Secondary Vocational and Technical School Zreče mentored by Andrej Smogavec (Spargus), Secondary School for Hospitality and Tourism Radenci under the mentorship of Jure Brložnik (Miza za štiri), Secondary School of Gastronomy and Tourism Ljubljana mentored by Jakob Pintar (TaBar), and Vocational Education Centre Alma M. Karlin under the mentorship of Marko Pavčnik (Pavus). Adding a special note to this year’s edition will be the winners of the charity culinary show Chef za jutri, held as part of the November Gourmet Ljubljana festival —Lejla Avmedovski and Nejc Bizjak — who will actively join the culinary programme alongside the young talents.

The professional appearance and comfort of the young talents, their school mentors, and the chef mentors from JRE-Slovenia will once again be ensured by professional apparel from the Colmar brand, which joins this anniversary edition of the event as an official partner. Robert Šterpin, Director of Bora and representative of the Colmar brand, adds: »Colmar and Gourmet Cup Ljubljana have been closely connected for many years, and we are pleased to elevate this cooperation further by becoming an official partner of the event. Through our apparel, we aim to contribute to professional working conditions for top chefs, while at the same time helping to create an environment where knowledge and experience are passed on to future generations in gastronomy.«

One of the key objectives of Gourmet Cup Ljubljana is to demonstrate that Slovenian ski resorts offer the perfect setting for exceptional culinary experiences. At Gourmet on the Snow, these experiences are complemented by a curated selection of wines, sparkling wines and champagnes from renowned brands represented by Koželj Wines, including Louis Roederer, Soligo, Medot, Monterosso, Puklavec Family Wines, Frelih, Albiana, Radgonske gorice, Guerila, Steyer, Movia, Trenel, G.H.Martel, Alaya, Domaine Slapšak and Nebo.

The first day will conclude with an unforgettable Après-Ski party, which for many years has been regarded as one of the key social highlights of Gourmet Cup Ljubljana. Set in a relaxed atmosphere, the event will provide space for networking, connection and the exchange of experiences among participants from various segments of the hospitality industry and partner community. This year, the musical energy will be led by the outstanding performer Emely Myles, joined by the legendary Retro Band with their traditional hit Cik Cak.

The tenth anniversary edition of Gourmet Cup Ljubljana will conclude on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, with the exclusive Gourmet Cable Car Dinner. Held in the intimate setting of the Krvavec cable car high above the valley, this experience represents one of the most distinctive and recognisable highlights of the event.

The culinary story of the evening, inspired by the Flavours of Ljubljana, will be created by renowned Ljubljana chef Tomaž Bratovž (JB Restaurant). The sweet finale will be in the hands of Tomaž Bolka (Gostilna Krištof), who, together with a folklore group from Cerklje, will create a warm and authentic atmosphere at the Sonček mountain hut on Krvavec, bringing the anniversary edition to a close in the spirit of togetherness and celebration.

Tickets and further information are available at www.gourmetcup.si.

Photographs from previous editions of Gourmet Cup Ljubljana are available here.

Accreditation requests for Gourmet Cup Ljubljana can be submitted via the form on the website www.gourmetcup.sino later than Monday, 23 February 2026.