JUSTYNA SLUPSKA KARTACZOWSKA

Chef & CO-owner, Jadka, Wroclaw, PolanD

Jadka's story begins with words of Justyna Slupska Kartaczowska: "My great-grandmother and grandmother were excellent cooks. In retrospect, I think this was supposed to be a signal for me but unfortunately I didn't notice it right away so for a while, I studied History of Art and Characterization instead! One day I suddenly came across that forgotten guidepost and realized that my greatest delight was cooking a cabbage soup! And with that, I became a chef. With every step I took in the kitchen I became more and more aware that this path was crooked, steep and rocky but I was determined to follow it.

My journey led me through France which was muddy and rainy but something that prepared me for the moodiness of the weather and heavy showers. Here I spent two unforgettable years at Palme d’Or two Michelin-starred restaurant in Cannes.

At other times the path was bathed in sunlight, which reminds me of the six years I spent working in The Monopol Hotel in Wroclaw - half of which I was head chef.

Today I’m still on the journey – it's now a narrow mountain path and one I love to walk. It's taking me on a brand new route to my own restaurant jadka in Wroclaw, a place where I'm tackling Polish cuisine - one of my greatest challenges.