Miracles happen !

Miracles happen to those who truly believe in them! But as much of a dreamer as I am, I have to admit—even in my boldest dreams, I never imagined I would be cooking with one of the best and most respected chefs in the world, right here in a village, in the poorest region of the EU, where until recently nothing was happening. Well, now it is! We will be cooking side by side with chef Ana Roš, the World’s Best Female Chef for 2017, and head chef and owner of Hiša Franko—holder of 2 Michelin stars and ranked 21st in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. It’s hard to describe the excitement and pride we feel. This is not only a huge achievement for us as a restaurant, but for Bulgaria as a whole. Ana’s story is incredible and hardly needs retelling—just type “Ana Roš” or “Hiša Franko” into Google and you’ll understand where she stands on the global culinary stage. When I told her about ONÀ back in February—where we are located, how people thought I was crazy and laughed at me when I spoke about this project, what I went through to make this dream happen, and how today people travel from far away to experience my little restaurant—it wasn’t hard at all to convince her to visit us. Having created such a restaurant in a country with no fine dining history, she perfectly understands what we are facing and what we’ve taken on. This dinner is her way of showing support for us and, hopefully, of giving a powerful push to Bulgaria as a culinary destination—just as Slovenia became thanks to her. We hope to inspire as many young chefs—and even waiters—as possible, to open their eyes and realize that this is a dream profession, one that can take them to unexpected places and open magical doors. Ana will arrive in Stakevtsi on November 29th, and the dinner will take place on December 2nd. We will need a few days to prepare, and part of her team will be arriving with her. Just so you know—her pastry chef, Maša Salopek, is currently the best pastry chef in the world. Regarding reservations: Since this event is extremely special to us and carries significant value for our country—and because we are fully aware that interest will be very high—we have decided that we do not want to receive any financial gain from it. Ana Roš herself also refused any form of payment. The dinner will be a charity event. Together, we decided to support people who give their heart and soul to bring hope to those who have lost it. All proceeds from the dinner will be donated to the Reto-Hope Association. Reto is one of the few organizations offering free help to addicts, homeless people, orphans, and others, and it is entirely self-funded, without any support from the state. We know them well and understand the effort they put into continuing their mission and helping others. In this case, we believe the fairest approach is for the seats to go to those of you who are willing to donate the highest amount. There are 12 seats available, and the experience is guaranteed to be unforgettable. We are convinced that no matter how much you choose to donate, it will be worth every penny for two reasons: This will be a dinner unlike anything ever held in our country. And the cause is truly noble—you can’t imagine how many hearts and lives you will touch. Send your offers to: booking@ona.rest We, along with Ana Roš and her team, are looking forward to welcoming you! Happy St. George’s Day!