Get to know the story of our new chef. Jakub Bíro spent several years abroad, where he fell in love with French gastronomy. It is not surprising that after returning to Slovakia, his steps were directed to the TOP French restaurant Colette. How did he get into cooking and what does French cuisine mean to him? Find out in our interview.

Jakub Bíro became a chef at the age of 20. However, his gourmet journey began during his childhood. His grandmother, who was also a cook, introduced him to the kitchen. Jakub spent a lot of time at his grandmother's house and gradually fell in love with cooking. After high school, he decided to travel abroad, where he gained a lot of experience. Today you can taste his dishes in the centre of Bratislava. Jakub started cooking in the open kitchen of the restaurant Colette.

"I became a chef when I was about 20 years old. When I came to England, I had the opportunity to work in a restaurant that was highly regarded at the time. I was working there as a barman at the time, but more and more I was attracted by the view from the other side. When I saw the dedication of the guys in the kitchen, I gradually began to realise that my place was behind the stove."

What brought you to the kitchen?

I was very inspired by my grandmother, who was a cook all her life and I spent a lot of time with her as a child...

Why did French gastronomy win you over?

In England, I had the opportunity to get a taste of French cuisine early on. And yet, modern gastronomy as we know it draws a lot of its inspiration from France. So this path seemed the most natural to me. What has always fascinated me about French gastronomy is the multitude of culinary techniques and the unique approach to ingredients.  

French cuisine is my sweetheart

How would you describe French cuisine?

It is hard to describe it in a few words. People often mistakenly think that French cuisine is a few typical dishes, but in my eyes it's all about emotion, elegance and, as I said, above all, respect and access to raw materials.

What is your favourite Slovak food?

The first thing that comes to my mind when I ask this question is definitely my mom's dill and dumplings.

Which dish do you find the most challenging to prepare and why?

This is a very difficult question for me to answer, but one of the most technically complex dishes is definitely Pâté en croûte.

Which speciality from French cuisine should everyone try?

Pretty sure wine and cheese.

TOP restaurant Colette

What do you think is the basis of a tasty meal and what do you put emphasis on when cooking?

No food will be tasty without love. And what do I emphasize? For us, it's always been about the balance between the taste and texture of a given dish.

Traditional or modern cuisine?

I think this is where the balance I mentioned is showing.

What is your opinion on innovation in gastronomy?

Of course we have to move, because without innovation we would not be where we are. It is, in my view, an inevitable process.

Is cooking a craft or an art? 

Cooking is just beautiful in that it has a little bit of everything.

What would you invite customers to Colette for?

To an unmistakable atmosphere, fine wine and food where everyone will find their own piece of France.

What do you like about Colette restaurant? 

Honesty.