Tomi and Sandra are partners, both privately and professionally. Their all-encompassing love gives birth to first-class French pastries that cannot be refused. They build on flavors that are sophisticated and so very "French". Don't believe it? Then try it. And don't say we didn't warn you... you'll fall in love with their cakes!
Why the name Zebra?
(laughs) Everyone is interested in the name Zebra, it attracts them, they start to wonder why Zebra. The zebra belongs to the group of horses, but it is something special. We also belong to the confectionary group, but we are different. Besides, a zebra is a zebra in every language.
What makes you different from other confectioners?
Us or our work? (laughs) Actually, it's not that hard to achieve. We achieve this mainly with the ingredients we use, i.e. high-quality, natural ingredients - if it's an orange cake, there's orange in the cake, not concentrates mixed into the rest of the ingredients. This is certainly helped by the quality of work, technique and knowledge, which we simply do not have here. Some already cover the biggest basics, such as whipping cream. Using the same recipe, you can make a very bad or a superb thing. The fact is that quality materials do not help us if we do not have the right techniques and the right quality of work. Also, our goal is not quantity, because that would decrease quality, which of course we don't want. So when we fill our capacities, we close the orders.
Where do you get your inspiration to create from?
Today it is not difficult. We use social networks Facebook, Instagram... It is a kind of collaboration between friends and followers; sometimes the photos are published by others, and sometimes by us. But that requires will. You need to take your time and review things. A person cannot remember everything by himself. We all experiment - many times it doesn't work, but sooner or later something wonderful happens... and usually quite by accident. She really likes to play with flavors, trying out different combinations.
They are both private and business partners. You are obviously doing great.
That husband and wife should not work together are just rumours. (laughs) Everything just "works" for us. We are lucky to be on the same frequency, there are no major differences between us, we are not pushing in our own direction. If there are already different views, let's definitely talk. This is usually the case: if only one of us absolutely does not want to do something, we don't do it. The confectioner's bad mood will be known by his product.
READ MORE: Zebra Patisseries: sweet French secrets
What is the trend in wedding cakes, global and Slovenian?
India remains kitsch, the Russians only agree to gold cakes, the French prefer several smaller cakes, our southern neighbors also swear by rich cakes... We Slovenians remain faithful to tradition, although the style of wedding cakes today is still more minimalist. Kitsch is gone, figurines are almost no longer made. In addition to classic flowers made of sugar paste, we also make flowers made of chocolate, and decorating with macaroons is in trend, among other things. Otherwise, marriage is and always will be a traditional act. It is right that beautiful traditions remain.
What do Slovenians order? Have you ever encountered a more unusual, non-traditional order?
When it comes to wedding cakes, it is necessary to look more generally, for the sake of the guests. Fruit and chocolate cake dominate. Of course, sometimes some small matter is added, which is then cut up for those bolder gourmands, but otherwise you have to think about the general taste, which usually means chocolate, strawberries, forest fruits and the like.
Do people know what they are coming for, what they want, or do they let themselves be surprised?
We prefer people who know nothing. (laughs) It often happens that it is more difficult to meet people who already have a half-finished vision. It's best if people either have a carefully crafted vision of their wedding cake or simply don't know anything yet, because that's the easiest and most beautiful way to surprise them with flavors.
Your assortment?
Cakes for now, but if you visit us in half a year, we might pleasantly surprise you.
Finally, I wonder if it has ever happened to such master confectioners that they were faced with a seemingly impossible challenge.
A cigar. (laughs) We had to make one huge cigar for 170 tall guests. When we first tried to make a smaller one, there were no problems, but much bigger problems arose with the large cigar, which in no way wanted to keep its round shape. We submitted the final product 15 seconds before the deadline. Imagine: it was the weekend, we ran out of material, we were jumping around various discount stores at night... And if we survived this, we will also survive everything else. Of course, every wedding cake is also a challenge. We want our guests to be satisfied with both the taste and the design. That's why we make a special effort here!
Tomi Česek
Tomi was educated in France at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie (Alain Ducasse School) and then worked at Ducasse's Michelin-starred La Bastide De Moustiers restaurant.
Sandra Cešek
Sandra studied in London and graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts, after which she studied with many renowned chefs both at home and abroad.
