At the most important event in the world of pasta, the World Pasta Championship, as many as 21 internationally renowned master chefs competed for the flattering title of world champion. Matjaž Cotič missed the first place by a hair, one could say by the thinnest of spaghetti, but he returned to Slovenia with an enviable 'silver medal'.
Not all pashto is the same
Everyone knows how to cook pasta, you will say. Indeed, to be honest, it is not a particularly demanding culinary skill and it is usually one of the first dishes we learn to prepare, as pasta is easily and quickly cooked in boiling salted water. Or is it? Preparing the perfect pasta - one that is neither too soft nor too hard, does not stick together, is just the right amount of salt, and the accompanying sauces elevate it to culinary heaven - requires a little more. As any proud Italian will tell you, pasta is about much more than just food. Pašta is love, passion, spending time with family and friends, a ritual, a tradition that is passed down from generation to generation. And only a few chefs manage to elevate the preparation of pasta to an art form.
Matjaž Cotič – a name that pasta has brought to the international culinary world
One of them is Matjaž Cotič, a top Slovenian chef, who can now count among the greatest successes of his career being ranked among the top 3 pasta chefs in the world. Matjaž is a former member of the Slovenian cooking team, currently employed as a kitchen manager in one of Ljubljana's restaurants. At this year's World Pasta Championship in Parma, he convinced the taste buds of the jury with pasta with a karst and sea flavor and took second place in the prestigious competition.
The championship, the fourth in a row, held under the auspices of the Italian pasta manufacturer Barilla, pays tribute to the world's favorite Italian dish and to the promotion of Italian gastronomic culture. The organizers are proud that pasta is not only a key ingredient of Italian cuisine, but also a symbol of a strong connection and dialogue between different countries and cultures. The event is hosted by the Barilla Academy, an international center dedicated to Italian gastronomic culture and a meeting place for the most qualified representatives of gastronomy and lovers of Italian food and culture from all over the world.
Barilla continues the long-standing tradition of the best
Barilla was founded in 1877 in Parma. 130 years later, it represents not only a leading Italian but also a global company, a symbol of Italian knowledge and tradition. It embodies the Italian passion and lifestyle, culture and art and produces one of the most valued, diverse and delicious dishes from around the world.
Matjaž Cotič has participated in various events with Barilla several times and thus became a kind of ambassador of Barilla's 'love for pasta' in Slovenia.
