Awards are not the reason we cook, create, or push boundaries. But they are moments that make time stand still for a while and offer an opportunity to look back at the journey that led us there.

Chef Ana Roš has been named International Chef of the Year 2026 at the inaugural CHEF:IN Awards in Hamburg, dedicated to women who are changing the world of gastronomy through their work, ideas, and courage.

Ana’s story has always begun in Kobarid. In the Soča Valley, among mountains, people and nature that sets its own rhythm. It is from this environment that Hiša Franko grew and with it a culinary language that has helped place Slovenia firmly on the global gastronomic map. But for Ana, gastronomy has never been only about what is on the plate. It is a story of people, relationships, teams, responsibility and the place you come from. That is why an award that puts women and their voices in gastronomy at the forefront carries a special meaning.

International Chef of the Year 2026 is a recognition of Ana, but also of a journey that was never hers alone. Behind it stand Hiša Franko, her teams, the Soča Valley, and all the people who, over the years, have become part of this story.