Discover the unique culinary project Tasty Stories initiated by Dr Irena Eris SPA Hotels has begun. During special meetings, we will visit local producers to listen to their exciting stories, and, later in the evening, during an exclusive dinner, we will sample original dishes prepared by outstanding chefs

Salty oscypek, sweet honey, dry cider, sharp beer, and umami zander – this feast of flavors, products, and dishes represents the diversity and culinary richness of the regions which they come from. However, we can’t forget about the most important source of flavors – people – their minds, hearts, and life stories. They cultivate, breed, produce, and, finally – they cook. They are the heroes of the stories as told by the different flavors of “Tasty Stories” which can be found at DrIrenaErisTastyStories.com.

In Beskid Sądecki, we followed our guide Janusz Myjak, head-chef at the Szósty Zmysł restaurant in the Dr Irena Eris Krynica Zdrój SPA Hotel. Together, we visited the best local producers and listened to their stories. We stopped at orchards and a vineyard, we fished for trout and sampled goat cheese and honey. To summarize these mountain trips, we organized the “Breakfast on the Grass” event with local producers and a September dinner “Flora and Fauna,” during which the most prominent Polish chefs joined forces – Marcin Filipkiewicz (Copernicus Hotel, Kraków), Jacek Grochowina (Nolita, Warsaw), and suppliers of regional specialties accepted the invitation from Janusz Myjak.

Roast lamb, smoked trout, dried plums, fermented vegetables – such specialties were served to all the guests who participated in our outdoor dinner event. Top chefs prepared dishes based on the best foods from local farms, fields, and forests, using different and ambitious culinary techniques closely connected to nature: fire, water, earth, and wind. A sommelier form wineonlie.pl ensured perfect wine pairing.

The guests sat at the table set in magnificent surroundings of mountains and fragrant trees: sycamore maples, beeches, pines, and larches, overlooking the green Jaworzyna mountain. What distinguished the “Flora and Fauna” dinner was the great attention to detail and unique elegance. The beautiful, natural table setting that was in perfect balance with the surroundings was created in collaboration with stylists from “Weranda” magazine.

Chefs cooking during the “Flora & Fauna” dinner

​Janusz Myjak

The host of the event and Head Chef at the Szósty Zmysł restaurant in the Dr Irena Eris Krynica Zdrój SPA Hotel for over ten years. He has won many vocal competitions. In 2016, he won the title of Top Chef of the Southern Poland Region (Lesser Poland/Silesia) in Poland 100 Best Restaurants competition. The Szósty Zmysł restaurant, which he runs, has repeatedly been awarded a “three forks” rating (Grand Award) and received one chef’s hat in the Gault&Millau guide. For a number of years now, he has been running the Cooking Academy at the Dr Irena Eris Krynica Zdrój SPA Hotel. He is well versed in Italian and French cuisine, as well as Asian, and especially Thai dishes. However, he is convinced that nothing can replace Polish seasonal products from the Krynica region. He composes dishes with a perfect blend of flavors and colors, creating culinary works of art on a plate.

Jacek Grochowina

Enthusiast and perfectionist. Since 2012, he has been the owner and Star Chef at the Nolita restaurant in Warsaw. His cooking is a creative interpretation of traditional French cuisine with seasonal products. At the beginning of his culinary career, he has been fine tuning his skills at the legendary Ritz hotel in London. He is the winner of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Awards of Excellence. He believes that a touch of unique atmosphere and scenery adds flavor to the dishes he serves. It’s hard to overestimate the climate and spirit of the mountains, which were present at the September dinner Flora & Fauna held at the foot of the Jaworzyna Krynicka mountain.

Marcin Filipkiewicz

Normally, you may sample his dishes in the Copernicus restaurant which belongs to the Likus hotel group. In 2017, he won the Prix au Chef de L’Avenir. In 2015, he was nominated for the Gault&Millau Poland’s “Chef of the Year” award and won the title of Gault&Millau’s “Chef of the Year” in southern Poland. Italian and French cuisine are his culinary domains. He also values Polish tradition. However, he tries to avoid stereotypes. He favors simple combinations. This extremely nice man with a heart of gold is also famous for his great sense of humor.

People. Their passion and life stories

Krzysztof Maurer
Maurer Juice Extraction Plant in Zarzecze near Łącko.
The name Maurer is explicitly associated with high-quality juices made from fruit from Polish orchards. Krzysztof, the continuator of family fruit-farming tradition and current owner of the plant, is the forerunner of this trend which is now experiencing a renaissance in Poland. We asked him about the company’s mission, family, love for tradition. When visiting the Maurer plant in Zarzecze, we felt like everything there came straight from the mountaineer’s heart.
 

Filip Kądziołka
from the “Pstrągowa Dolina” fish farm in Łabowa.
He has been a fisherman for 15 years. His story is tears and unbelievable luck, fear and hope, hunger and smoked fish. But the most important element of this story is the amazing people that surround him. He talks about them with extra-ordinary respect. Today, he supplies the best restaurants and hotels in the region. Why the Sądecczyzna region is his place on earth and what gives him the greatest satisfaction in his profession? You will be learn that and more from his stories.

Tomasz Maziejuk
and his brother Waldemar are running a family eco-farm “Figa” in Mszana near Tylicz.
Their adventure with cheese begun 26 years ago when their father bought a goat for his grandson who suffered from protein allergy. They named it Figa. Later, they had 20 goats, and now there are 200. In the beginning, only Tomasz was helping his father; his brother joined later. Soon enough they needed employees. This is the beginning of a story as told by the producer of one of Poland’s best goat cheeses.

Wiktor Szpak together with his wife Elwira
have built a little Tuscany in Poland, both on their land which is overgrown with evenly organized rows of vine in the Jasiel vineyard (Jareniówka near Jasło), and in glasses filled with wine offered with generosity to their guests. They enjoy every sip and consider each opinion, closely observing the expressions on their guests’ faces. Everything is organized and planned here: garden bushes, wine bottles in the cellars, words in their life stories. And there’s also nature, which has the word and may change everything, drop by drop, day after day.

Jacek Nowak
from the Henryka Ostach’s Barć apiary in Kamianna.
He wanted to become a seaman, but the reality destroyed his dreams. However, he has no regrets because now he feels best among bees and family who he would barely see had he become a sailor. His honey and stories are a balm to the heart. And he tells them beautifully...

Special thanks to Wineonline.pl for the perfect wine pairing and to “Weranda” magazine for the impressive table setting and decorations. To Gastro Magic for their exceptional tableware and to Cheman which made sure the chefs looked elegant. Also, to our long-standing partner, BMW, which ensured travel comfort for our Guests.

Media sponsors
Sense of Beauty, Weranda, Zwierciadło, Kukbuk, National Geographic Traveler, Stylish Paper by intopassion.com, Made Talks