Urh and Barbara. A young modest couple with wonderful values who, in their simplicity, have endless ideas of what they could do in Trbovlje - for themselves, for their family, for the people of Zasavje and for all those who would come to these places.
Urh Kapelar is an exceptional chef. His creative dishes combine the basics of French and English cuisine with traditional Slovenian recipes. Three people in particular helped shape his mastery of food: the London chef of Slovenian roots, Oliver Lešnik, who ran the kitchen at L'Escargot (London's oldest French restaurant), chef Jorg Zupan from Ljubljana's Atelier, and his uncle, whom many of you still remember, who is the first chef at the Atelier. Jure Kapelarwho even cooked for the Queen of England, and spent the last years of his life cooking for Dewesoft and Catapult employees.
When Urh was still cooking on the Pule estate, he met his current partner, Barbara. Wherever he worked, he needed a strong vision, to be part of a bigger story and to feel that he could develop himself alongside it. When he could no longer find that, he and Barbara started to create their own story together.
From the castle in Laško to Kranjska Gora, from Croatia to London, from the prestigious estate in Pula to ... Trbovlje. He could have been a chef almost anywhere in the world, and of all the worlds, he chose the right one - Trbovlje. Why?
"Ever since we met, he's been saying he wants to go back to Trbovlje," says Barbara, who is originally from Otočec in Dolenjska. "There is something true about these Zasavians, that they have a special belonging and love for their home places. As there is still a lot missing, it seemed to us that there are also many possibilities. It seemed to us that it would also mean a lot to the city."
They spent a long time looking at the site of a former patisserie with a centuries-old tradition on 1 June Street, and then another year explaining their plans for a kind of 'Parisian day bistro'. The owner wanted to make sure she was putting the space in the right hands. She wanted the space to come alive again.
When they finally shook hands on the contract, they designed the space with precision. "It's the little things that make the difference," says Urh. Next time you walk into Bombino, take a look at the lighting, for example. Urh emphasises that television does not belong in a restaurant. "Music. It has to be at a specific volume." He spent months choosing the right combination of songs, so that even the SAZAS inspector praised the selection. And right down to the colours, the comfort, the cosy homeliness... What to explain - go for a snack and have a look.
Where did the name come from Bombina? "How unnecessary it would be to give the name Urh Restaurant, Urh Bistro ..." Innovative as ever, they were looking for something more... interesting. Special. So Barbara came up with the idea: "What if it was Bombina?" In England, the urchin was indeed called 'bombina', which is the Latin name for the lowland urchin, i.e. the frog.
That's it, Bombina will. To round off the whole story, it's Andraž Krslin painted the walls with a cute little frog, who also has a wise word to say. He speaks Hrastic (look at the sign at the entrance - Trbovlje residents will understand immediately), but don't let that fool you - the frog is a Trbovlje thoroughbred. We didn't even ask whether they deliberately linked the two valleys of Zasavje in this way.
In January 2023, they started renovation work. On 27 November, they opened their doors to visitors for the first time.
(There hasn't been an official opening with all the accompanying programme yet, so we're looking forward to that.)
Interestingly, Urh, the chef de cuisine, finds it quite difficult to stand in front of customers. He likes to be in the kitchen, he likes to create. He would like restaurants to be judged primarily on the quality of the food and not so much on the person who runs the restaurant. "Let the food be what makes people go to the restaurant." Yet he is aware that business is built more on personality than on food. That's why he sometimes shows up in front of the customers - which is usually what Barbara gets him into. Smiling and skilful, she makes sure that all the guests enjoy the feast and generally feel comfortable. The overall story, marketing and creating a bigger vision is something they both work on.
"Every business start-up is difficult," they admit. "If money was the main motivator, I would never have done it. It's an industry with extremely low added value." Having two makes it easier. Because they see the meaning in their work, they don't run out of motivation. And because they get wonderful feedback from happy customers, they know they are doing something right.
"You often question whether it makes sense to sweat the small stuff. For example - I always pour a drink. Urh always puts the food on the plate very nicely, even when it comes to the daily snacks," Barbara praises him. "It doesn't take long to put it neatly on the plate. But maybe it means a lot to someone," Urh adds. "Then someone comes along who notices and appreciates it. That really gives you a lot of will to keep going."
What is the food in Bombini special? "That it's cooked." The initially nonsensical answer took on a meaning when she explained. butasto it sounds like it is. I don't overcook, I don't overheat, I cook everything in one go. We always make sure we have fresh vegetables, although it would be cheaper and quicker to pre-cut or just buy frozen - but that won't happen in my kitchen."
All the while, they are striking a balance between fine culinary skills and daily brunch food for both selected international guests and manual workers.
"Well, once we went a little too far." Yeah? "I made a dessert with rhubarb sponge cake and black tea cream." Apparently it didn't go down anyway, because they wanted something more ordinary, like a cake or a strudel. Urh makes that too.
And when someone comments on the excellent cuisine: "Ah, that's too much, because everything is good for the Zasavians...", Barbara says: "No! Why shouldn't it be right for the people of Zasavje - the best?!"
This is where they find most of their motivation - Let's give the city more innovation, good food, places to meet and special experiences. Urh is very keen for Bombina to become a place where friends meet in the evenings to chat over a glass of good wine and fine cuisine.
How to proceed? "Ugh, the ideas are endless..." Bakery, patisserie, events, expansions, lively streets ... "We complement each other well in terms of ideas," says Urh. "Barbi has a constant desire to expand, she has these big ideas of what to make. She can't be at peace. I have a lot of ideas and desires too, but I'm the one who makes it all more of a reality. Then I let go a little, and she lets go a little, and that's it."
"I don't give up," Barbara smiles cheekily, and Urh with her.
Too many ideas, not enough time. And it's all about - revitalising Trbovlje and good, quality food.
Barbara and Urh, we support you endlessly! We are hungry every day, but we are also hungry for good stories of Zasavje. #akrobati
See more at Bistrobombina.com
Photos by Mitja Ličar
