According to tradition, the mother is from Goriške brd and the father is from Slavnik.
Photographer: Sergij Vilfan, kept by: Slovenian Ethnographic Museum
My passion for exploring and presenting prosciutto unexpectedly awakened while slicing and tasting Spanish jamón. In that moment, memories of my grandmother in Goriška Brda, where I spent all my childhood holidays, came flooding back. I still remember the unreachable prosciuttos that could only be reached with a ladder. Hanging high up near the ceiling, they tempted me in vain until we finally devoured them during the holidays. From that day, when these childhood memories resurfaced, I began exploring, tasting, and comparing prosciuttos. I travel to regions known for their exquisite flavors, mostly of geographically protected prosciuttos. I attend specialized training and discover just how much knowledge is embedded in these traditional gastronomic specialties.
My Mission: To Showcase the Richness of Prosciutto
The traditional production of prosciutto is still largely unexplored and unconnected. Each region strives to protect and showcase its own. My mission is to present and connect the rich variety of prosciuttos with their geographic origins. I introduce them to guests and workshop participants in a professional, yet enjoyable way.
Passing on knowledge and skills has always been close to my heart. Throughout my nearly 40-year career, I often focused on this, whether working with future marine engineers on the ships of Splošna Plovba or in recent years, when I worked with hospitality staff.
I earned the certification for "Promoter of Istrian Prosciutto" in Tinjan, Croatia, and completed a professional jamón carving course in Málaga, Spain. I was part of the judging team at the International Prosciutto Fair in Tinjan - ISAP. Since prosciutto and wine pair perfectly, I also became a Level I Sommelier, and I plan to complete Level II in 2023.
Zoran Memon,
Prosciutto Connoisseur, Certified prosciutto cutter and level I sommelier.