Chef Beata Śniechowska is a gifted Polish chef renowned for her commitment to local ingredients, authenticity, and strong partnerships with local suppliers. Her culinary philosophy is grounded in honoring Poland’s rich produce, with focusing on sustainability and close collaboration with farmers. Beata has a deep passion for merging traditional Polish flavors with contemporary techniques, crafting innovative and memorable dining experiences that leave a lasting impression.
The Best Chef: Why did you choose Polish cuisine?
Beata Śniechowska: Poland is built on outstanding products. We have absolutely incredible cheeses and honey. I am lucky enough to collaborate with Jedzeniogród, which provides phenomenal vegetables, fruits, and lettuces, and they have mastered the art of extending the growing season, allowing us to harvest from the fields and gardens all year round. We also have wonderful caviar, which is renowned worldwide, and our mushrooms are of the highest quality. Over the past few years, we have made incredible progress and advancements in gastronomy, rediscovering and embracing our national treasures. We don’t just export them, we keep them here, showcase them proudly, and are genuinely proud of them. Coming back to the question, Polish cuisine is my true love. It was instilled in me by an iconic person in my life, my grandmother, an artist, a painter, and a home cook. From my earliest years, this influence became so deeply rooted in my sensitivity to food that I wouldn’t want to cook any other cuisine. When I travel abroad, it’s amazing to gain a new perspective, and a different outlook, but I always want to cook here. I want to work with Polish products and prepare them as well as I possibly can. I absolutely agree that Poland, with its nature, history, and culture, is one of the most fascinating places to visit. It truly offers something for everyone. We have so many guests from abroad who are genuinely curious about our cuisine and traditions. And, of course, one of the most enjoyable ways to discover a country is through its food and culinary customs. So, I’m not at all surprised that Poland is once again seeing a rise in tourism. And we warmly invite even more visitors!
The Best Chef: What are the core differences between Baba and Młoda Polska?
Beata Śniechowska: When it comes to Baba, the need to express a different style of Polish cooking, modern Polish cuisine in a more intimate setting, had been growing in me for a long time. That’s why we sought out a small space. Baba has around twenty seats, creating a cozy, personal atmosphere. The goal was to offer a unique interpretation of modern Polish cuisine. So, what are the differences? Młoda Polska is about hospitality, abundance, and generosity, the essence of traditional Polish cuisine but with a modern twist. It features familiar dishes like schnitzel, borscht, chicken broth, pierogi, and pickles, but presented in a new way. It’s comforting, indulgent food at a high level, with an emphasis on warmth, generosity, and butter everywhere! Baba, on the other hand, is about redefining Polish cuisine from a different perspective. It’s deeply rooted in Polish, local ingredients, strongly connected to nature’s cycles. The style here is minimalist in appearance but incredibly complex in execution. Behind the simplicity lies hours of meticulous preparation, transforming texture, aroma, and flavor. The moment you take your first bite, that simplicity becomes something far more intricate. While Baba focuses on Polish ingredients, it was never meant to be confined by strict boundaries. It’s about breaking limits, bringing in exceptional products from around the world but always pairing them with Polish flavors. Ingredients that taste familiar elsewhere take on a distinctly Polish character here. From the moment you step in, everything is designed to be immersive, unexpected, and anything but obvious. The design was a crucial part of the concept. Baba demands more attention right now as it’s still in its early stages, while Młoda Polska is my first true restaurant, my love, my promise of great, honest comfort food. Baba is more rebellious, and unpredictable, but that makes it exciting. Having two such different projects keeps me constantly inspired. Sometimes an idea from Baba finds its way to Młoda Polska, and vice versa, it’s a thrilling creative process. I can’t even say which is closer to my heart or where I’d rather eat, because sometimes you crave a rich, umami-packed mushroom sauce with Silesian dumplings and other times you want a completely new take on Polish cuisine. Baba is also my way of sharing my travels, experiences, and encounters with chefs worldwide.
The Best Chef: What does innovation in cooking mean to you?
Beata Śniechowska: When it comes to innovation and a modern approach, the beauty of it is that everyone can interpret it in their own way. For me, paradoxically, modern cooking is not a step forward but rather a step back. It is, above all, about strong cooperation with local suppliers. It is about selecting top-quality ingredients that come through the doors of our restaurants. It means that before the season even starts, I work closely with gardeners and farmers, with landowners whose fields are just half an hour away from here. These are extraordinary people who cultivate flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruits on incredibly fertile soil, without any artificial pesticides or chemicals. Together, we are able to plan almost the entire year’s harvest, of course, nature is unpredictable. But we do our best to prepare for a whole year, growing rare and forgotten plant varieties. For me, that is true innovation. And I will always follow this principle—to never ruin a beautiful product, to never overshadow it, but rather to showcase its natural shape, its qualities, its flavor, its crispness, and its freshness.
Instagram: @beatasniechowska @baba.wroclaw
Restaurant website: https://baba.wroclaw.pl/
Restaurant Address: Nożownicza 1d, 50-119 Wrocław
