Our Kitchen
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Ciprian Spancioc
In the culinary world, where every ingredient tells a story, Ciprian Spancioc stands out through his passion and dedication to the art of slow cooking. Founder of The Wild Chef concept, Ciprian opens his heart and invites us into his world, a world where traditions, nature, and fire intertwine to create unique gastronomic experiences.
HOME - WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Ciprian’s story begins in Moldova, at the heart of a family where food was more than just sustenance – it was connection, tradition, and above all, an expression of love. “I grew up surrounded by flavors and aromas. I learned from my grandmother that cooking is an act of love and dedication. Sunday family meals and the tradition of dining together inspired me to become a chef,” Ciprian recalls.
His roots, intertwined with family traditions and shared meals, laid the foundation for a life dedicated to good taste. “Nature and fire, along with my travels, inspired me to become a professional chef,” he adds, evoking the influence of his mentor, Mircea Groza (a chef and culinary “archaeologist” from Sălaj), who guided his first steps in the field.
THE CULINARY TRIPS
The Wild Chef: a vision turned into reality
Ciprian laid the foundation for the The Wild Chef concept, dedicated exclusively to slow cooking on a smoker and grill. After four years spent in a food truck and at the heart of local events, he has now settled in one place where his culinary philosophy has taken shape: The Wild Garden, a private event space located on Sfântul Ioan Road in Cluj-Napoca. Inspired by his mentor, Francis Mallmann, and his love for cooking with a smoker and grill, Ciprian firmly believes that open-fire cooking is not just a method but an art that requires patience and respect for nature’s rhythms.
However, he is not alone on this journey; he has a trusted partner, Győri Csaba, with whom he aims to offer The Wild Garden clients the opportunity to organize private events with unique live cooking moments. Csaba brings over 20 years of experience in event planning and significantly contributes his know-how in bar and event organization, while Ciprian has created a space where fire and nature communicate in harmony.
Thanks to their diverse passions, the two have managed to create a space where tradition and spectacle meet in a vibrant menu, where each dish is a main character. “For an extraordinary taste, patience and attention are needed,” Ciprian explains. The The Wild Garden menu, centered around BBQ, features specialties like brisket, pork ribs, and veal ribs, as well as sarmale cooked in a smoker, a tribute to Romanian culinary traditions.
Ciprian and his team place great emphasis on using high-quality local products, always collaborating with local producers and market vendors. “I don’t want these traditions and origins to be lost. Local, hard-earned products are the essence of our concept,” says the chef.
THE WILD GARDEN ORIGINAL
Live cooking
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Moving forward, Ciprian hopes to inspire, challenge, and bring joy as he continues to write the story of The Wild Chef. Through fire, smoke, and passion, each dish becomes a story, and every visit turns into an unforgettable experience. “For me, there is and never will be a second place. My goal has always been to offer the very best.”
Chef Ciprian Spancioc reminds us of the importance of slowing down, savoring the moment, and celebrating the traditions that define us: “I cannot express enough my deep gratitude for two essential pillars in my life: my family and my team. Without the unconditional support of my wife, who has been by my side through every moment, encouraging me and sharing my vision, and without the sacrifices of my parents, who supported me both financially and emotionally, the dream of The Wild Chef would have remained just an illusion. My team, whom I consider my second family, is the backbone of this concept. Each member brings passion and dedication to creating memorable experiences for our clients.”
The Wild Chef and The Wild Garden invite you to rediscover the joy of slow cooking and to share the happiness of dining together, in a tribute to fire, tradition, and, most importantly, passion. As the elders in the village where Ciprian grew up used to say, life is savored “câtingan, câtingănuț,” meaning slow and steady.