The beech woodcarving of a brown bear, sentinel-like on its hind legs, is the only indication I’ve come to the right place in Ribnica, a small town in southeast Slovenia. Hidden away at the rear of the family home, this is the workshop of small-goods producer David Lesar.

It seems rather low key for someone hailed by culinary-world luminaries (including René Redzepi of Noma) for his cured and fermented meats made from pork, beef, deer and, most notably, bear.