Jiva Marcov is a defining figure of Timișoara hospitality, combining hands-on craft with entrepreneurial vision. He started in the city’s landmark restaurants—LLOYD, Palace, Vaporul—working his way up from waiter to unit manager.

After 1990 he went independent and, in 1995, opened Terasa Nora, dedicated to Banat cuisine and wood-grilled dishes; it soon became a byword for quality and warmth. To guarantee authentic taste he developed in-house charcuterie based on Banat recipes and, in 2018, opened the first Nora butcher’s shop. His products have represented Romania at tourism fairs in Vienna, Frankfurt and Berlin, strengthening a local brand with national reach.

Over nearly three decades he has built one of the region’s most stable HoReCa structures—five buildings and 66 rooms—an ecosystem that unites kitchen, lodging and guest experience. Remarkable for continuity, he secured a smooth 2025 succession to his son, Deian Marcov.

Why ambassador for Banat 2028? Because his work embodies these values: authentic, producer-led taste; short supply chains; hospitality that turns a meal into a story. He can mobilise restaurants and producers, lead demos and youth workshops, and promote the “Produced in Banat” label and traceability—taking Banat’s message to audiences and partners across Europe.