Gastro

Zagreb's Chefs of the Future

Fair enough, Zagreb cannot compete with much bigger and more exciting cities like Paris or London, but our own little dining scene is far from being boring and predictable.

Lots of openings and closings, lots of comings and goings, lots of competition and talented young chefs trying to make it and leave a mark. Some of the best eateries are run by very young and ambitious chefs. Their talent is easily accessible, because they brought new energy to bistro-like establishments and mid-range restaurants, not necessarily upscale places. Let's introduce some of the young guns you need to watch out for.

“Vedran Petranović, head chef of Dubravkin put, on the right.” Image credit: Dubravkin put FB

There's an international organization dedicated to young talents in the world of gastronomy. It's called JRE, short for Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europe, gathering young restaurateurs and chefs (under the age of 42) from 14 European countries. The only member from Zagreb is Dubravkin put restaurant, that is – their head chef Vedran Petranović. Dubravkin put is one of Zagreb's top-notch restaurants with a long tradition, focused on modern version of Mediterranean cuisine and local influences. Vedran was the sous-chef and then took center stage almost two years ago. Delivering technically precise and elegant dishes, he helped Dubravkin put stay in the game and keep the reputation as one of the most reliable restaurants in the city.

“Young team from Brokenships Bistro in action.” Image credit: Brokenships Bistro FB

Two fine young chefs in their 20s who are making a lot of noise used to be connected with the JRE family, through the restaurants they worked for previously. Jurica Jantolek runs the kitchen in Pod zidom, a smart bistro near Dolac market opened some 5-6 years ago and constantly raising the bar. They take the freshest seasonal ingredients and treat them with a lot of creativity, while respecting tradition at the same time. When you want to try something local yet a bit different, with a twist, Pod zidom is always a reliable recommendation. This description can easily be applied to Brokenships Bistro, a spin-off project of the popular Museum of Broken Relationships. Matija Jagić leads the passionate young team dedicated to deconstructing well-known traditional recipes, but keeping it simple and true to main ingredients.

“Pod zidom team lead by chef Jurica Jantolek, the first on the left.” Image credit: Pod zidom FB

Lovro Smetiško is the guy responsible for the interesting fusion coming out from Haustor Haus, another bistro, hidden in a downtown courtyard. They, too, love playing with seasonal ingredients, drawing inspiration from all corners of the world. Their dishes can be very elaborate, with an impressive presentation on the plate, but without much fuss. At the moment, the talk of the town is Filp Horvat, aged 25, who put Ab Ovo on the map a few years ago. His talent was clear from the beginning and he attracted a devoted following to this tucked away little bistro. When it closed down last year, Filip disappeared from the scene for a while, keeping everybody curious about his next step. And finally, Theatrium by Filho opened in October, in Teslina Street. It's an ambitious project aiming to combine fresh local ingredients and modern, progressive cooking, which yet needs to find its audience. Judging by the hype around it, this shouldn't be a problem.

“Filip Horvat, one of the most promising and ambitious young chefs, at his newly opened place.” Image credit: Theatrium by Filho FB

Along with already established restaurants with longer tradition, Zagreb's dining scene is bursting with talent and young energy, so it’s high time to start exploring. I hope these young guns will stick around for a long time, paving the path for a whole new generation of chefs and restaurateurs to come.

“Haustor Haus team sharing some good vibes.” Image credit: Haustor Haus FB

Header image credit: Brokenships Bistro FB

Author: Taste of Croatia, Morana Zibar