Young Chefs Discover Why Tradition Matters More Than Ever
The Uplift project brought together five exceptional chefs for a Dalmatian cuisine masterclass, where they discussed the secrets of old recipes and the importance of local ingredients.
The Uplift project brought together five exceptional chefs for a Dalmatian cuisine masterclass, where they discussed the secrets of old recipes and the importance of local ingredients.
While our grandmothers once despaired over the superstition that a boy must never be touched with a broom, today's young Croatian chefs fight with equal fervor to preserve a different but equally valuable tradition-the culinary one. Five selected chefs from across Croatia took part in a three-day masterclass as part of the project "Uplift, Friend of Croatian Cuisine," where they discovered how much knowledge lies behind seemingly familiar Dalmatian classics.
The project, initiated by Mastercard with the aim of preserving and promoting Croatian gastronomic heritage, attracted as many as 125 applications. The working group, led by chef Marin Medak, selected five participants. Among them were Antonio Banovac, a chef from Split who interned at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Milka in Kranjska Gora, and Duje Glušević, a young chef who interprets the traditions of the island of Brač in a contemporary way.
They were joined by Stella Pasek, head chef at Konoba Jakan in Vulić Dolac, Ante Jonjić, chef at Dubrovnik's restaurant Pinos, and Dino Grnja, a cook at the Hotel Materra in Čepin. All already had serious professional experience, but no one expected to spend three days discussing details like the marinating time for fish or the order of adding ingredients.
During the masterclass, six Dalmatian dishes were covered: brudet (fish stew), pašticada, black risotto, fish soup, grilled fish with Swiss chard, and marinated fish. The goal was not to demonstrate a single correct way of preparation, but to explain why certain procedures became part of the recipe. "Participating in the project met all my expectations and even deepened them. For the first time, for instance, I cooked the traditional recipe for pašticada, which was an excellent experience," Stella Pasek told Telegram.hr.
The young chefs agree that without the past, there is no future in the kitchen. "We should promote Croatian cuisine through local products. They are what make the difference and give identity to every dish," said Duje Glušević. Dino Grnja adds that he realized "without tradition, there is no modern cuisine."
Ante Jonjić, who grew up in the Imotska Krajina region with family recipes, emphasizes a personal note: "Every dish must have emotion and some history within it." This philosophy lies behind the multi-year initiative that will cover different Croatian regions and their stories over five years.
While tradition is nurtured in the kitchen, some old beliefs have persisted in family life as cultural curiosities. For example, in many parts of Croatia and the Balkans, it was believed that a boy must never be hit with a broom because it could stunt his growth. Although there is no scientific explanation for this, ethnologists believe such superstitions served a practical purpose-to deter adults from punishing children with household objects.
The broom was considered a symbol of home and family harmony in traditional culture, and beliefs associated with it were passed down for decades. Today, these unwritten rules are primarily a reminder of the way of life of our ancestors and are part of a rich cultural heritage.
