At the Croatian Culinary Days 2025 during the Ambienta fair in Zagreb, the air was filled with excitement: knives flashed, plates were artfully arranged, and teams held their breath for every score. In the midst of this buzz, we met Erich Glavica, President of the Croatian Culinary Association and a multi-award-winning top chef.
We presented him with our competition “12 Faces of the Kitchen” – and his interest was immediately sparked. Now the task ahead is to turn this first encounter into shared steps for the future.
 

Why are competitions important?
A culinary contest, like the one we witnessed at Dani hrvatskog kulinarstva, shows what gastronomy is all about: passion, skill, and community.
It motivates, inspires, and highlights the diversity and pride of an entire profession. The kitchen becomes a stage where knowledge, passion, and team spirit take the spotlight.

This is exactly the idea we carry into “12 Faces of the Kitchen”:
Not only dishes, but also the people and their stories should be visible.
It is not just about prizes, but about recognition, community, and inspiration.
Participation creates visibility – for teams, institutions, and their regional culture.

Moving forward together
The conversation with Mr. Glavica shows: our project is being noticed even at the highest culinary level. And perhaps this will soon lead to new collaborations that will connect our competition even more strongly with both the Croatian and the international gastronomy scene.

Petra Reinbacher