How the 14th Taste the Mediterranean Transformed Lošinj into the Gastronomic Center of the Region

The dinner prepared by four culinary stars was the highlight of the 14th International Festival Taste the Mediterranean, an event that celebrates Mediterranean gastronomy, local ingredients, tradition, contemporary culinary art, and the exchange of experiences and knowledge.

Fantastic Four and Knight of Labor

On a casually arranged terrace overlooking the sea, connecting the Bava and Matsunoki restaurants at the Bellevue Hotel in Mali Lošinj, Marijo Curić, Marko Đurašević, Rudolf Štefan, and Stiven Vunić – all Chefs of the Year according to the Gault&Millau Croatia guide – cooked together for the first time. Each chef presented some of their best dishes to delight 130 guests. The nine rounds of pleasure – as the dinner menu was named – offered two dishes from each chef. Only Vunić, as a representative of Kvarner – the European Region of Gastronomy, presented three dishes, including a dessert created by his wife, Tea Pecek Vunić.

The first round of the feast was filled with appetizers: mackerel, bonito gel, and miso mayonnaise by Chef Curić from the Dubrovnik restaurant 360, a hint of autumn with chestnuts and porcini mushrooms by Chef Đurašević from the Val di Breno restaurant, rib eye carpaccio and celery salad by Chef Štefan from the Šibenik Pelegrin, and cuttlefish marinated with caramelized pumpkin and beans by Chef Vunić from Konoba Zijavica. Even more exciting flavors were brought by the main courses: Curić’s confit lamb with fava bean cream, Štefan’s cod tripe with barley, and Vunić’s gratin packs with Kvarner shrimp. For a sweet ending to the dinner, Tea Vunić combined quince, hazelnut, and tonka, while Đurašević created the dessert golden egg, filled with carob, chestnut, hazelnut, lavender, and white chocolate. This wealth of flavors was perfectly complemented by a selection of President’s best cheeses: from Camembert to Roquefort, and five blends of Rikato olive oils. The gastronomic spectacle was accompanied by Jermann wines and spritzes from the Rossi distillery, as well as an excellent music selection by the DJ, just loud enough for guests to converse without raising their voices.

For the culinary virtuosos, the organizers of the Taste the Mediterranean festival prepared a surprise of the evening – each chef received a portrait as a gift, created by the artist Veronica Joseph from Omiš.

A completely different exclusive atmosphere was provided by the dinner at the Alfred Keller restaurant of the Alhambra Boutique Hotel, which Taste the Mediterranean held in collaboration with Lošinj Hotels & Villas. Italian chef Peter Brunel and his host Daniel Skokić delighted guests with lavish combinations of flavors from the sea and mountains. Dishes included rice with charcoal, horseradish, and caviar, dentex, sunchoke, and trout roe, veal cheeks, and smoked potatoes, while Karlić truffles were generously used with beef battuta and Cipriani sauce. Kvarner wines from Pavlomir, Katunar Estate, and Kuća vina Katunar were served at the dinner, presented by Žarko Stilin, president of the Kvarner Wines association. Three top wines from the Italian winery Masciarelli were personally presented by its owner Marina Cvetić Masciarelli. One of the most significant female winemakers in the world recently received the prestigious state recognition “Knight of Labor” (Cavaliere del Lavoro), and she also spoke about her achievements in the panel program of the Taste the Mediterranean festival.

Without Love, There is No Gastronomy

Festival organizers Ingrid Badurina Danielsson and Dubravka Tomeković Aralica gathered numerous interesting participants in the panel program. The role of the chef in the future of gastronomy was discussed by Marina Wallner – owner of the Wallner Private High School in Split, Jelena Bralić – principal of the Ambroz Haračić High School in Mali Lošinj, Marin Banović – culinary professor at the Biograd na Moru High School – representative of the Tourist Board of Zadar County, and young chef Adam Rajndl from Baranja. Their stories and ideas were connected by one thought: that love for gastronomy will always be crucial for success in this business. The challenges awaiting tourism in 2027 were explained by Marijana Kalčić, director of the Kvarner Tourist Board, Mislav Matišić, director of the Tourist Board of Osijek-Baranja County, and Dalibor Cvitković, director of the Tourist Board of the city of Mali Lošinj. Discussions on olive growing, winemaking, and bread in the new age of agriculture and tourism were led by Prof. Dr. Sc. Aleksandar Mešić, dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Zagreb, Damir Josić, owner of the Josić winery and restaurant in Zmajevac, Petar Rikato, owner of the Rikato Olive Oil brand, Miroslav Botić, sales and marketing director of Lesaffre Adriatic, and Olaf Johan Pedersen, brand manager of the Norwegian company Tørrfisk fra Lofoten.

The festival held from September 9 to 13 began at the Lošinj Fish Market, which has preserved one of the most important island connections – that between the sea and the table – for over 130 years. The hosts – Mayor Ana Kučić and Dalibor Cvitković, director of the TZ Mali Lošinj, highlighted the historic fish market as the ideal place for the meeting of tradition and modern cuisine. The grand opening was a true gastronomic show featuring both local and foreign chefs. Tommi Bjørnsen from Norway prepared delicacies from cod, while Adam Rajndl from the Josić Winery in Zmajevac served bites of Baranja river fish. The best labels from Damir Josić’s winery were also poured. A professional team from Lesaffre Adriatic prepared several types of bread from well-known di-go bakery mixes. Marin Banović, a culinary professor at the Biograd na Moru High School, was assisted by his two students, Božidar Dučkić and Toni Palaškov: together they prepared bites representing the Zadar region. The pastry shop Moby Dick delighted guests with mushroom-shaped cakes with red caps, members of the Gušt association cooked cuttlefish and beans in a giant pot – a traditional local dish, and Japanese-French chef Ippei Uemura skillfully filleted Adriatic tuna to make tartare. The Kvarner Wines association poured wines from the Kvarner wine region, and guests could also taste Krk prosciutto Gospoja, Magriž cheeses, and cured meat products from Buretić Bregi, Vilma sweets, and Bakar baškot.

The Meaning of Sharing at the Table

“This is not an event where you just eat and drink. The festival has an important educational function, as it brings top world and local chefs who hold workshops and share their knowledge with young people, with future chefs,” said Marijana Kalčić, director of the Kvarner TZ, not hiding her enthusiasm for the festival’s collaboration with the Ambroz Haračić Secondary Hospitality School. Over three days, eight culinary workshops were held there, where final-year students had the opportunity to learn various things from the chefs who participated in the festival – from proper fish filleting to achieving the perfect balance of flavors.

Guests of Mali Lošinj who enjoyed the rich program of the Losinava event during the festival found the Mediterranean on Kvarner offer particularly interesting. Eight city restaurants created their special three-course menu with a glass of wine ranging from €20 to €60. Two events celebrating maritime and Mediterranean heritage best combined Plutarch’s saying: “We do not sit at the table to eat, but to eat – together.