The Mediterranean in the Kvarner region: more than just food

Fine fish and meat dishes, the giant Lošinj crocant, top-quality wines, Venetian gondola rides, dynamic panel discussions and a relaxed atmosphere – that was part of the Festival Taste the Mediterranean that took place in Mali Lošinj from 11 to 14 September.

The thirteenth edition of the festival celebrating the Mediterranean way of life was held for the first time in Mali Lošinj, introducing the prestigious award given to the region: Kvarner – the European Region of Gastronomy 2026.

Taste the Mediterranean, an international festival of food, wine, cultural heritage and Mediterranean way of life, has been ‘sailing’ along the Croatian coast since 2014, when UNESCO included the Croatian Mediterranean diet on the list of the World Intangible Cultural Heritage – before this year’s edition anchored in Mali Lošinj, on the Island of vitality. The reason for coming to Kvarner was the great recognition they received as the European Region of Gastronomy 2026. This was announced during the opening of the festival TTM that has been promoting Croatia as a desirable Mediterranean destination for years, bringing together leading world and domestic chefs.

The opening ceremony on September 11 was hosted by the Apoxyomenos Museum. In the honour of the famous statue of the Greek athlete found in the sea in front of Mali Lošinj, an ancient culinary feast was organized by chef Adrijano Nikolić and the local restaurant ZaKantuni. All the dishes were prepared from the ingredients that were used two thousand years ago, but adapted to today’s tastes and were accompanied by a special Kvarner sparkling wine made 100% from the autochthonous Žlahtina variety as well as red and white wines from the Kvarner Wines association.

Ingrid Badurina Danielsson, the founder of the Festival TTM, emphasized how important gastronomy is to human lives and the beauty of life, but behind the festival’s motto “Good food, good wine & good fun”, there is an important part of education. Therefore, the festival is conceived as an exchange of experiences and knowledge – between chefs from Croatia and other Mediterranean countries. This year, about a dozen of them gathered – Italian chefs Marco Danelli and Raffaele Ros, Spanish chef Teresa Gutiérrez, Jure Tomič from Slovenia, French-Japanese chef Ippei Uemura, Austrian Michael Gollenz, who heads the kitchen of the Alfred Keller restaurant in the Alhambra Boutique Hotel in Mali Lošinj, Stiven Vunić from the Zijavica restaurant, Amos Novak from the Međimurje restaurant Terbotz (recently awarded The Gault&Millau Young talent 2025), Davor Fornažar and Dinko Lekić from the restaurants “Diana Steakhouse” and “Konoba Cigale”, as part of Lošinj Hotels & Villas – co-organizers and hosts of the Festival. Zdravka Grgić and Drago Rančić – represented the popular Lošinj restaurants Gastro Pub Deveron and Bocca Vera.

The educational part of the festival was also highlighted by Dalibor Cvitković – director of the Mali Lošinj Tourist Board – which this year celebrates 140 years of tourism. Cvitković was delighted that experienced, award-winning chefs held six workshops for the students of the Ambroz Haračić High School over the two festival days. Cooking techniques, ways of using ingredients and general culinary knowledge – this is what the chefs, awarded Gault&Millau toques and Michelin stars, showed to the students of the catering school who had the opportunity to practice on high-quality ingredients. The dairy products – from butter to various soft and hard cheeses were provided by President, a partner of the Festival. In addition to the guests from abroad, the students had the opportunity to learn from the young chef Amos Novak from the restaurant Terbotz in Štrigova, a great promoter of the traditional dishes of the continental region of Međimurje, that he prepares in a very innovative way. They learned from the experienced chef Renato Kraljev, an educator in the field of gastronomy and hospitality and the author of the “Autochthonous cookbook of Zadar County”. Amos Novak delighted the Lošinj students with the preparation and perfect execution of a “temfani” rabbit (sauteed in a pan with added cream), while Renato Kraljev excelled in the animation of a mobile phone screen lover and the execution of a sea bass fillet in a cartoccio (paper bag).

Irena Peršić Živadinov Ph.D., Director of the Kvarner Tourist Board, revealed to the guests that she had been following the Festival Taste the Mediterranean for a long time and wished that the event would move to Kvarner – because of all the values it promotes. These values – the promotion of local, indigenous and sustainable tourism – were also discussed by the Mayor of Mali Lošinj, Ana Kučić, and Monika Udovičić, the State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

On the last day of the Festival, a conference dedicated to the great international success of the Kvarner region and its title of European Region of Gastronomy 2026 was held at the Apoxyomenos Museum. The discussion on gastronomy as a driver for highlighting the region was led by Sanja Krmpotić – a hospitality expert, and was attended by Irena Peršić Živadinov Ph.D., Dalibor Cvitković, Saša Krajinović (Member of the Board of Directors of Jadranka turizam d.o.o), Katarina Larisa Ham (CEO Quintessentially for Southeast Europe), Rudi Grula (Director of the Međimurje County Tourist Board) and Ingrid Badurina Danielsson.

Saša Krajinović, Member of the Board of Directors of Jadranka turizam d.o.o., which also includes Lošinj Hotels & Villas, believes that the conceptualization of a restaurant is important in order for guests to return and stay as long as possible. Five of the nine restaurants within the Jadranka turizam brand are closely specialized and cooperate with local producers.

“We have become the leaders of gastronomy in Kvarner, overtaking even Opatija, and we are also planning to open a restaurant dedicated to Kvarner scampi,” said Krajinović, adding that education is extremely important in cooperation with the local community, and more than 6,000 hours have been spent on this, just in the food and beverage segment.

It was particularly interesting to listen to Rudi Grula, the Directoror of the Međimurje County Tourist Board, a region in the northern continental part of Croatia. “We are a boutique destination that strives for excellence, which means that we have to achieve economic quality with a smaller number of guests. Our tourism is young, we have only been developing it for 20 years, but we are aware that continuity in quality is needed, with the proviso that we do not aspire to be a fine dining but a gourmet destination. Food is extremely important to us, and we want to maintain the quality through the education of local producers. Rudolf Steiner, the father of biodynamic agriculture, was born in our region, so this fact is an incentive for us to apply his postulates in everyday life – said Rudi Grula, who was awarded applause from the audience at the end of his presentation because he touched everyone’s heart.

“There is no more important political issue, both in the world and in Croatia, than for our young people to be physically and mentally healthy, and the foundation of that health is food” – believes Grula, whoannounced the imminent opening of a culinary academy in Međimurje.

On the second panel “Back to the roots”, dedicated to honest cooking based on locally grown seasonal ingredients, the speakers were chefs Teresa Gutiérrez from Spain, Jure Tomič from Slovenia and Stiven Vunić from Croatia. All of them, as chefs and restaurant owners face the same problem – how to get quality and fresh ingredients. The discussion was attended by Renato Kraljev and Žarko Stilin, director of the Kvarner Wines association, and moderated by Dubravka Tomeković Aralica, executive director of Taste the Mediterranean.

The participants of both panel discussions confirmed that gastronomy is much more than food; it is an emotion and an experience. It gives the identity to a destination thanks to the people who nourish it every day with their knowledge, their creativity and their passion. And the Festival Taste the mediterranean confirmed it. Spanish chef Teresa Gutierrez concluded: “Despite all the difficulties and challenges that come with it, and despite the hard work, cooking is the most beautiful job in the world because it makes others happy and ensures that the meal remains etched in the guest’s memory as a unique experience.”

Photos Ivan Brčić and Sandro Tariba for TTM