July the 31st, 2025 – Croatia is set to become an educational centre for haute gastronomy in the immediate region through a commendable project.
As Sinisa Malus/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, an organisation called “I Love France/Ja volim Francusku”, led by Slađana Novaković has launched a very special collaboration. That partnership is with the European Centre of Gastronomy and the Alsace Region, which is launching a unique project in Croatia that will connect the Croatian hospitality sector with very high end French gastronomy.
The key strategic partner of this project which will see Croatia transformed into an education centre for haute gastronomy is METRO Croatia. It shares the role of the exclusive holder and promoter of this initiative with the wider association.
This is the MCEU programme, the International Centre for Education and Networking, which is the first international haute gastronomy educational cycle in all of Southeastern Europe. The programme includes intensive seven-day training courses for professionals from the HoReCa sector, which will be held four times a year – February, April, June and November 2026.
The training courses will be led by renowned French chefs Michel Husser and Christian Cottard, owners of the only restaurant in the world with an uninterrupted Michelin star for 88 years. The programme is designed according to the highest standards of French haute cuisine, with an emphasis on haute gastronomy techniques, a zero-waste approach, the valorisation of local ingredients and the transfer of Alsatian know-how to talented Croatian chefs.
Through this cooperation, Croatia is set to firmly position itself as a regional centre for the professional training of chefs from Southeast European countries, both EU Member States and non-EU countries. Croatia becoming the star of haute gastronomy training further encourages intercultural exchange, strengthens regional cooperation and contributes to the integration of the region through amazing food.
“These training sessions are the beginning of a new era in the development of relations between France and Croatia. Thanks to METRO and the support of the Alsace region, we’re creating a permanent platform for the transfer of knowledge, the development of tourism and the internationalisation of Croatian gastronomy,” said Slađana Novaković.
Cooperation with METRO will enable its further positioning as a leader in gastronomic education in the wider region. It will also nurture connections with French institutions and professional sectors, enable the creation of the METRO Academy of Gastronomy in cooperation with French partners, and encourage promotional and media visibility through the international network of partners – the European Centre of Gastronomy.
This initiative not only connects the educational, private and institutional sectors of both Croatia and France, but also positions Croatia in the long term as a key destination for the development of haute gastronomy in Southeastern Europe.
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