Osijek Gourmet 2024: Wildlife on a plate as cultural heritage and gastronomy of Slavonia and Baranja

The city on the Drava will once again gather enogastronomy experts, tourism stakeholders and other key "links" in the chain of production and supply that will 18. September 2024. at Hotel Osijek to discuss another pearl of the culinary offer of Slavonia and Baranja - wild ones.

As part of the four-year project of the Tourist Board of the City of Osijek, under the name "Osijek Gourmet", an event that arouses interest, promotes education and valorization, and encourages creativity and innovation on the gastronomic scene, were previously held masterclasses and panels dedicated to black Slavonian pig (Osijek Gourmet 2022) and river fish (Osijek Gourmet 2023).

After the previous very successful and well-attended editions of this project, it was the turn of another traditional foundation on which the regional gastronomic heritage rests.

Surrounded by rich forests and fertile fields, Osijek, as the center of the region, has developed an urban face, but kept the tradition on the plate. However, taking into account the growing popularity of fast and international food, traditional tastes, especially those that require long-term preparation, are an increasingly challenging part of the offer of a destination. This is precisely why the goal of the Osijek Gourmet project is to educate and network stakeholders in tourism so that through joint intellectual (and enogastronomic) efforts defined the challenges, potentials and future of traditional Slavonian and Baranja cuisine in Osijek. 

From hunting traditions to contemporary tastes

Wild game has a special place in the gastronomy of Slavonia and Baranja, known for rich tradition of hunting and preparation of spicy, aromatic dishes. These regions are rich in natural resources, such as forests and nature parks that provide an ideal habitat for a variety of game, including deer, roe deer, wild boar, pheasants and rabbits. The hunting tradition is witnessed by numerous hunting societies as well as hunting grounds and hunting castles, such as the famous Tikveš castle.

However, wildlife on the plate, which is the guiding thought of this year's Osijek Gourmet meeting, is not strictly dedicated to meat only. The topic of food and conversation will be wild foods that they can be not only complementary, but also the main part of the plate. By wild foods we mean wild edible plants that are particularly rich in nutrients.

At this year's Osijek Gourmet, several experts will talk about the importance of game and wild foods. In the panel called "How game and forest fruits create a unique destination experience" Dr. sc. will talk about the challenges and the future of game. Vlado Jumić, head of the Osijek Branch Forest Management, Karin Mimica, the author and manager of the oldest quality brands in the Croatian hospitality industry and the face of numerous successful gastronomic destination branding projects, then pastry chef, consultant and educator Ivana Bralic, private restaurant Vinarije Josić i private Croatian national football team Tomica Djukic, sommelier Tomislav Jakopović and director of the Public Institution Nature Park Kopački rit Ivo Bašić. The panel will moderate Željka Balja, owner of Autentika and founder of Family Welcome, the first specialized portal for family travel. 

Top notch chefs they reveal the secrets of preparing game dishes

The panel will be preceded by two masterclass in the cooking of game dishes which he will preside over private renowned restaurant Josić i private of the Croatian football team, Tomica Đukić, with the main private kitchen of Hotel Osijek, Ivo Gracek and the main one pastry chef of Split restaurant Dvor Ivan Bralić.

The event will be enriched by a presentation Varja Guttert, head of sales at the Kopački rit Nature Park Public Institution and the best female tourist guides in Croatia in the category of Employees of the Year in Tourism 2022. The respected Osijek historian Dr. sc. Zlata Živaković Kerže and prof. Ph.D. Krešimir Mastanjević, president of the Department of Meat and Milk Technology at the Faculty of Food Technology in Osijek.

His contribution in the form of recipes that will be available to the general public will be given by the already mentioned Tomica Đukić, head of the first Culinary Academy in Croatia and top private, educator and international cooking judge Željko Neven Bremec, then Alen Radanović (pizzeria Bocconcino) who in 2024 won first place at the world competition in Naples for the preparation of the best seasonal pizza, mentioned pastry chef Ivana Bralić, Saša Vojnović (private in Bistro Sloboda) who will take care of those who want vegetarian options and Mrs. Dušica Siber (Vinarija Siber) who will announce the recipe for preparing quail.

New edition Osijek Gourmet so will contribute again professional education of stakeholders in tourism with the purpose of offering better quality services to the increasing number of guests, but also to the local population in the city of Osijek. Year after year, interest is growing, conversations are getting louder, and important stakeholders are becoming more networked, which is a good indicator of the need for this kind of event in the center of the region.

The project of the Tourist Board of the City of Osijek, called Osijek Gourmet, is supported by the partners Croatian Tourist Board, City of Osijek, Osijek-Baranja County, Tourist Board of Osijek-Baranja County, Glas Slavonije dd and Hrvatske šume doo

Photo: Osijek Gourmet - Mario Đurkić - Horizont Solutions