"All the Tastes of Zagreb" Project to strengthen the position of gastronomy in the tourist Offer

The Zagreb Tourist Board (TZGZ) in cooperation with caterers presented the "All the Tastes of Zagreb" project and the "Delicious Zagreb" platform on Tuesday with the aim of further promoting and strengthening the positioning of Zagreb's gastronomy as part of Zagreb's tourist offer.

At the presentation held in a Zagreb family restaurant, TZGZ director Martina Bienenfeld emphasized that tourism is not complete without gastronomy and that tourists spend 30 percent of their travel budget on food and drink.

“Through gastronomy, you learn not only about food but also the tradition and history of a country, and therefore we want to position Zagreb more strongly as a gastronomic destination, because it has a lot to offer - from traditional cuisine to modern interpretations of traditional flavors. In addition, more and more restaurants in Zagreb are holding international awards and gastronomic labels, including the most famous, Michelin,” Bienenfeld pointed out.

The platform and project will be promoted on the European and American markets (USA), from where more and more tourists are coming to Zagreb.

Bienenfeld says that professionals from the world of gastronomy often hear that Zagreb has excellent food and drink, and that seasonal ingredients are respected and used.

The president of the Zagreb Restaurant Association, Franz Letica, believes that quality and unique experiences are key in gastronomy, which many restaurant owners cherish with their offerings and original recipes.

The Delicious Zagreb project and platform also includes chefs Vesna Miletić, chef Rudolf Štefan, chef and author of the series "Ana Cooks, Zagreb Loves" Ana Ugarković, and British author and blogger Paul Bradbury, who all highlighted Zagreb's great advantage over other European metropolises.

Štefan also highlighted the authenticity of food and drink in Croatia and Zagreb.

An advantage of Zagreb is that there are many family farms around it from which can get excellent, fresh and healthy food and that the supply chains are short, i.e. everything is close by.

Ana Ugarković believes that gastronomy and quality local food are not only in Zagreb's restaurants but also in markets, workshops, in recipes that are kept and exchanged, assessing that Zagreb's cuisine is rich in flavors and recipes.

“It is time to start some new trends in gastronomy based on authentic ingredients and products, which Croatia and Zagreb have much more of than some other destinations,” said Vesna Miletić, while Paul Bradbury said that the gastro scene in Zagreb has exploded and that excellent local, as well as international food and drinks are offered with "large portions and decent prices".

Source: HRT