Harvest at Vršilnica: Zagreb County Tourist Board Brings Together JRE Chefs, Sommeliers, Winemakers and Producers for Talent & Passion 2026

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Harvest at Vršilnica: Zagreb County Tourist Board Brings Together JRE Chefs, Sommeliers, Winemakers and Producers for Talent & Passion 2026

18. October 2026.

A special edition of JRE Croatia’s traditional Talent & Passion event took place on 17 October at Vršilnica in Zaprešić, as part of the From Soil to Signature project, implemented by the Zagreb County Tourist Board in cooperation with JRE Croatia and with the support of the Croatian National Tourist Board. This year’s theme, ŽETVA (Harvest), transformed Zagreb County’s local produce, wines and authentic flavours into a full-day gastronomic experience.

For one day, Zagreb County brought together some of Croatia’s leading chefs and sommeliers, local winemakers and producers, and guests from the gastronomy, tourism and media sectors. Talent & Passion 2026 – ŽETVA formed part of Sustainable AgriGastro Innovation Hub – From Soil to Signature , a project dedicated to strengthening connections between local producers and the hospitality sector while developing a stronger, more distinctive gastronomic identity for Zagreb County.

The programme took guests on a “from field to table” journey, beginning with encounters with the people behind the ingredients, moving through the creative interpretations of JRE chefs and carefully selected wines, and culminating in a shared fine-dining experience at the heart of Vršilnica.

The event began with welcome bites. Konoba Boba prepared pike-perch ceviche paired with Kurtalj Cuvée Prestige, while Navis served pumpkin tartare accompanied by Jagunić Blanc de Noir. From the start, the dishes brought together products from Crna Mlaka, Philipecz, OPG Ivica Cesar, and Igomat with the distinctive culinary approaches of JRE chefs.

Following the official opening, Vršilnica was transformed into an interactive gastronomic setting where guests could move freely between chef stations, local producers and wine tastings.

Across zones inspired by pastures, fishponds and forests , JRE chefs presented six different interpretations of Zagreb County’s culinary heritage and local ingredients. Lešić Dimitri prepared ham and horseradish paired with Šember Rizling Vučjak, while San Rocco served veal ribs with fresh curd cheese and pickled apple, accompanied by Voštinić Klasnić Škrlet. In the Fishpond Zone, Pelegrini presented a fisherman's take on the traditional greblica pastry with trout, paired with Režek Zeleni Silvanac. Meanwhile, Zijavica served trout, pumpkin, fresh Zagreb cheese, and chestnut alongside Mladina Sauvignon Blanc Classy. The Forest Zone featured Villa Rova’s acorn flour lángos with goat’s cheese and grilled mushrooms, , paired with Puhelek Purek Kraljevina, and Monte’s wild boar terrine with red wine-poached pear, pumpkin and pistachio , accompanied by Litterarii Zeleni Silvanac.

Local producers played a particularly important role throughout the event. JRE chefs incorporated products from Mlin Pukanić, Sirana Šestak, Igomat, OPG Ivica Cesar, OPG Pčelarstvo Antolčić, Štenta (producers of the traditional rudarska greblica pastry), OPG Bresnica, Philipecz, and Nautilus into their creations. This gave tangible expression to one of the project’s fundamental objectives: establishing stronger, more direct relationships between local producers and professional gastronomy.

Ivana Alilović, Director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board

“From Soil to Signature builds on seven years of intensive work by the Zagreb County Tourist Board in promoting and certifying local products and establishing local value chains. We developed this project to strengthen connections between producers, winemakers, and hospitality professionals while opening new market opportunities for local products. Such value chains are essential to a destination’s long-term competitiveness. They bring together quality, expertise and authenticity while ensuring that the benefits of tourism remain within the local community. As the project leader, we are working with JRE Croatia to build partnerships that generate greater economic value for local production and strengthen Zagreb County’s gastronomic identity,” emphasised Ivana Alilović, Director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board.

A Specially Curated Selection of Zagreb County Wines

One of the highlights of ŽETVA was its wine selection, curated especially for the occasion by award-winning winning JRE sommeliers Branimir Vukšić and Dinko Lozica. Their task went beyond finding wines to complement individual dishes. Through their selection, they sought to showcase the diversity and sophistication of Zagreb County’s contemporary wine scene.

The chef stations and final menu featured carefully selected wines representing a variety of styles , from sparkling wines and fresh whites to more complex amphora-aged wines and reds. The welcome bites were accompanied by Kurtalj Cuvée Prestige and Jagunić Blanc de Noir . At the same time, the chef stations featured Šember Rizling Vučjak, Voštinić Klasnić Škrlet, Režek Zeleni Silvanac, Mladina Sauvignon Blanc Classy, Puhelek Purek Kraljevina i Litterarii Zeleni Silvanac .

A special selection was reserved for the concluding fine-dining experience. Coletti Francesco Grande accompanied the traditional žganci with cream, while Tomac Amfora Rajnski Rizling was paired with Kala’s tagliolini Korak Crni Pinot complemented the duck and mlinci, and Lagradi Muškat accompanied dessert. The event concluded with pralines from Nautilus Chocolaterie, served alongside Šoškić Franz Pelinkovac. Guests also enjoyed a signature Bermet Negroni cocktail, created exclusively for the occasion through a collaboration between Old Pilots and Bermet Philipecz.

Vjekoslav Basić, President of JRE Croatia

“Every year, Talent & Passion showcases what lies at the heart of JRE: knowledge sharing, collaboration and gastronomy that begins with exceptional ingredients. This year, we built the entire concept around Zagreb County, challenging our chefs to interpret its products and traditional flavours through their own distinctive culinary styles. Wine was an equally important part of the experience. Our sommeliers selected wines from Zagreb County winemakers that complemented each dish while showcasing the quality and diversity of the region’s wine scene. ŽETVA embodies exactly what we aim to achieve through projects like this: bringing producers, chefs, sommeliers and the destination together to create greater value.”

Dubravkin put opened the final menu with traditional žganci served with cream. This was followed by Kala which presented tagliolini with pheasant sauce, Turopolje truffle and forest snails. Korak then served duck with mlinci, while Lemongarden concluded the menu with a forest apple dessert.

Throughout the day, guests enjoyed 12 signature dishes created by JRE chefs , from the welcome bites and chef stations to the final four-course menu.