Chef Tino Sinožić- Young talent of the year 2019

Behind the scenes of the modern and elegant Navis restaurant, chef Tino Sinožić plays the main role. He became Navis chef de cuisine at the age of 23, which is really a great achievement for such a young  cook. "I became a chef because I always wanted to, and I feel good when I am cooking” says Tino.  After completing the Hospitality school in Opatiji, he began working with the Kapetanović family. First at Laurus Restaurant, within the Hotel Villa Kapetanović.  After a couple of years of dedicated work, the owners gave him a great chance to take over the kitchen at the Navis restaurant, in their luxurious hotel of the same name in Opatija. The culinary philosophy of the young chef is based on pairing local foods and flavors, which is visible in almost all of his dishes. He is particulary good in preparing fish recipes that we enjoyed during all our visits to the restaurant. Tino knows well the local food, the tastes that he doesn’t want to “spoil” with excessive spices, but he tries to gently stay away from the classic menus. His approach to the flavours is reflected in his signature dish “Capesante with foie gras on a cream of caramelized cauliflower with truffles”. However, in order to develop his own cuisine, the young chef has to learn a lot more, get new culinary skills and gain a broader experience. He definitely has to practice in some top international restaurants. Only there he will be able to master modern culinary techniques and adopt work discipline, and, what is especially important for him, learn how to run a serious kitchen. Tino deserves the Gault & Millau Trophy Young  Talent of the year 2019 for his enthusiasm, potential and dedication. We wish that he  continues to work in that way. We hope that this prestigious award, together with additional education and love for this demanding job, will be an incentive for his future career and will help him to become a recognizable name on the Croatian gastronomic scene.