Nika ČAVLOVIĆ

Nika Čavlović is only 22 years old and has no formal pastry education, but her dedication and authenticity – in addition to being curious and resilient – have propelled her to the very top of the pastry scene. Born in Zagreb, she baked cakes at the age of ten and without persuasion from family members, she decided to become a pastry chef. However, instead of a culinary high school, she enrolled in the Language Gymnasium, and immediately after graduation, she came to work in the Zagreb restaurant ManO 2. With the mentorship of chef Hrvoje Kroflin, working in that restaurant shaped her professional identity and gave her the freedom to grow. The first dessert she made there was, according to her today's criteria, very simple – with gingerbread and mulled wine. Today, there is nothing classic in her desserts: in them she combines ferments that she develops herself, eggplant turns into creamy ice cream, rye bread becomes a crispy biscuit, and chocolate is replaced by shades of barley malt and salt. It plays with flavors, combines the unexpected, and vegetables play an equally important role as fruits. He pays special attention to the contrast between sweet, sour and bitter, so that the dessert remains complex, but never heavy. Her desserts are not just the "end of the meal", but an equal part of the gastronomic experience in the restaurant. They are precisely composed, visually elegant, show her understanding of the fine-dining concept and - raise the standard of restaurant confectionery in Croatia. Nika continuously develops her author's approach to confectionery, creating desserts that leave a refined final impression. On the other hand, she is most impressed by something simple, homemade, but superbly made – something like mom's cheese pie or grandma's dumplings with apricots.