Tvrtko ŠAKOTA

NAV by Tvrtko Šakota

On the plaque under the name of the small restaurant NAV, in the heart of Zagreb, it simply says Modern Croatian Cuisine, and it is a unique taste laboratory in which chef Tvrtko Šakota has been systematically pushing the boundaries of local gastronomy for years. Here he develops exciting combinations of dishes that find a foothold in Croatian traditional recipes with methods collected on numerous world trips, thus transforming well-known local flavors into new, often unexpected formats. Whether it's curry with dumpling made of bani pattern, donkey baked in the form of cannoli stuffed with nuts or a combination of prawns and Japanese beets, the dishes at NAV are playful in flavors, textures and extremely precisely made. In accordance with the restaurant's philosophy, all wines come from biodynamic and organic production. Different from other chefs, curious, persistent and consistent, Tvrtko is faithful to his culinary vision that requires a lot of work, learning, research and experimentation. It provides guests in the restaurant with a special dimension of gastronomic experience by explaining the origin of the ingredients and preparation techniques with each dish. One of such moments is making pasta in front of guests using bigolari, a traditional press used to shape bigoli that come to the table with smoked boškarin cheeks and seven-year-old Pag cheese. The immense energy that has always driven him has led him to new challenges. Today, as a top consultant, he shares his knowledge and skills with others. It participates in large projects that strive to improve the Croatian gastronomic scene. But at the heart of Tvrtko Šakota, NAV always comes first. It is his home where, by combining creativity, tradition and innovative flavors, he transfers his love and passion for food to every plate. And these are the unique emotions that every guest feels at NAV.