A Taste of Istria: Great British Chefs Discover Croatia's Culinary Crown Jewel

London, 30 July 2025 – The Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) and Great British Chefs (GBC), the leading chef and recipe platform in the UK which showcases more than 250 of Britain's top chef talent, have launched a campaign to spotlight the diversity and breadth of Croatian cuisine.

Throughout the campaign, a series of articles, videos and recipes will showcase Croatia's gastronomic regions, specifically Istria, with longer form features and unique recipes hosted on the Great British Chefs platform soon. Published over the coming weeks, this new offering for the GBC audience will serve as an invitation to discover Croatia through its cuisine.

The campaign's culinary canvas stems from two of Britain's most exciting culinary voices — Chef and Writer Jordon Ezra King and GBD Chef Editor Mike Daw — and their immersive gastronomic study tour through Croatia's Istrian peninsula. Organised by the Croatian National Tourist Board and the Istria Tourist Board, the pair deep dived into truffle hunting in Motovun and olive oil tasting in Vodnjan, alongside cooking demonstrations at Toklarija and a Michelin-rated lunch at Valbandon's Alla Beccaccia. Through these experiences and more, the duo began to understand the region's full gastronomic spectrum, and were bowled over by the authenticity, simplicity and warm hospitality that defines Istrian dining.

As part of the tour, Jordon Ezra King and Mike Daw also sampled experiential travel at its finest — hopping between olive groves, tasting home-aged cheeses, and diving into a local farming collective in Vodnjan. From simple konobas to multi-course fine dining, each dish told a story of land and legacy.

“The trip through Istria was an eye-opening experience,” said Mike Daw. “The quality of the produce, the diversity of landscapes, the region's rich history — all of it shapes the culinary craft in ways that left us inspired.” Jordon Ezra King, whose CV spans The Standard Hotel,  London and restaurants across Paris, added: “Istrian cuisine is an extraordinary blend of cultures, landscapes and centuries-old techniques. It's a place of depth, brilliance and serious flavour. I can't wait to share the recipes and stories with our readers back home.”

“Jordon and Mike are dynamic culinary storytellers who bring destinations to life through flavour and flair,” said Bisera Fabrio, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board UK Office. “We're thrilled to partner with Great British Chefs to share the richness of Croatian cuisine with British audiences — and there's no better place to start than Istria.

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