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🇭🇷 Croatia /Culture & Society

Michel Husser praises Croatian peppers and ajvar: ‘France has nothing of this quality’

From Večernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • French chef Michel Husser hosted a dinner in Zagreb after leading culinary masterclasses in Croatia.
  • He prepared a menu inspired by Croatian seasonal produce while drawing on the cuisine of his home region, Alsace.
  • Husser praised Croatia’s peppers and ajvar and said he wanted more time to explore the country’s ingredients, producers and culinary potential.

Michel Husser arrived in Zagreb with a French culinary legacy behind him and a menu built around Croatian seasonal ingredients.

The chef, who visited the Skenderica 1912 restaurant, is the successor to 90 years of Michelin tradition at the family restaurant Le Cerf in Marlenheim, near Strasbourg. The restaurant has held a Michelin star continuously since 1936. Husser spent 40 years in the profession and served as Le Cerf’s head chef for two decades, taking it to a second star.

I found truly fantastic seasonal ingredients and would like to get to know better the nature they come from, as well as their producers. I would like to have a little more time for your country so I could better understand its potential.

· Michel HusserThe French chef described his appreciation for Croatian ingredients and his interest in exploring the country’s culinary potential.

Now a culinary consultant, Husser returned to Croatia through the international organization I Love France. He came to share his experience in masterclasses in Rovinj, organized with the International Union of the Alsace Region and supported by the chambers of commerce of Alsace and Strasbourg.

In Zagreb, he worked with the chefs and staff of Skenderica and Lisak catering on a dinner shaped by local ingredients. He said he had found “truly fantastic seasonal ingredients” and wanted to learn more about the nature they came from and the people who produced them. He also wished he had more time to understand Croatia’s potential.

I love peppers and ajvar here because nothing of this quality exists in France!

· Michel HusserHusser praised two Croatian foods highlighted in the interview’s headline.

Husser said his cooking is guided both by his own kitchen and by Alsace. The opening dish drew on flammekueche, a simple Alsatian specialty traditionally served on Sunday evenings. His version was served as a small opening bite with Champagne Chavost, part of a wine pairing that included both French and Croatian wines.

The cold starter was a terrine made from seasonal local vegetables, aromatic herbs, goat-cheese bavaroise and pistou. Husser described the menu as cuisine with character, while the dinner’s overall presentation placed Croatian produce alongside the traditions of Alsace.

As always, this will be cuisine with character.

· Michel HusserHe introduced the dinner menu before presenting its seasonal vegetable terrine.
About this summary

Originally published by Večernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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