Ukrainian Chef Julia Vysotska Delights on Croatian Ship Ave Maria with Creative Local Flavors

Onboard the Croatian ship Ave Maria, Ukrainian chef Julia Vysotska is captivating guests with her culinary artistry. As the head chef, Vysotska crafts three-course meals that artfully fuse traditional Croatian flavors with contemporary presentation, turning each dish into a visual and gastronomic experience.

Guests on the Ave Maria, which cruises the Adriatic, have been treated to Vysotska's creations, including a starter of prosciutto-wrapped plum with sour cream, a main course of beef mosaic, and a creamy fruit cake. Her approach emphasizes using local ingredients and producers, presenting them in a refined, modern style that still honors their traditional roots.

“

With the team, I have been working for several seasons, we are a really well-coordinated team, everyone dedicated to their part of the job that we do as best as we know and can. Besides my family on land, this is my second family – on the ship.

Vysotska, who considers the ship's crew her second family, finds her passion for cooking in Ukraine. Her dedication is evident in the meticulous detail of her plating, where every element serves a purpose, creating a balance of colors and flavors. This attention to detail has led many guests to photograph and share her dishes on social media, highlighting the high-quality dining experience aboard the Ave Maria.

“

I try to tell a story about Croatia through cooking, through selected dishes and ingredients, about local producers, ingredients that we find on the domestic market every day. I then arrange all those traditional flavors in a modern way, so that everything looks elegant and refined, but it is actually traditional dishes told in a modern way.