[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Ana was invited by renowned Michelin-starred chef Lionel Levy, the man behind the idea to gather and pay homage to the women of haute cuisine<\/p>\n
On\u00a0International Women’s Day<\/b>, celebrated on Wednesday, 8 March 2017,\u00a0chef Ana Grgi\u0107<\/b>\u00a0was invited, alongside world-renowned French Head Chefs\u00a0Flora Mikula<\/b>\u00a0(Auberge Flora \u00e0 Paris) and\u00a0B\u00e9atrice Gonzalez<\/b>\u00a0 (Bistrot Coretta i Neva Cuisine, Paris), to cook for guests of\u00a0Brasserie les Fen\u00eatres<\/b>, of Marseille luxury hotel\u00a0InterContinental<\/b>.<\/p>\n
Famed Michelin-starred chef Lionel Levy, who was a guest at the Esplanade’s traditional champagne dinner recently, as well as the\u00a0Taste the Mediterranean<\/b>\u00a0festival, temporarily gave his kitchen over to his three colleagues, in celebration of International Women’s Day. For this occasion,\u00a0Ana, Flora and Beatrice<\/b>\u00a0composed appetizing menus for both lunch and dinner. They included exciting Mediterranean dishes paired with wines chosen by yet another woman \u2013 sommelier\u00a0Sophie Cerciello\u00a0<\/b>of the\u00a0Ch\u00e2teau Barbanau<\/b>\u00a0vinery from the French region of Bandol. For lunch,\u00a0Ana<\/b>\u00a0prepared the\u00a0appetizer\u00a0<\/b>\u2013 zucchini flower stuffed with goat’s cheese cream with truffles and kadaif, while for the\u00a0main course<\/b>\u00a0at dinner she whipped up a slowly cooked lamb shank with crispy potatoes and smoked eggplant in za’atar. \u2018Lionel’s invitation to come cook for guests of his restaurant made me very happy, and I was especially taken with the wonderful idea to gather the women of haute cuisine on this special day, and furthermore through this project show respect for all women. I am glad to have met so many successful female chefs. This proved to be a wonderful event and a lovely exchange of experiences, and what’s most important \u2013 the guests enjoyed our creations. I think these guest appearances are an excellent means of promoting Zagreb and Croatia.’ stated\u00a0chef Ana Grgi\u0107<\/b>\u00a0upon returning from Marseille.<\/p>\n
This initiative grew from a vision Lionel Levy has always held with regard to women in haute cuisine. Female chefs are an exception within that world, of which they make up only ten percent, and this Michelin-starred chef from Marseille has always expressed the utmost respect for the women in his successful teams. As such, l\u2019InterContinental Marseille \u2013 H\u00f4tel-Dieu, as the hotel in which he works, has women holding three key positions – Camille Gandolfo and Jade Helitiana Ramnantsoavina are Sous-Chef and Chef at the Brasserie Les Fen\u00eatres restaurant, while Myriam Arab is Head Pastry Chef. Arab also prepared appetizers and desserts for the March 8th celebration. ‘On occasion of International Women’s Day, it seemed important to step back a little, and in a pleasant and visible way present these women, whose food is truly exceptional’, explained chef Lionel Levy.<\/p>\n
Photos<\/a><\/p>\n ###<\/p>\n ABOUT CHEF ANA GRGI\u0106<\/b><\/p>\n This charming and seasoned chef is the\u00a0first lady of Esplanade’s cuisine<\/b>\u00a0and has been at the head of\u00a0Zinfandel’s<\/b>, one of Croatia’s best restaurants, for almost\u00a0five years<\/b>, as well as the charming French\u00a0Le Bistro<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0Esplanade Catering<\/b>. Ana has carried on the tradition of the Esplanade’s cuisine, while also keeping step with global trends in top gastronomy. In recent years, her creative and innovative menus have impressed\u00a0endless guests and celebrities<\/b>\u00a0from show business, as well as royal families such as the Swedish King and Queen, Japanese Prince and Princess, the Saudi Arabian Prince, Denmark and the UK’s royal couple, as well as many others who certainly weren’t indifferent to Ana’s culinary ingenuity.<\/p>\n For its culinary excellence, Zinfandel’s has on numerous occasions been presented with prestigious awards such as the Great Rail Journeys Gold Food Award, inclusion in the\u00a0Guida Gallo book<\/b>\u00a0of the world’s 101 best risottos, the Tripadvisor\u00a0Hall of Fame<\/b>, the\u00a0Certificate of Excellence<\/b>, as well as many others. Most valued, however, is recognition based on the experiences and reviews of the guests themselves, who place this restaurant among the world’s best. The start of 2017 saw Zinfandel’s receive a special Michelin recommendation.<\/p>\n ###
\nHotel Esplanade contact:<\/b>
\nSanda Sokol, PR & Marketing Manager
\nT. +385 1 4566036, E.\u00a0sanda.sokol@esplanade.hr<\/a><\/p>\n