HRVOJE KROFLIN, EXECUTIVE CHEF – PARTNER
After graduating from the School of Hospitality and Tourism in Zagreb, Hrvoje Kroflin began working at the then very popular Gallo restaurant in 2004. Upon leaving Gallo, his long career at Mano restaurant began. From 2005 to 2013, he worked as the executive chef and manager of Mano restaurant, later taking over the newly opened ManO2 restaurant in Zagreb’s business district on Radnička Street. In the meantime, he completed internships and further training at The Ledbury in London (3*** Michelin) under the renowned chef Brett Graham, as well as at the Italian restaurant Kallmünz in Merano. He recently returned from an internship at the fantastic Ricard Camarena restaurant in Valencia (2** Michelin stars), run by the eponymous chef and owner.
Today, Hrvoje successfully leads ManO2, one of Croatia’s finest restaurants. In 2023, ManO2 was named the Best Fine Dining Restaurant in Croatia by Dobri Restorani. The culinary philosophy of ManO2 revolves around constant exploration of local ingredients, with a focus on micro-seasonality and a unique, signature approach. For Hrvoje, Croatia’s rich gastronomic heritage is an attractive inspiration for establishing creative fine dining, and he is successfully leading a new generation of highly promising chefs. Last year, the restaurant was also named the second-best in Croatia, as well as in the individual chef’s choice awards.
In both 2022 and 2023, Hrvoje was nominated by the prestigious The Best Chef Awards list as a candidate for the top 100 chefs in the world. He was named Chef of the Year in 2022 by Dobri Restorani, and in the latest edition of the international Gault&Millau Croatia 2024 guide, Hrvoje Kroflin was named a Grand Chef of Tomorrow.
For the past two years, the restaurant has hosted top global chefs, including Ana Roš, the Best Female Chef in the World and chef-owner of Hiša Franko (3***), who has cooked at ManO2 three times, along with Valerio Serino from Copenhagen (Tèrra), Maksut Askar (Neolokal, Istanbul, 1*), young Basque chef Iñaki Bolumburu, as well as numerous exclusive wine gala dinners with the personal presence of winemakers and owners, including events with Vega Sicilia, Gut Oggau, Gravner, Mlečnik, Kabaj, and many others.