MEDALS FOR UNS GASTRONOMY STUDENTS IN PRESTIGOUS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS IN THESSALONIKI AND RIMINI

The students of bachelor and doctoral studies in gastronomy from the Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, participated in the International Culinary Competition of Southern Europe, held 17-20 February 2023, in Thessaloniki, Greece. The event was organized under the auspices of the World Association of Chefs' Societies (WACS) and the national chefs’ association of Greece.

After two months of intensive training with their professors and mentors, Goran Radivojević, Maja Banjac and Bojana Kalenjuh Pivarski, the young gastronomes won gold, silver or bronze medals in junior or senior competition, depending on the exact category: Milana Čugalj, Velibor Ivanović, Stefan Šmugović, and Milica Petrušić.

Their participation in the competition was financially supported by the Provincial Secretariat for Higher Education and Scientific Research of AP Vojvodina, the Faculty of Sciences and its Departments for Geography, Tourism, and Hotel Management.

Together with the preparations for the Thessaloniki competition, the Faculty’s Laboratory of Gastronomy hosted simultaneous intensive preparations for another international competition as well – Global Chef Challenge, held in Rimini, Italy, 19-22 February 2023. The event is considered the most significant international competition after the Culinary Olympics and the World Cup. Practical skills lecturer Goran Radivojević and student Saveta Bikić, both team members of the Culinary Federation of Serbia, defended the colours of the Republic of Serbia in the Vegan category, winning the Silver Medal, which secured them a qualification in the World Cup in Singapore in 2024.

“With this result we are writing a history of Serbian gastronomy in the world culinary scene, because for the first time the Republic of Serbia will have the representatives at such big and significant global gathering,” the Faculty of Sciences said in its official statement after this international success of its professors and students. “These representative results are only one step forward to face the challenges that await them and place serious professional tasks in front of them, aiming ultimately toward improvement of education, Serbian gastronomy and the preservation of that profession” the Faculty stated.