After a successful debut in Omiš last year, Grand Gourmet returns, this time in its 12th edition. From 3 to 6 November 2026 Hotel Plaža once again becomes the centre of events for everyone who wants to sharpen their skills, meet new trends in the profession and measure themselves against the best in the region.
Grand Gourmet is an international festival hosting individual competitions for waiters, baristas and bartenders across several categories, as well as Chef’s Table, a team competition for hospitality venues in which a chef and a waiter prepare and serve a menu for the judges together. Every festival morning brings lectures, training and masterclasses, while the afternoons are reserved for the competitions, a format that lets participants learn and then show what they learned on the same day.
The festival is organised by the ŠKMER association, Chefs of Mediterranean and European Regions, with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, the City of Omiš and the Omiš Tourist Board. The event is dedicated to advancing the hospitality profession, enriching the tourist offer and building the destination brand.
Programme by day
Tuesday, 3 November: arrival and preparation
The day is given over to Omiš hospitality professionals through two masterclasses at Gusarska Konoba: “Zero waste and sustainability in the modern kitchen” (15:00-16:00) and “The algorithm behind a wine list” (16:00-17:30). At 17:30 the competitors and the jury meet, and at 19:00, in the Plaža hall, the 12th Grand Gourmet opens officially.
Wednesday, 4 November: first competition day
The morning brings parallel competitions: synchronised service (09:00-13:00) and the barista competition (10:00-14:00) in the Plaža hall, with Chef’s Table (09:00-17:00) and the waiters’ competition (11:00-14:00) at Gusarska Konoba. The Mirabela hall hosts the Pairing Lab “Dishes with coffee” (11:00) and the masterclass “Wines of Dalmatia” (12:00).
The afternoon programme brings three sessions worth particular attention:
- 13:00 – “Croatian wine on the world map”, a wine masterclass led by André Hueston Mack, sommelier
- 14:00 – a barista workshop with Bruno Vanzan, barista and bartender
- 15:00 – “Coffee in gastronomy”, a masterclass for baristas and chefs, again with Bruno Vanzan
The day continues with the panel “The bartending scene in Croatia: challenges and prospects” led by Zoran Lukić (16:00) and a masterclass on modern techniques in the kitchen and behind the bar (17:00) in the Mirabela hall. At 18:00 the winners of the first competition day are announced.
Thursday, 5 November: the grand final
The day opens with the masterclass “Pairing Dalmatian liqueurs with traditional desserts” (10:30), followed by the closing competitions: bartenders in Classic & Flair and synchronised cocktail (11:00-18:00), Chef’s Table (09:00-17:00) and waiters (11:00-14:00).
For visitors interested in wine and gastronomy, the programme brings:
- 12:00 – “Entry wine and storytelling: old grape varieties made new”, a wine masterclass
- 13:00 – “Food and wine pairing: Pairing Lab”
- 14:30 – “Dalmatian prosciutto academy 2.0”
- 16:00 – the workshop “Restaurant desserts in single portions”
- 17:30 – Master Bartender Show with Linh Nguyen, Master Bartender
The competition side of the day and of the festival closes with the awards ceremony at 20:00 in the Plaža hall.
Friday, 6 November: departure
Why take part, as a student and as a professional
For students of hospitality and tourism schools, Grand Gourmet is a chance to perform in front of an expert jury, to compare themselves with peers from across the region and to take a first serious step in building a professional reputation, with their teachers mentoring them throughout.
For professionals, whether waiters, baristas, bartenders or chefs, the festival is a meeting point with specialists such as André Hueston Mack, Bruno Vanzan, Zoran Lukić and Linh Nguyen, a chance to train through masterclasses and to see where wine, coffee and mixology are heading.
Entries and information
Entries for the competition categories, for juniors and seniors alike, are open through the forms on the festival page. The competition rules and information about accommodation at Hotel Plaža are available for download at:
Grand Gourmet – natjecanje konobara, barmena, barista i restorana
For all questions: info@skmer.hr | +385 99 319 89 61
ŠKMER training programmes were developed within the Competences for Excellence in Hospitality project, supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, with the aim of building professional knowledge systematically and strengthening the competitiveness of Croatian gastronomy.
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