A major international recognition for the President of the Croatian Chefs Association and confirmation of the long-standing work of the Croatian culinary profession at the global level
The President of the Croatian Chefs Association, Chef Erich Glavica, has been admitted among the Honorary Lifetime Members of Worldchefs, the World Association of Chefs’ Societies. This exceptional international recognition is awarded to individuals whose work, expertise, dedication, and contribution to the development of the culinary profession have left a lasting mark on both the national and international culinary community.
This recognition represents one of the most important moments in Erich Glavica’s professional career, but also a strong confirmation of the reputation that the Croatian Chefs Association and Croatian gastronomy enjoy in international culinary circles. The admission of the President of the Croatian Chefs Association among the Honorary Lifetime Members of Worldchefs is not only a personal recognition, but also a recognition of all Croatian chefs, mentors, teachers, students, competitors, and members of the Association who have worked for years to raise professional standards.
The ceremonial moment connected with this recognition took place during the Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2026, an international congress that brought together leading representatives of the culinary profession from all over the world. The congress was held from 16 to 19 May 2026 in Newport, Wales, under the theme “Pasture, Passion, Plate,” with an emphasis on the journey of food from its source to the plate, sustainability, knowledge, professional networking, and the future of gastronomy.
Worldchefs, or the World Association of Chefs’ Societies, is a global professional organization founded in 1928 in Paris, bringing together national chefs’ associations and culinary professionals around the world. Through education, certifications, international competitions, congresses, and professional committees, Worldchefs serves as one of the world’s most important platforms for the development of the culinary profession, the exchange of knowledge, and the promotion of professional standards.
The recognition awarded to Erich Glavica carries special value in this international environment. It confirms the continuity of his work, his professional credibility, and his long-standing commitment to the development of the culinary profession in Croatia and beyond its borders.
Throughout his career, Erich Glavica has built a distinctive professional path through work in the kitchen, education, mentorship, competitions, humanitarian activities, and international cooperation. As President of the Croatian Chefs Association, he is strongly focused on connecting Croatian chefs with international professional organizations, opening opportunities for young chefs, and strengthening Croatia’s visibility in the global culinary community.
His work is marked by a high level of expertise and internationally recognized qualifications. Erich Glavica holds the titles of Worldchefs Certified Executive Chef and Worldchefs Certified Master Chef, and within the Worldchefs system he also serves as an international culinary judge, educator, and participant in professional seminars. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that he is currently the only Croatian Worldchefs Certified International Judge, which is the highest active level of judging accreditation in Croatia within the Worldchefs system.
The status of Worldchefs Certified International Judge is awarded to experienced culinary professionals with advanced judging experience and confirmed competition, professional, and educational references. Certified judges participate in the evaluation of internationally recognized culinary competitions according to the rules and standards developed by the Worldchefs Culinary Competition Committee. This system requires continuous professional development, active participation in competitions, and regular monitoring of changes in rules, trends, and professional standards.
For the Croatian culinary scene, this is an especially important fact because it shows that Croatia, through the work of Erich Glavica, has a representative who not only participates in international culinary processes, but also actively contributes to the system of judging, education, and the development of competition standards at the global level. His experience as an international judge further strengthens his role as President of the Croatian Chefs Association, because it brings Croatian chefs, mentors, and young competitors closer to the standards that apply on the world’s highest culinary stages.
Despite the many obligations that come with the role of President of the Croatian Chefs Association and his international engagement, Erich Glavica remains connected to the foundation of his professional journey — everyday work in the kitchen. He confirms his experience, knowledge, and culinary philosophy through Restaurant Fakin in Legrad, which has become one of the recognizable gastronomic examples of continental Croatia. The restaurant holds the Michelin Bib Gourmand designation, an award given to restaurants that offer quality, carefully prepared food at good value.
Restaurant Fakin is also recognized in the international gastronomic guide Gault&Millau, where the continuity of the restaurant’s work, its focus on local ingredients, continental tradition, and professional execution have also been confirmed. In 2026, the restaurant won three Gault&Millau toques and a score of 15/20, further confirming the quality and development of the gastronomic concept that Erich Glavica is building with his team in Legrad.
This connection between everyday work in the restaurant, kitchen leadership, team development, and international professional engagement gives particular importance to his work in the Croatian Chefs Association and Worldchefs. Erich Glavica represents the profession not only through his position, but also through the direct experience of a man who understands the kitchen from within — from ingredients and preparation to organization, the education of young people, and relations with guests.
A particularly important part of his work relates to working with young people. Through the Croatian Chefs Association, competitions, workshops, seminars, and international projects, Erich Glavica continuously encourages young chefs to pursue further training, compete, and grow professionally. He provides many pupils, students, and young professionals with insight into the world of international culinary standards, showing them that knowledge, work, and dedication can open the door to major professional experiences.
Alongside his professional and educational work, Erich Glavica is also recognized for his humanitarian engagement. In moments when the community needed help, especially after natural disasters and during humanitarian actions, he demonstrated through his work that the culinary profession has an important social role. Through organization, food preparation, bringing people together, and concrete action, he showed that a chef is not only a kitchen expert, but also a person who can be a support to the community.
The Croatian Chefs Association emphasizes that this recognition is the result of many years of dedicated work, but also a confirmation of the direction in which the Croatian culinary profession is developing. In recent years, Croatian gastronomy has become increasingly visible on the international scene, and the successes of Croatian chefs, mentors, and competitors confirm that domestic culinary tradition, knowledge, and a contemporary approach have their place in the global gastronomic landscape.
The admission of Erich Glavica among the Honorary Lifetime Members of Worldchefs further confirms the importance of the work of the Croatian Chefs Association as a national professional organization that brings together chefs, pastry chefs, mentors, educators, hospitality professionals, and young talents. The Association continues to develop programs in education, competitions, professional cooperation, the promotion of Croatian cuisine, and international networking, with a clear goal: to strengthen the reputation of the Croatian culinary profession and create opportunities for new generations.
Statement by the Croatian Chefs Association:
“Erich Glavica’s admission, as President of the Croatian Chefs Association, among the Honorary Lifetime Members of Worldchefs is an exceptional recognition of his personal work, but also a great moment for the Croatian culinary profession. It is a confirmation of many years of dedication, expertise, mentorship, humanitarian activity, international experience, and continuous engagement in the development of the profession. We are proud that the name of the President of the Croatian Chefs Association is among the distinguished individuals of the global culinary community. This recognition further obliges us to continue working on the development of the profession, the education of young chefs, and the international promotion of Croatian gastronomy.”
Through his professional journey, Erich Glavica has shown that the reputation of the profession is built every day — through work, knowledge, responsibility, collegiality, and a willingness to pass on experience to others. His inclusion among the Honorary Lifetime Members of Worldchefs is a recognition of a man who has lived cookery as a profession, a calling, and a responsibility toward the community.
For the Croatian Chefs Association, this recognition represents an incentive to continue working on the international visibility of Croatian chefs, the development of young talent, the preservation of gastronomic heritage, and the strengthening of professional standards. For the Croatian public, it is a reminder that behind every great recognition stand years of work, sacrifice, mentorship, and belief in the value of the profession.
