My father was a Chef by trade and opened several successful restaurants along the Adriatic coast, so it was only natural that I was drawn into this world at a very early age. I grew up in restaurant kitchens, spending most of my days with talented staff who nurtured my curiosity in the culinary arts.
True, honest cooking started at home where simple ingredients were treated with respect. Charcoal was - and still is - a huge part of my Croatian culture because it defines the very essence of cooking.
Destiny brought me to Canada in my youth where, scared of the unknown, I found comfort in my grandmother's kitchen preparing family meals together. Her passion for cooking realized my goal to become Chef.
Leading kitchen brigades staffed by exceptional Latin cooks and later a trip to Latin America first exposed me to this new cuisine; similar to Croatian food in so many ways even though continents apart. I realized then that there’s a common thread amongst different cultures - people find happiness and togetherness over food and fire.
Al Carbon Restaurant exemplifies heat, fire, and a passion for exceptional ingredients. As a Chef, it represents the next chapter of my career and a creative outlet for amazing food meant to be shared with family and friends.
