Ante Vukadin (28), originally from Tomislavgrad in Bosnia and Herzegovina, became the seventh winner of the show Masterchef Croatia (2024). As a student of electrical engineering, he stood out in the grand finale of the culinary show – the jury concluded that his final menu was better than the menu of another finalist, Sanja Cukon. Below is a detailed overview of Ante’s biography and past achievements.
- student of electrical engineering from Tomislavgrad (BiH).
- Participant of MasterChef 2024: He was originally eliminated in episode 1, but after returning he returned to the finals and won the title.
- Winner of MasterChef Croatia 2024: He surpassed Sanja Cukon in the final and won the title of the best chef of the season.
- Cultural inspiration: In the winning menu, he emphasized the tradition of his region – preparing dishes inspired by Herzegovinian cuisine.
- Reward: He won the grand prize of €30,000, which he planned to invest in video recording, celebration and professional training equipment.
- Career plans: He declares that he wants to pursue a career as a chef in a restaurant, present his own menu and perhaps open his own restaurant.
- Current role: After the competition, he works as a head chef in a restaurant Black Pepper on the island of Hvar (according to information from social networks).
Early life and education
Ante Vukadin was born in the mid-90s in the vicinity of Tomislavgrad (part of the Herzegovina region in Bosnia and Herzegovina). In the family, he was surrounded by a tradition and a kitchen specific to that area. After finishing high school, he enrolled in electrical engineering studies – according to data, he was a student of that study at the time of participating in MasterChef. Although he formally studied technique, cooking was his great passion. He is often described in interviews as a ‘young lover of cooking’ – as he said to Nova TV, cooking is his hobby he taught, and his girlfriend even reported him to the competition. He is well known for his modesty and dedication: although he is from an area far from the main Croatian gastronomic centers, he managed to win over the jury and spectators with his dishes.
MasterChef Croatia 2024 – an unusual path to victory
In the fall of 2024, Vukadin participated in the seventh season of the MasterChef Croatia show on Nova TV. Already in the first broadcast episode (1st round of the competition), he experienced an unexpected blow – due to the ‘small bone’ in the preparation of the dish, he fell out of the show. His early relegation was a shock for the spectators and the competitors themselves. However, the show predicted the possibility of returning Wild Card through an additional elimination round. Ante took advantage of that opportunity and returns to MasterChef after a few weeks – specifically in the 43rd episode out of a total of 60.
The key moments of his masterchef path are: he was eliminated first, he came back in the middle of the competition and reached the final step by step, unlike most of the other candidates who remained eliminated before the end. Such an outcome was unusual and attracted the attention of the public – many believed before the final that the winner would be Sanja Cukon because Ante ‘skipped’ a large part of the competition.
In the grand finale (broadcast on December 30, 2024), Ante and Sanja prepared a complete tasting menu with multiple sequences. The jury, which was dominated by Stjepan Vukadin, Goran Kočiš and Mario Mihelj that summer, praised both final menus. In the end it is The victory was won by Ante Vukadin. During the announcement of the results, it was commented that his dish was ‘the best so far’, and the winning cup arrived in his hands. According to official reports, the seventh season was thus completed, and Ante became New Croatian MasterChef.
It is particularly interesting that Ante created a menu for the finale inspired by the traditional cuisine of his home region – Herzegovina. In the introductory welcome meal, he relied on classic local foods, and in further sequences he combined these tastes with modern technique. Plava oyster writes that his finale was literally a ‘dedication to Herzegovinian cuisine’. He presented, for example, a steak tartar with prosciutto and cheese patties and a version of burek in the form of a dish similar to Beef Wellington – this brought him key points with the jury. He managed to connect his creativity with authentic food from Duvanjsko polje, which left an impression on the expert judging panel.
Awards, plans and further career
The victory in MasterChef also brought him a cash prize – 30,000 euros in the main amount. In interviews right after the finale, he revealed that he would use that money wisely. According to him, ‘the cash prize goes to all kinds of things’ – he plans to buy equipment for recording video recipes, finance celebrations with family and friends, and invest in education and cooking courses. That ambition shows how seriously he plans to continue his culinary journey.
And most importantly – Ante announces that he will continue to develop his cooking skills even after the show. In an interview with Index.hr, he stated that ‘he definitely wants to be a chef in a restaurant, present himself and his menu, do something special’. He ambitiously stated the possibility of his own restaurant, but to begin with, he wants to apply what he learned in a professional kitchen. This winning plan speaks of his determination not to take the title of Masterchef lightly, but as a springboard for further professional growth.
The good news is that Ante realizes that career immediately. According to information from the restaurant’s social networks and his Instagram profile, he is currently working As head chef at the Black Pepper restaurant on the island of Hvar. There he embodies the top techniques he showed in Masterchef, and local restaurants are happy to point out that they have one winner of the competition in their own ranks. This stage of his biography shows that he is returning to cooking in the field – jobs that will further sculpt him as a chef.
Conclusion
Ante Vukadin is today a prominent name of the Croatian culinary scene, especially after the sensational victory in Masterchef Croatia 2024. His unusual journey – from the first outburst to the championship cup – is an inspiration to many. He showed that persistence, creativity and pride in his own origin can overcome even the biggest challenges. With his example, Ante confirms that love for food and willingness to learn continuously give a real career. We congratulate him on winning the title and look forward to his new successes!
If you are interested in more about Croatian culinary stars or want to support Ante’s career, visit the Black Pepper restaurant on Hvar and follow their posts on social networks. Share this story with your friends, and comment below on what you think about his victory! All cooking lovers greet this talented ‘Duvnjak’ and can’t wait to see what they will prepare next.