Endrina Muqaj from Zagreb (28) is one of the most promising candidates of Masterchef Croatia in 2025. Before her culinary career, she worked as a manager in the corporate world, but decided to direct her business passion into the kitchen. She studied international business at the prestigious Rochester Institute of Technology in the US and was often on the Dean’s List for Excellence. According to the media, Endra considers cooking ‘escape, therapy and a way to show her imagination’, and her professional rise in Masterchef has already begun by winning a gold card for eating ‘coca or egg’.
Key data
- name: Endrina Muqaj
- age: About 28 years (b. 1996/1997)
- Origin: Zagreb, Croatia
- Education: International Business, Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)
- Before MasterChef: She worked as a manager in a corporation
- Favorite dish: Eggs with bacon (bacon)
- Culinary model: Mother (Culinary ‘Superhero’)
- Partner: Longtime boyfriend Ervin Afgan
Early life and education
It is interesting that the Endrine Muqaj family comes from Albanian settlers to Zagreb, which explains the origin of its rare surname in Croatia. Endrina grew up in Zagreb and achieved an enviable studio success – she graduated in international business at the American RIT, where she was often on the dean’s list due to her excellent grades. After completing her studies, she worked in managerial positions in the corporate sector, but she soon realized that this job did not provide her with enough creative expression. Therefore, she decided to leave the corporate world behind and devote herself passionately to cooking.
MasterChef Croatia 2025
MasterChef Croatia 8th season started in September 2024, and Endrina immediately attracted the attention of the jury with her creative dishes. In the first audition night, she won a gold card thanks to a dish called ‘Koka or Egg’, which the jury described as a combination of a clear idea, precise technique and emotion. He was particularly impressed by her (Korean) sandwich – Goran Kočiš commented: ‘We were waiting for that, for someone to come with something ordinary and break it like this’. Because of such a performance, the media called her the early favorite of the season. In the following episodes, Endrin continues to win praise: Večernji list He highlighted her among particularly exceptional candidates and emphasized the progress of her culinary performances.
Culinary passion and style
Cooking Endrini is not only a hobby but also a way of expression – Nova TV describes cooking as her ‘escape, therapy and a way to show imagination’. Her culinary style is characterized by imagination in the preparation of dishes and love for local tastes. Even as a girl, she preferred dishes with eggs and bacon, and today she also enjoys experimenting with different ingredients. Her biggest role model is her mother – as she herself said, her mother was a ‘cooking superhero’ who taught her ‘everything she knows today’. Among the sweets, the warm brownie with vanilla ice cream stands out, while she could season it with ordinary fries with mayonnaise every day.
Interesting things
- Culinary Idol: Mother is Endra’s greatest inspiration in the kitchen.
- Favorite dish: Eggs with bacon are traditionally her favorite dish from childhood.
- guilty pleasure: warm chocolate cubes (brownie) with vanilla ice cream.
- Favorite meal: Potatoes with mayonnaise – she says she could eat it every day.
- Travel: On Instagram, she regularly shares postcards from world travels, proud of being a ‘world traveler’.
- Support: Her longtime boyfriend, Ervin Afgan, has supported her in the competition from the beginning.
Conclusion
Endrina Muqaj is already conquering Masterchef viewers with her talent and charisma. From a manager to a culinary star, her path is inspiring for everyone who dreams of a career in gastronomy. Follow the show MasterChef Croatia 2025 To see how Endrina unfolds and cheer for her success! For more interesting biographies and gastronomic stories, continue to follow our blog.
Sources: The following publicly available sources contain information about Endrina Muqaj – official website Masterchef on Nova TV, media articles and interviews (bljesak.info, tportal, Večernji list) and educational sites (RIT, Meritpages). Information about the surname and origin is taken from the genealogical portal.
