Jurica Jurašković Biography – young chef and former pianist from Varaždin. Visitors to MasterChef Croatia 2025 recognize him as an ambitious candidate whose love for cooking has written a new life path. After a successful musical career and piano studies at the Academy in Manchester, Jurica decided to leave music and devote yourself completely to cooking. Today, he studies gastronomy in Split, and in Masterchef he tries to combine discipline in music with creativity in the kitchen.
Early life and music career
- Varaždin and music: Jurica grew up in Varaždin and showed musical talent from an early age. He attended secondary music school in his hometown, and then enrolled in piano studies at the famous music academy in Manchester (Great Britain).
- Cooking from childhood: Even as a child, Jurica often cooked – he himself says that he ‘cooks since he was eleven years old’. While his parents were working, he and his brother prepared meals themselves, and the passion for cooking grew for the last 2-3 years while he was studying abroad.
- International experience: While studying in Manchester, he received a scholarship and worked in a student canteen. At the same time, he interned for four months in Simon Wood’s restaurant (a famous competitor of the British MasterChef). He fell in love there fine dining and decided to keep gastronomy in his life.
Moving on to gastronomy and professional training
Jurica, despite music, started cooking as a new career. In 2024, he returned to Croatia and began his studies international management in hotel and tourism – majoring in gastronomy at a private higher education institution in Split. With this, he formally redirected his path: from an ‘excellent pianist’ he became a student of the culinary profession. about his selection he says he wants to transfer Disciplinary approach to music on complexity in gastronomy. School colleagues and lecturers point out that Jurica is one of the talented students: in October 2025, he was described as a ‘second-year student of gastronomy’ who is progressing quickly in practice.
- Study in Split: He studies at Aspira College in Split. There he learns modern culinary techniques, management in the hotel industry and tourist gastronomy.
- Family and moving: Although he is from Varaždin, Jurica spent part of his youth in the village of Vrsine (near Trogir). The relocation of the family from the north to the southern part of Croatia was an ‘unusual transfer’, but also the beginning of his new life chapter.
- Waist connection: Jurica intends to use the musical discipline from her piano career in the kitchen. He cites this synthesis as his advantage – as he states, ‘he wants to combine discipline from music with creativity in gastronomy’.
MasterChef Croatia 2025 – contestant with music in the heart
Jurica became known to the general public as a candidate in the eighth season of the popular kitchen show MasterChef Croatia (2025). In the auditions, he impressed the jury with diverse skills and an original approach: he has been cooking since childhood, and in Masterchef he will show what he knows.
- Goran Kočiš team: In the first phase of the show, Jurica is in Goran’s ‘green’ team, whose host described him as energetic and confident in his work.
- Competitive spirit: He surprised many when he won the praises of the jury in October 2025 – together with his colleagues Renata, Selma and Otto, he was highlighted among the best candidates in one episode. In other episodes, he showed maturity: when his tasks were tiring, Jurica pointed out that he came to work knowledge, learning and socializing, and not just triumph.
- Favorite dishes and interests: He revealed in an interview that his favorite dish from childhood Spinach on milkand his weakness sweets – ‘Guilty pleasure are definitely cakes for me’. He cites world-famous chefs as his culinary role model and is happy to experiment with new flavors.
Interesting facts about Jurica Jurašković:
- He is a pianist, but equally striking in the kitchen.
- He decided to leave the international piano study to study cooking – he had a decisive meeting with Simon Wood and the world of fine dishes.
- In Split, he is also active outside the faculty – he participates in culinary workshops and events, such as international collaborations with embassies (eg Georgian cuisine in October 2025, in which he participated as a student).
- He often mentions his relatives and friends as motivation; He allegedly dedicated his first application to MasterChef to his wife and friend who advised him to try his hand at the show.
Conclusion and support for readers
Jurica Jurašković’s story proves that Passion and dedication of payment – Both in music and in cooking. His journey from the Varaždin pianist to the Masterchef chef inspires: he shows how with persistence and talent you can take a completely new direction. Today, Jurica is bravely building a career and learning hard, and viewers in the MasterChef kitchen can watch how his ambition and creativity bring new tastes and experiences.
If you are interested in Jurica’s story, follow the eighth season of MasterChef Croatia and the official profiles of the show and Jurica himself (e.g. on Instagram) for the latest news and recipes. Share this article with friends who love cooking and charming life stories – and support the chef from Varaždin on his culinary journey!
