Mario Mihelj Biography: (born June 5, 1985 in Zagreb) is a prominent Croatian chef and culinary expert. In the last two decades of his career, he gained more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He ran the restaurants El Toro (eight years) and Maredo (two years) in Zagreb, where El Toro received a Michelin recommendation for 2023 and 2024 under his leadership. from 2024/2025. Mario Mihelj is a permanent member of the jury of the television show Masterchef Croatia, where the audience remembers him by his nickname ‘Steak Whisperer’.
Beginning career in prestigious restaurants
He started his career in renowned Croatian restaurants. He had his first work engagement in a restaurant in Zagreb Lagvić from Šestin, one of the oldest and most famous catering establishments in Zagreb. After that, he trained in restaurants with Michelin recommendations – for example Dubravka road and Mundoaka in Zagreb – and in a luxurious Dubrovnik restaurant Gil’s (today 360), also known for its premium cuisine.
Some of the key restaurants where Mario Mihelj worked is:
- Lagvić from Šestin (Zagreb) – traditional Zagreb restaurant
- Dubravka road (Zagreb) – restaurant with emphasis on gastronomic offer and Michelin recommendation
- Mundoaka (Zagreb) – a popular restaurant known for the fine-dining concept
- Gil’s / 360 (Dubrovnik) – prestigious Dubrovnik restaurant (today with a Michelin star)
Major positions: El Toro and Maredo
The most famous chapter of his career is related to Zagreb restaurants El Toro and Maredo, where Mihelj worked as an executive chef. He spent eight years at the El Toro restaurant (specialized in Latin American cuisine), introducing innovative menus and raising the level of service. Thanks to his work, El Toro received a Michelin recommendation for 2023 and 2024. At the same time, he took over the management of the kitchen of the Steakhouse restaurant, where he modernized the menu – introducing seasonal groceries, sushi concept and innovative themed evenings. Until March 2024, Mihelj officially managed both kitchens (El Toro and Maredo), after which the collaborations were terminated, but his expert guidance left a mark on the gastronomy of those bars.
Highlights of El Toro and Maredo:
- Michelin recommendations for El Toro Restaurant (2023 and 2024)
- Introducing a new menu concept in Maredo (seasonal menu, sushi specialties)
MasterChef and television engagements
The general public got to know Mihelj through his television appearances. In 2022, he participated as a guest chef in the show Masterchef Croatia, where he cooked with his competitors with his colleagues. After a successful audition, from 2024 he has been known as a permanent member of the Masterchef jury along with Stjepan Vukadin and Goran Kočiš. In addition to Masterchef, Mihelj was also a member of the jury in the competition of young chefs Metro Junior Top Chef (2016) and participated in a fun show for children soup as a guest who cooks with little ones.
Media performances and TV engagements:
- Guest chef in Masterchef Croatia (2022) and permanent member of the MasterChef jury (from 2024)
- Jury member Metro Junior Top Chef (2016)
- Emission soup – Participant in a children’s culinary show (cooking with children)
Personal life and hobbies
He is privately married to photographer Sara Cerić Mihelj, with whom he has three children. The family lives in Zagreb’s Mlinovi settlement. In his free time, Mario Mihelj devotes himself to his family and his hobbies: he likes riding motorcycles, snowboarding, and traveling and exploring different cuisines and local gastronomy.
Personal information and interests:
- Wife: Sara Cerić Mihelj – photographer
- Children: three (sons Rudi and Grga, daughter Hana)
- Hobbies: motorcycle riding, snowboarding, travel (ethno-kitchen research)
