Mark Ettinger (22) from Mali Lošinj has been participating in MasterChef Croatia since 2024, where he combines knowledge of chemistry and love for cooking. He was born on the island of Lošinj and cooking is his domestic passion – he began to express family traditions and memories by cooking, especially inspired by his grandmother. As a chemistry student, Mark points out that the scientific approach enables him to better understand the process in the kitchen. In MasterChef, he sees a chance to combine science and cooking and proves that he is ready for big culinary challenges.
Early life and inspiration
Mark grew up on the island of Lošinj, a landscape that stretches over the northern Adriatic. Lošinj, known for its sea climate and Mediterranean flavors, shaped Marko’s earlier culinary imagination. Even as a child, he helped his grandmother in the preparation of traditional dishes – he pushed those memories to the forefront when he came to the audition for MasterChef. At the first audition in 2024, he brought his grandmother’s framed photo, explaining to the participants that his grandmother asked to apply And follow your culinary dreams.
- Origin and education: Mark was born and raised in Mali Lošinj. In high school, he distinguished himself in the natural sciences, and today he is a student of chemistry. He has already started applying his knowledge in chemistry in the kitchen – he believes that understanding chemical processes in cooking is his additional trump card.
- MasterChef effect: He had his first MasterChef performance in 2024, when he won the jury with the story of his grandmother and received an apron for further competition. In the eighth season (2025), he returned as a ‘returner’ with a clear goal – to show all his culinary skills and knowledge acquired in chemistry.
- Family support: Grandmothers and family culinary traditions are the key inspirations of Mark. He says that his grandmother supervises his work on the sidelines – he wanted to see her on the desktop with a photo, and tell her story on television. His biggest goal is to ‘be on television and greet his grandmother’.
- Favorite dishes: Mark loves Homemade stew with dumplings And a fried chicken sandwich – these dishes are his favorite most of the time, he could eat them every day.
MasterChef Croatia – from audition to new challenges
Marko’s story with MasterChef began dramatically: he arrived at the audition with his grandmother’s picture in hand, so the jury was immediately touched by his story. He admitted that he ‘doesn’t really know how to cook’, but he hopes that chemical knowledge will help him understand the process of making dishes. The jury was touched by his sincerity and energy – he got an apron, that is, going through further challenges.
In the eighth season of 2025, Mark returned as an ambitious competitor. He proudly announced that he will do ‘step by step’ and that he does not like team cooking because he likes to do things his way. He chose a creative dish with duck, asparagus and Dutch sauce. The jury assessed that technically his Hollandez was not a real Dutchman, but he gave credit to the whole idea. Despite his critical remarks, Jurije Gašper and Mario praised Marko’s commitment, so he got the chance to continue the competition this time as well. Mark’s return shows his perseverance and creativity in the kitchen, while the study of chemistry remains his secret ‘superpower’.
Personal approach to cooking and affinities
Mark stands out with a calm and meticulous style: he describes himself as a person who going step by step. His tactics have worked so far – even though he likes to work alone, he is ready to learn and adapt. He points out that the study of chemistry allows him to better understand the process in the kitchen. He wants to use this scientifically based approach to make dishes that are both tasty and technically successful.
Like any true lover of cooking, Mark does not hide what his favorite dishes are. In interviews, he said that he ‘loves a good stew with dumplings’ and that he could eat it every day. In the picture on the left, you can see exactly the classic dish of goulash with dumplings – exactly what Mark likes the most. Along with goulash, he also mentions fried chicken in a sandwich as his ‘consolable’ memories of his childhood kitchen.
Mark’s story from Masterchef is not only a culinary adventure, but also an emotional legacy. His culinary path is dominated by the motive to show the family – especially his grandmother – what he learned. He says his greatest desire is Greet Grandma via Television, which further strengthens his motivation.
Conclusion
Mark Ettinger is a young chef who brings a fresh approach – he combines scientific thinking and a heart in cooking. From humble beginnings on Lošinj to the focal point of the MasterChef kitchen, his journey is accompanied by family inspiration and dedication to learning. Follow the continuation of MasterChef season 2025 to see if Mark will realize his culinary dreams and in whose dishes he will excel next. His story reminds us that persistence and passion for what we love can lead to great opportunities – and Mark wants to use this opportunity to make his grandmother and wider audience happy with his kitchen skills.
Sources: Mark’s biography and statements are taken from official newspaper articles and an interview.