Meet
Kornelija and Morana
Kornelija and Morana, a mother-daughter duo, hope to offer simple, authentic dishes from the Island of Hvar. So that people visiting them get a feeling that they are at their Nonna’s house, tasting the very essence of the island and its gastronomic history. Kornelija worked as a HR professional in Zagreb for many years, and now that she is retired, has decided to move to the island thanks to her family roots and heritage. She is so excited to pursue her passion for cooking and hosting, in the middle of her family field in a UNESCO-protected area. Kornelija will be joined by her daughter, Morana, who is currently working as a Project Manager in the IT sector. Together they wish to share with traveler’s the local Hvar cuisine, introducing them to ingredients and herbs that are native to the island. All ingredients used in their cooking are either homegrown or sourced from local farmers and fishers.
What to expect
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
In-home meal:
(4-22 guests)
The location for your farm-to-table meal in Hvar is amidst a field in UNESCO-protected Stari Grad Plain, a beautiful outdoor settling overlooking the garden and fields. Start your experience with some herb brandy (homemade traditional Hvar brandy aged with aromatic herbs) or carob brandy, mint liqueur, cherry liqueur, fig liqueur, walnut liqueur, white, red or sweet wine or elderflower juice as non-alcoholic option. Then you will share a Hvar appetizers, homme-made and local produce - goat cheese aged for several months in extra virgin olive oil, fresh goat cheese, salted anchovies, olives, capers, and/or pickled sea flowers drizzled extra virgin olive oil and more. You will also get to taste the family's extra virgin olive oil. For your mains, you might be served zoodles (zucchini noodles) with tomato sauce (fresh tomato sauce prepared with garlic, onions, and herbs, garnished with fresh goat cheese) and traditional Hvar octopus stew (slow cooked and stewed octopus with aromatic Hvar spices with polenta or cuttlefish black risotto (slow cooked and stewed cuttlefish with aromatic Hvar spices, served with rice and butter), the main dish depends on the availability of fresh seafood. End your meal with a dessert such as a lemon olive oil cake (moist and fruity dessert cooked with the family's extra virgin olive oil and lemons from Dol village) and a glass of red or white wine, while watching the sunset surrounded by incredible rural scenery.
Cooking experience:
(4-22 guests)
Your Hvar Garden Tour, Salsa-Making Class and Dalmatian Meal begins with a tour of Kornelija’s garden, where you’ll have the opportunity to handpick ripe tomatoes and aromatic herbs while learning about traditional organic farming on the island. As you walk through the fields, Kornelija will introduce you to the different varieties of tomatoes and herbs grown here and share stories about Hvar’s rich agricultural heritage in a landscape that has remained largely unchanged since ancient Greek colonization in the 4th century BC.
After the garden tour, settle in outdoors for a relaxed Hvar cooking class with local drinks, storytelling, and insight into the island’s culinary traditions. During this 1-hour hands-on cooking class in Hvar, you will learn how to make a traditional staple, the Hvar tomato salsa from scratch using ripe tomatoes, fresh herbs, garlic, onions, and local olive oil. Kornelija will guide you step by step as you chop, season, and combine the ingredients to create this flavorful salsa, a staple of Dalmatian home cooking.
The salsa you prepare will then be incorporated into other dishes served during the meal, such as eggplant casserole, zucchini noodles, slow-cooked octopus stew, or cuttlefish risotto, depending on the season and the availability of fresh ingredients. These additional dishes are prepared by Kornelija using family recipes, allowing you to enjoy an authentic homemade meal that showcases the flavors of Hvar and the Dalmatian coast.
Please note that this experience includes hands-on preparation of the Hvar salsa; the additional dishes are prepared by your host and served as part of the meal.
Notes:
1. All aperitifs and a wine (red or white) are included in the cost of your experience. For non-alcoholic beverages, they offer a homemade elderflower juice and still water.
2. They promote regenerative tourism and agriculture, and their family-made products (olive oil, rakija, teas, cheeses, spices) are available for purchase upon request.
3. DIETARY ACCOMMODATION: The main course 'Traditional Hvar Octopus Stew' may be replaced upon request with Black Cuttlefish Risotto for guests who do not eat octopus, or Red Beetroot Risotto for vegan or vegetarian guests. Gluten-free and lactose-free adaptations of the entire menu are available upon request. All other adaptations are also available upon request (kosher, pareve or other changes of the traditional menu).
Languages spoken:
English
Sample menu
Traveler reviews
Kornelija is a lovely, kind, and hospitable woman who made us feel very welcome. However, what she offers is not really a cooking class. The only food preparation we participated in was chopping an onion and a tomato; everything else had already been prepared in advance, and we were not involved in the cooking process.
The experience was essentially a two-course meal with dessert, which did not justify the price. The food was decent, but it was not particularly memorable or special. The highlight of the experience was definitely tasting her homemade brandies.
I genuinely wish Kornelija well because she is a warm and likable host. That said, I believe the experience would benefit from more hands-on cooking and greater guest involvement to meet expectations of a true cooking class.
TRAVELING SPOON REVIEW RESPONSE:
Thank you for your feedback and for joining Kornelija for this experience. I'm so glad you enjoyed meeting her. We’re sorry to hear that the format of the class did not fully meet your expectations. This experience is centered around learning to make traditional Hvar salsa, which guests prepare together with Kornelija, while the rest of the homemade meal is prepared by your host and served as part of the experience. We appreciate your comments and have since updated the listing to make the hands-on portion of the experience even clearer for future guests.
-
GadF_12
June 03, 2026
For my mom’s birthday, I planned a special day at Poje Hvar, and it turned out to be more magical than I could have imagined, thanks to Kornelija. From the moment we arrived at her UNESCO-protected family estate in Stari Grad, Kornelija’s warmth and hospitality made us feel like old friends rather than guests.
She guided us through every step of making traditional Croatian salsa—a flavorful and versatile sauce we paired with octopus and crispy fried polenta cakes. Strolling through her garden, we handpicked fresh ingredients for our meal, all while Kornelija shared fascinating stories about the history of Stari Grad. The experience was more than culinary; it was cultural and deeply personal.
But what made the day truly unforgettable was how Kornelija went above and beyond to celebrate my mom. She surprised her with a homemade olive oil cake, baked just for the occasion, complete with a thoughtful birthday banner. It was such a heartfelt gesture that brought my mom to happy tears.
We also tasted Kornelija’s homemade Rakija, olive oil, and goat cheese, alongside wines from her neighbor, all of which showcased the flavors and traditions of Hvar. By the end of the day, we didn’t just leave with full stomachs—we left with full hearts and a newfound connection to this beautiful place and its people.
If you’re looking for an experience that’s authentic, intimate, and utterly unforgettable, Poje Hvar with Kornelija is it. Her kindness and dedication to sharing her heritage are unmatched, and I can’t wait to see her again when our paths cross in Zagreb.
-
Monica
December 05, 2024
