Zinfandel’s at Zagreb’s Esplanade named European Hotel Restaurant of the Year

Zagreb’s Esplanade Hotel Photo: Arhiva hotela Esplanade)

Celebration of excellence and the triumph of Zagreb’s Esplanade Hotel in the heart of Barcelona

The Esplanade Hotel’s Zinfandel’s Restaurant  was awarded as European Hotel Restaurant of the Year at the prestigious European Hotel Awards 2023, while Executive Chef Ana Grgić Tomić was presented with the Special Award Etoile Blanche by the World Gastronomy Organisation

The prestigious European Hotel Awards 2023, held last week in Barcelona, the Catalan capital of tourism and gastronomy, gathered at the gala ceremony numerous invitees, distinguished guests, and enthusiasts from the fields of tourism, hotel management, and gastronomy, who had the opportunity to pay tribute to the best European hotels, innovative approaches, gastronomy, excellence, and commitment to sustainability at the luxury Sofitel Skipper hotel.

European Hotel Awards 2023 – Ivica Max Krizmanić, Esplanade Hotel General Manager with the award (Photo:  Goran Jakuš)

Every year, the European Hotel Awards reward the best European boutique hotels, magnificent hotel institutions, their concepts, diversity, and commitment. Awards were presented in 21 categories, and among numerous luxury hotels, Zagreb’s Esplanade Hotel stood out and was presented with two awards – Hotel Restaurant of the Year for Zinfandel’s Restaurant and Special Award Etoile Blanche by Organisation Mondiale de la Gastronomie, which was awarded to Executive Chef Ana Grgić Tomić.

European Hotel Awards 2023 – Ivica Max Krizmanić, Esplanade Hotel General Manager, and Sanda Sokol, PR & Marketing Manager Esplanade Hotel (Photo: Goran Jakuš)

The Esplanade’s General Manager Ivica Max Krizmanić was present at the gala ceremony in Barcelona to receive the awards, stating: “It is a special honour for me to be here. These awards are a great recognition of our pursuit of excellence in providing superior service and creating a special culinary experience for our guests. They are truly an exceptional achievement and I am honestly proud of my colleagues from the restaurant and the kitchen who pour their hearts and souls into providing guests with special value and a lasting memories with friendly, unobtrusive service, a special charm, and an individual approach, as such exceeding their expectations. I am happy that the industry has recognised this value and the gastronomic quality of Zinfandel’s, as well as Executive Chef Ana Grgić Tomić, who has earned this special acknowledgement from the World Gastronomy Organisation, for her 25 years of success and dedicated work at the Esplanade.”

Zinfandel’s (Photo: Arhiva hotela Esplanade)

He also added: “These awards are proof that the Esplanade’s image as a hospitality institution and icon of the hotel industry has been recognised outside of Croatia, which makes me especially proud. I thank the industry that has recognised our effort and results, and once again I congratulate everyone from the bottom of my heart. With this, the Esplanade Hotel has once again shown that it belongs at the very top of the best European hotels, as it has done countless times during its almost hundred-year history.”

European Hotel Awards 2023 – International White Star Award – Chef Ana Grgić Tomić (Photo: Arhiva hotela Esplanade)

(Photo: Arhiva hotela Esplanade)

European Hotel Awards 2023 – Restaurant of the Year – Zinfandel’s, Stjepan Okun Restaurant Manager (Photo: Arhiva hotela Esplanade)

About the event the European Hotel Awards

Created in 2018, the European Hotel Awards have become a high-prestige award given to hotels across the continent. By recognizing and honoring their unique hotel services, these distinctions aim to promote and strengthen the image of the European hotel industry.

The European Hotel Awards 2023 Ceremony and Gala took place at the Sofitel Barcelona Skipper. Throughout the event, 21 awards were presented across multiple categories, spanning from the ‘Luxury Hotel of the Year’ to the ‘Green Award for Most Sustainable Practices’. This diverse range of awards aimed to acknowledge excellence in various aspects.

(Photo: Arhiva hotela Esplanade)

Following the awards ceremony, an exquisite gourmet dinner was orchestrated by Jose Sanchez, the executive chef of Sofitel Barcelona Skipper. The dinner celebrated the essence of European and Spanish cuisine, offering a delightful culinary experience. “We are delighted to host this year’s European Hotel Awards in Barcelona, a city that embodies the spirit of European hospitality. These awards serve not only as recognition, but also as motivation for hotels to continue improving their service to their guests, their innovation and commitment to excellence and sustainable development,” commented Michel Stalport, President of the European Hotel Awards committee.

(Photo: Arhiva hotela Esplanade)

Zinfandel’s, team (Photo: Arhiva hotela Esplanade)

Applications for the different categories of the European Hotel Awards were open from April to September 2023. The jury, made up of sector experts including senior Hospitality Business executives, has now selected the finalists: 21 winners of European Hotel Awards 2023: https://www.referenceschr.com/evenements/european-hotel-awards-2023-tous-les-laureats/

It should be noted that in 2018, at a ceremony held in Geneva, the Esplanade Hotel received the award for European Historic Hotel of the Year by the European Hotel Awards.