Bernard Korak Named Chef of the Year, Milica Birk Tourism Professional of the Year in Health Tourism, and Naftalan Special Hospital Awarded for Health Tourism
Bernard Korak, chef of the Plešivica-based Restaurant Korak, and Milica Birk, Deputy Director of Naftalan Special Hospital for Medical Tourism, are the recipients of the annual Croatian tourism award “Person – The Key to Success.”
Korak was named Professional of the Year in the “Chef” category, while Birk received the award for Professional of the Year in Health Tourism. The awards were presented during the Croatian Tourism Days, the annual gathering of tourism professionals and stakeholders of the Republic of Croatia, held on 21–22 November in Opatija.
In the final round of the awards, Naftalan Special Hospital also received the prize for Best Health Tourism Provider.
“I am extremely honoured and grateful to receive this recognition as Chef of the Year. This award reflects not only my personal efforts but also the dedication of my family and the entire team at Restaurant Korak. Together, we strive to create a unique gastronomic experience that reflects the richness and tradition of the Plešivica region,” said Bernard Korak, chef of the Michelin-starred Restaurant Korak, also awarded a Michelin Green Star for excellence in sustainability.
“Growing up in a family deeply rooted in winemaking and culinary tradition, I had the opportunity to learn from the very best and develop a true passion for gastronomy. I would especially like to highlight the contribution of my parents, Mirjana and Velimir, as well as my brother and sister, who supported me at every step of this journey. This award motivates us to continue innovating and enhancing our offering, always to deliver an outstanding experience to our guests,” Korak added, emphasising his special gratitude to his wife and son, who are his most outstanding support and inspiration.
“Their love, understanding, and encouragement are essential to every success I achieve and inspire me to be better every day—not only in the kitchen, but in life as well,” Korak concluded.
Milica Birk, who has been working in health tourism for nearly three decades, stated that the award inspires and motivates her to continue contributing even more strongly to the development of continental tourism, particularly health tourism, which has been recording steady growth year after year.
“I would like to emphasise that without my team, colleagues, former directors, and the working environment, this success would not have been possible. Over many years at Naftalan, my team and I have worked hard to position Naftalan as a recognisable brand in the health tourism market, even though we lacked additional facilities to support this goal for a long time. With the construction of a new pool complex, gym, and conference centre, we have gained a strong boost and are now moving forward with even greater momentum,” said Birk.
Ivana Alilović, Director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, expressed pride that all three annual awards were presented to recipients from Zagreb County.
“This is a great recognition for our destination and a significant step forward towards our vision of becoming the leading continental boutique tourism destination. We have outstanding tourism professionals whose expertise, dedication, and belief in success contribute to the recognition of sustainable tourism in Zagreb County,” stated Alilović.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sport, the Croatian National Tourist Board, and the Croatian Chamber of Economy jointly present the Annual Croatian Tourism Awards.
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