MasterChef Hrvatska has been a Nova TV staple since 2011, running for six seasons spanning over a decade. Here’s the complete breakdown of the show’s first two champions — one who stayed true to his original career path, and another who took his culinary skills all the way to Thailand.
Quick Reference: MasterChef Hrvatska Winners (Season 1–2)
| Sezona | Premijera | Pobjednik | Drugoplasirani | Broj Natjecatelja |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21. ožujka 2011. | Šime Sušić | Srđana Jevtić | 20 |
| 2 | 24. rujna 2012. | Nikola Lesar | Marko Palfi | 20 |
MasterChef Hrvatska: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Network | Nova TV |
| Episode Length | 90 minutes |
| Episodes per Season | 65 |
| Contestants per Season | 20 |
| Total Seasons (as of 2023) | 6 |
Season 1 (2011): Šime Sušić
MasterChef Hrvatska premiered on Nova TV on 21 March 2011, running for 65 episodes until 17 June 2011. Šime Sušić was crowned the country’s very first MasterChef champion, winning the judges over in the finale with his standout fish specialties, beating runner-up Srđana Jevtić and a field of 20 total contestants.
What makes Šime’s story particularly memorable is that he didn’t pursue a restaurant career after his win — instead, he remained devoted to his original passion, geography, continuing his work as a high school teacher. He later spoke about blending his two loves, teaching his students about the fascinating intersection of geography and food culture, bringing a creative culinary perspective into his classroom.
Host: Jasna Nanut
Judges: Tomislav Gretić, Mate Janković, Radovan Marčić
Season 2 (2012): Nikola Lesar
Season 2 premiered on 24 September 2012 and brought a notable judging change — Tomislav Gretić departed, replaced by renowned Croatian master chef Dino Galvagno. The season also introduced a new host, Croatian actor and TV presenter Igor Mešin, replacing Jasna Nanut.
Nikola Lesar won the season, beating runner-up Marko Palfi. Unlike Season 1’s winner, Nikola took his culinary skills in a dramatically different direction after his win — he left Croatia entirely and opened his own restaurant in Thailand, later even competing on the Thai edition of Iron Chef.
Host: Igor Mešin
Judges: Dino Galvagno, Mate Janković, Radovan Marčić
MasterChef Hrvatska: What Came After Season 2?
The franchise continued for several more seasons, eventually taking a long hiatus before returning with a completely refreshed judging panel:
| Season | Winner | Notable Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Iva Pehar | First female MasterChef Hrvatska champion |
| 4 (after long hiatus) | — | New judges: Melkior Bašić, Damir Tomljanović, Stjepan Vukadin |
| 6 (2023) | Ivan Temšić | Dedicated his win to his mother |
Croatia also produced a Celebrity MasterChef spin-off, with the inaugural title going to singer Luka Nižetić, who went on to continue his culinary journey on the follow-up show Pun p’jat.
Fun Facts About MasterChef Hrvatska
- Stayed true to his roots: Season 1 winner Šime Sušić chose to remain a geography teacher rather than pursue a restaurant career
- International journey: Season 2 winner Nikola Lesar opened a restaurant in Thailand and competed on Iron Chef Thailand
- Historic first: Iva Pehar (Season 3) became the first female winner in the show’s history
- Long hiatus: The franchise took a significant multi-year break before returning for Season 4 with an entirely new judging panel
FAQs
Who won the first season of MasterChef Hrvatska? Šime Sušić, a geography teacher, won Season 1 in 2011 with standout fish dishes.
Who won MasterChef Hrvatska Season 2? Nikola Lesar won in 2012, later opening his own restaurant in Thailand.
Who are the judges of MasterChef Hrvatska? Mate Janković and Radovan Marčić judged both seasons, with Tomislav Gretić (Season 1) and Dino Galvagno (Season 2) rounding out the panel.
Which network airs MasterChef Hrvatska? Nova TV, since the show’s 2011 debut.
Who was the first female winner of MasterChef Hrvatska? Iva Pehar, who won Season 3.