Ante Dropuljić

After completing general secondary school in Ploče, alongside an active handball career, he began his professional journey as a coach at RK Opuzen and completed the Croatian Olympic Academy. His sporting career took him to RK Zagreb and RK Dubrovnik, where he concluded his playing career in 2013. At the same time, he graduated from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Education in Mostar (PMFOZ), specializing as a strength and conditioning coach, and worked with numerous professional teams and athletes, including RK Dubrovnik, ŽRK Dubrovnik, ŽKK Ragusa Dubrovnik, Judo Club 1966 Dubrovnik, and Tennis Club Dubrovnik.

Driven by a deep personal passion for gastronomy, he transitioned into the culinary world in 2018, beginning as a line cook at Restaurant Bugenwille in Cavtat, featured in the Michelin Guide. In 2019, he joined Restaurant Orka in Dubrovnik as sous chef, followed by a formative internship in 2020 at Restaurant Noel in Buje—then operating under Zagreb’s Michelin-starred Noel—where he worked alongside Chef Goran Kočiš and Chef Mario Mandarić.

Upon returning to Dubrovnik, he took on the role of Head Chef at Taverna Otto. During 2021 and 2022, he led the kitchen at Restaurant Škuna in Igrane, where the restaurant was awarded Večernjak’s Rose for Best Small Restaurant on the Adriatic, earning the title of Tourism Champion. In 2023, he joined M’harden Dubrovnik, where he worked until the end of 2025.

A defining chapter of his professional development was his internship at Restaurant Arzak in San Sebastián, holder of three Michelin stars, where he trained from September 2024 to March 2025. Since 2025, he has also served as an external lecturer at the University of Dubrovnik, within the Hotel Management, Restaurant and Gastronomy program, sharing his expertise with future culinary professionals.

In December 2025, he passed the Master Craftsman examination and earned the title of Master Chef. His culinary identity is shaped by the discipline of professional sport, the rigor of fine dining, and a lifelong commitment to learning—bringing precision, resilience, and respect for the craft into every kitchen he leads.