Nedeljko Jerković – Chef Interview
How many times does a dish change in appearance or recipe before you finally say, “Now it’s ready for the guest”?
There’s no set rule. Sometimes a dish is ready after just two or three trials, while other times we continue refining it for much longer. Usually, we first find the flavour we want to achieve, and then work on the best way to present it on the plate.
How much do Serbian diners surprise you these days? Have guests become more adventurous when it comes to new flavours, or do they still prefer what they know?
They surprise me in a very positive way. I think guests today are much more open-minded than they were ten years ago. They travel more, explore different cuisines, and are willing to try things they’ve never tasted before.
Of course, we all love flavours that remind us of childhood and familiar experiences, but I’m seeing a growing number of people who come specifically to discover something new.
What have you deliberately removed from your plates this year? Not an ingredient, but a philosophy.
The need to impress at all costs. In the past, I sometimes wanted to demonstrate how complex a technique was or how unusual an idea could be. Today, what matters more to me is that a dish is clear, delicious, and makes sense.
Guests don’t come to see how much effort went into something. They come to enjoy the result.
What inspires you more these days, the farmers’ market or Instagram?
Definitely the farmers’ market. Instagram can be interesting for following trends and seeing what fellow chefs around the world are doing, but real inspiration comes when I discover a fresh seasonal ingredient or come across something unexpected.
When you taste something exceptional at a restaurant abroad, does your competitive spirit kick in, or does it inspire you more than it puts pressure on you?
It inspires me more than anything. Of course, I sometimes think about how much I’d love for us to reach that same level, but above all, I feel respect for the work and dedication behind a dish like that.
When you say “autumn on a plate,” what’s the first image that comes to mind?
Wild mushrooms, root vegetables, chestnuts, pumpkin, and the smell of the earth after rain.
For me, autumn is a season of warmer, deeper, and more complex flavours. Flavours that bring a sense of comfort while still leaving room for elegance on the plate.
Will this year’s autumn menu be bolder than the previous one, or will you focus more on familiar, proven flavours?
We’ll try to find the right balance between the two. I love exploring new combinations, but never at the expense of flavour.
If something is bold, it still has to taste delicious. That’s the one rule I always follow.
Have we become more adventurous as diners, or do we simply travel more?
I think one has led to the other. Travelling has broadened our horizons, but the courage to try something new ultimately comes from curiosity.
These days, guests are much less likely to ask what the safest option is and much more likely to want to try something they’ve never eaten before.
What’s harder today, creating an exceptional dish or convincing a guest to try it?
Creating an exceptional dish is always the harder part. If a dish is genuinely well thought out and presented honestly, guests will give it a chance.
People are much more open-minded than we often give them credit for.
What’s the biggest obstacle to culinary creativity in Serbia: price, habits, or fear of the unknown?
I’d say habits. Price is certainly a challenge, but habits are much harder to change.
Once people change their habits, they’re willing to spend money on an experience they believe is worth it.
Is there an ingredient you think is completely overrated?
Truffles. I love them and use them myself, but I think they’re often treated as a shortcut to luxury.
A good product doesn’t automatically become a better dish just because you’ve shaved some truffle over it.
What’s the worst culinary rule that people keep repeating?
That more ingredients automatically make a better dish.
Sometimes three or four ingredients are enough to say everything you want to say. Removing what’s unnecessary is often harder than adding something new.
When you cook at home, what’s something you never prepare?
Anything that reminds me of work. At home, I enjoy simple food that I can prepare without having to think too much.
What dish would you be least likely to order at a restaurant?
Something I could easily make at home. When I go out to eat, I want to experience someone else’s ideas.
If you were opening ENSO for the first time today, would the menu look the same as it did ten years ago?
Definitely not. I have much more experience today, a different understanding of ingredients, and I would probably be even bolder in some of my decisions.
What would you like guests to think after taking the final bite of your autumn tasting menu?
I’d love them to feel that they’ve spent an evening they’ll remember.
Not necessarily because of one particular dish, but because of the entire experience.
If they leave wanting to come back and discover what we’ll create next, then we’ve done our job well.
