Dijana Nikolov, pastry chef from "Kolubara u šoru": "Tradition as Inspiration with a Modern Twist"
Gastroшor, as a unique location within Belgrade's old urban core, brings together various cuisines in one place, offering its visitors a plethora of choices and a true culinary journey through different regions and countries.
And what would a "šor" (a Serbian term for a lively neighborhood street) be without a national cuisine restaurant, but presented in a modern way. In Gastroшor, the restaurant "Kolubara u šoru" has taken on this demanding role, giving a surprising twist to the well-known recipes of many Serbian grandmothers offering its guests quite a unique experience on a daily basis.
Moreover, at the "Kolubara u šoru" restaurant, you can indulge in authentic homemade cakes prepared on-site by the talented hands of young Dijana Nikolov.
Dijana, today you are the head pastry chef at the "Kolubara u šoru" restaurant. How did your journey and education begin, and why did you choose cake preparation as your calling in life?
- That journey was complex. As a child, I was fascinated by cakes and sweets. I loved eating them and watching my aunt knead and make cakes. However, my initial idea was to become a chef. But when I started school and experienced the aromas of chocolate, vanilla, and creams for the first time, I was increasingly drawn to that culinary direction. It was the scents that made the decisive impact. And my love for this profession enabled me to successfully complete my education and start working, eventually becoming a head pastry chef.
Each of us has a favorite flavor or dish from childhood that we still enjoy today. What scent and taste evoke the most cherished memories from that period for you?
- Honestly, it's none other than pancakes. When we were little, my dad would often make pancakes for us on weekends, with jam, cream, or walnuts. He also made that simple sponge cake with sour cherries, and those are the two flavors that remind me the most of home. Since we were raised by our dad, he always made sure we had something sweet every weekend. Those were the simple things that stayed dear and bring back childhood memories. From my dad, I learned how to cook the first dishes, and pancakes were a must, of course.
We've tried almost all of your cakes at "Kolubara u šoru", and they are truly excellent. But we're curious, what was the first cake you ever made yourself?
- Those were chocolate cakes. Chocolate is my first and greatest passion, so it was only natural for me to start with that. Besides chocolate, nougat is another favorite ingredient I like to play with. It's important to be creative; every cake prepared always carries the personal touch of its pastry chef. Each of my cakes has something of me. My trademark is strong flavors, chocolate, and lots of love. Believe me, love is always felt, especially in cakes.
How important is the collaboration between the head chef and the pastry chef in order to achieve the most delicious cakes as a logical continuation of the menu?
- Collaboration with the head chef is very important, of crucial significance. In "Kolubara", our whole team is like one big family. We help each other and strive to deliver the best end result to our guests. Through good communication, we always manage to agree and successfully carry out all the work and ideas that need to be realized. Of course, there may be disagreements at times regarding ideas for creating a particular cake, but with compromises, we always manage to present everything as it should be.
When you created the dessert menu for the "Kolubara" restaurant, what guided you and what was your main idea?
- "Kolubara" is a restaurant that offers traditional cuisine with a modern twist. In the dessert menu, I included well-known recipes that people are familiar with, but in a more contemporary way. That's why you can find Vasina torta, kolač Urma, topli kolač od jabuke (warm apple cake), and similar desserts. Tradition was my inspiration, but with some modern additions such as almond flakes, mint, and so on.
In today's restaurants where wine pairing with food is becoming quite common, there is an underlining trend of also pairing sweet, dessert wines with pastry. Have you perhaps tried to include in your recipes our globally renowned domestic dessert wine bermet?
- I must admit that I haven't had the opportunity to make such combinations and work with bermet so far. But thank you for this question since this is a great idea for me. I don't use bermet, however, in my cake recipes, you can often find brandy. That's my secret ingredient since brandy gives a certain aroma and flavor to the cake, especially when combined with fruit. The aforementioned warm apple cake contains a hint of brandy to enhance and complement the flavor of the apple and other fruits inside. It adds a complexity that you can feel in your mouth when you eat it.
Is there a cake that you particularly enjoy making and would gladly recommend to guests?
- It's difficult for me to choose a favorite cake because, as I mentioned, I love sweets and cakes, both making them and eating them. But I could single out Nugat, which is my cake, a recipe that I created and developed. As for preparation, anything with chocolate. From creams, layers, decorations, anything related to chocolate brings me joy, and I love working with it.
Lastly, is there a dish on the "Kolubara" menu that really excites you? What would you recommend and which dessert should we order with that dish?
- I generally enjoy food, and I think the entire Kolubara restaurant menu is excellent, so it's a bit difficult for me to decide. Personally, I would choose the pljeskavica (burger) on burek dough, and maybe the gourmet ćevapi or butkica (pork knuckle). However, even though I'm a chocolate fan, after such a main course selection, I wouldn't choose a chocolate cake. Instead, I would recommend the warm apple cake with vanilla ice cream and caramel. I couldn't resist chocolate after having a butkica :)
