by Kendra Peterson, Chef and Owner of Drizzle Kitchen

Hi there! I'm Kendra Peterson, Chef and Owner of Drizzle Kitchen, a boutique private chef company in Chicago. For my birthday, last year, I decided to gift myself a trip through the Dalmatian Coast. What I expected? A fabulous trip. What I got? An experience filled with beautiful culture, connections with artisans, chefs, farmers, extraordinary food, and stunning weather.

As a chef, my dining experiences tend to be different than the norm. I'm judging, rating, and much pickier than the average customer, which can be especially challenging in a new country without previous experiences. However, Lauren and Shawna curated the most fabulous itinerary for my best friend and me this year. I truly loved every day but wanted to highlight three experiences that will stay with me forever. 

Our first full day began with a short walk around the beautiful castle in Split, with our guide eventually leading us to the local market. There, we met a renowned chef who took us through the market to meet his purveyors, try seasonal and local ingredients, and work with me to pick out the produce for our private lunch on a vineyard later that afternoon. How magical to bite into perfect figs, warm from the sun! To have a slice of the tiniest pear; juicy and flavorful. To listen to our chef talk about which stand had the most authentic Croatian pastries and which were mass-produced. Our five-course lunch later, set nestled in a vineyard through the winding roads of the hills surrounding the city, was three hours of bliss. Local Croatian wines paired with the creativity of the ingredients from the market created an afternoon full of laughter, stories, and luxurious flavors.

A few days later, en route to Dubrovnik, we stopped in a tiny town with barely 200 residents to meet an oyster farmer who my friend and I still keep in contact with today! We joined him on his fishing boat, where he talked to us about his life and oyster farming. He then poured us wine he made from his own grapes, served us cheese his neighbor had made, and pulled the freshest, saltiest, most delectable oysters I ever consumed from off the side of his boat. We had to be pulled off the boat as we could have stayed all day!

Our final excursion was a cooking class at the home of a local family. As we arrived, we stepped into what felt like a storybook. Vines, grapes, and figs growing on a trellis above us. Homemade liquor, beautiful fruit platters from their garden, and the warmest glow of smiles and hugs from the family welcomed us. After preparing the traditional Croatian dish Peka, we toured the countryside, only to return to the slow-cooked stew's perfume and a beautiful soup with locally grown beans, prepared vegetables, wine, local bread, lovely conversation, and company.

I am looking forward to returning to see my friends in Croatia with whom I have kept in contact! The gelateria inside the castle walls of Split, our friend, the oyster farmer, and most certainly the family that welcomed us into their home to share their love of land and food. I returned to Chicago with a full belly and a full heart.