The street food scene in Croatia was long just a dormant potential. While that story is just developing here, far to the east, the streets are bustling with life, filled with irresistible aromas and lines of people patiently waiting for their bite. It’s a world where street food is an inevitable part of the culture, the pulsing heart of many cities. It is precisely this vibrant energy, imbued with a deep passion for top-quality ingredients, that Marko Flego brings to Rijeka—and Croatia—with his Yakitori Club, the first of its kind in the country, writing a new chapter in the story of Asian street food.
Flego, who grew up in Germany and gained extensive experience on the street food scene across Europe, has developed a clear philosophy about street food. He believes that the food we eat every day should be made from quality and fresh ingredients. He emphasizes that street food should follow the same criteria as fine dining, but in a more accessible form. His focus is on freshness and authenticity, like homemade dough instead of frozen pasta, or fresh sardines instead of canned tuna. Flego noticed that in Croatia, especially in his hometown of Rijeka, there is a lack of true street food culture. His wife, who has worked around the world and shares Flego’s passion for quality street food, confirmed this realization.
After returning to Rijeka, they faced a limited street food offer, which prompted them to create a space that would change that. That’s how Koya was born, a place born from a passion for street food, inspired by their travels and serving as a new standard of quality. Within just two days of opening, Koya found its audience: the people of Rijeka quickly embraced it, breaking the prejudice that the city has no interest in this type of food. A community was formed of people who appreciate fresh, healthy, and affordable meals, rich in vegetables and quality ingredients.
But Flego wanted to deepen the street food concept, to reach its purest and most intense form—yakitori. Yakitori, which literally means "grilled bird" (yaki for grill, tori for bird), is a traditional Japanese way of preparing chicken. Although it sounds simple, behind that grilled bird lies a complexity that goes beyond mere preparation, representing a deep philosophy of the relationship between the ingredient and fire. Flego’s vision of yakitori grilling is "wild, hot, and raw," with an emphasis on original flavors and a pure relationship between the ingredient and cooking. Yakitori is still a rarity in Croatia, as it is in many parts of Europe.
Flego’s quest for the perfect yakitori begins with a careful selection of meat. The best choice is a corn-fed bird, whose meat is somewhat tougher and ideally suited to this technique. Japanese masters even strive for the chicken to be slaughtered that morning or the night before. Flego, aware of the importance of native breeds and sustainability, wants to encourage farmers to raise Croatian breeds of chickens, such as the Hrvatica and the Croatian bantam, so he can use them for his yakitori. He hopes that producers of these breeds will recognize his vision and contact him.
After selection comes precise butchering of the meat, a skill essential to a true yakitori master, with the goal of ingredients being precisely skewered and balanced. In Japan, the use of various parts of the chicken is valued, which aligns with the "nose to tail" cooking philosophy. This approach involves using the whole animal, from bones and offal to skin. The Japanese have long practiced this cooking method, so the chicken for yakitori is cut into various pieces, each skewer has its specific name, and everything is used. Flego highly values this approach because it shows respect for the animal, minimizes waste, and celebrates the culinary skill of turning every part of the animal into a meal. The meat shouldn’t stick out everywhere as it will cook unevenly. There are two types of skewers: round profile, suitable for vegetables and chicken breast, and square, more suitable for chicken thigh, that is, stronger, thicker pieces of meat.
None of this would be possible without strong and controlled fire. A true master knows how to create the perfect embers with several zones of different temperatures, so that each piece is cooked evenly. Flego uses binchotan, a special type of Japanese charcoal that burns cleanly and for a long time, ideal for yakitori. The yakitori grill itself is special, narrow and elongated, and grilling is done directly over the fire, where the skewers are turned on two rods above the embers.
As for the skewers themselves, they can be combined with any vegetables as desired. It is extremely important to constantly baste the skewers with a juicy sauce during grilling. The sauce consists of salt, shio, and a thick soy sauce, tare. This base usually contains mirin, sake, and sugar, and some masters nurture their tare sauce for years, creating a base that develops over time. Flego’s approach brings a local twist: in his tare sauce, instead of sake, he uses Istrian malvasia wine, thus adding a unique signature.
Flego is aware of the implications of sustainable cuisine, and he is attracted to playing with fire and fully understanding it. He finds it truly fun and interesting. At a recent natural wine festival in Lovran, he showcased his grilling skills and delighted the audience. It was an impressive performance where Flego battled fire and smoke with a traditional Japanese fan, adding to the spectacle’s flair.
Flego’s vision for Yakitori Club, more than just a place, represents a movement for him. The yakitori grill, thanks to its portability, can be set up almost anywhere, and food preparation can begin within fifteen minutes, transforming any space into a dynamic yakitori experience. It was this mobility and desire to share that inspired Flego to found Yakitori Club, a platform that brings together chefs eager to exchange knowledge and passion for the craft.
The first guest in the club was chef of the Ganeum restaurant Jurica Obrol, who immediately recognized the value and supported the initiative. Their first joint event was a real culinary exchange, a meeting of a fine dining chef and Flego, filled with laughter, fire, smoke, and numerous visitors. Despite the high pressure and number of orders, they managed to maintain quality and deliver an impressive performance. Audience interest quickly grew: at the last pop-up, in just an hour and a half, they sold 400 skewers, and at the latest, held on Wednesday in the courtyard of Rijeka’s Fino Vino bar, as many as 800, which confirms to Flego that he is on the right path.
After his success at the natural wine festival in Lovran, Flego received numerous invitations from chefs inspired by his energy and approach. For him, yakitori is not necessarily tied only to Croatia; he wants to travel and exchange experiences around the world, carrying the philosophy of yakitori and the potential of street food throughout the region and beyond. His Yakitori Club thus becomes synonymous with reviving the street food scene, demonstrating that top quality and artisanal passion can be found outside traditional restaurant settings.
Yakitori is, therefore, mastery in its purest form, a fusion of fire, ingredient, and community. Flego, however, would never call himself a yakitori master, but rather a person who learns about yakitori preparation on the grill during his pop-ups and constantly acquires new knowledge. However, it is unquestionable that his dedication to quality, exploration of native ingredients, and spreading street food culture make him an important figure on the domestic street food scene. That’s why it’s worth following their next pop-ups, as each offers a chance for a direct encounter with grilling skills and discovering why yakitori, in the hands of a master, is a culinary experience to remember.
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