📍 Easter Special Bonus Episode
In this special Easter bonus episode of Balkan Sis, Ivana sits down with MasterChef Australia alum Snežana Calić, a Croatian-born, Serbia-raised food storyteller now living in Australia, to explore the deeper meaning of food, family, and tradition.
From dyeing eggs with onion skins to baking homemade pogača, Snežana shares how her childhood shaped the way she cooks, lives, and raises her own children today. This conversation is a heartfelt reminder of the rituals that connect us across generations, across countries, and across cultures.
Together, we explore what it really means to live between two worlds, how to preserve identity in a modern life, and why food is so much more than what is on the plate.
This episode is a little different, recorded through voice notes and brought together into one intimate conversation, but the message is the same.
Home lives in the small moments, the shared meals, and the traditions we choose to keep alive.
Easter traditions from the Balkans and how to pass them down
Growing up between Croatia, Serbia, and Australia
Why food carries memory, emotion, and identity
Snežana’s mum’s cooking wisdom, including her go-to base for every dish
Simple, time-saving cooking tips for busy mums and families
Getting your kids involved in the kitchen
Preserving culture while building a life in a new country
This episode celebrates both Western and Orthodox Easter, honouring the beauty of our traditions, rituals, and the time we spend with the people we love.
Snežana Calić is a MasterChef Australia contestant, culinary content creator, and storyteller who blends Mediterranean and Balkan flavours into simple, nourishing meals for modern families.
Born in Croatia, raised in Serbia, and now based in Australia, her cooking is deeply inspired by her roots, especially her mother Mira, whose recipes and wisdom continue to shape everything she creates.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snezanacalic_official
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/snezana-calic-8ba661bb
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SnezanaCalic
Feature article: https://missingperspectives.com/posts/masterchef-australias-snezana-calic-mother-advice-recipe/
SBS feature: https://www.sbs.com.au/serbian/podcast-episode/snezana-calic
Share it with someone you love. Your mum, your sister, your friend.
Because at the end of the day, it is not just food that brings us together. It is the memories we create around it.
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We are building something special here, one story and one conversation at a time.
