64 NAPLES ILLUSTRATED
Vladimir Trivunovic discovered a passion for cooking by accident. While in col-
lege in his native Serbia, he chose a course in gastronomy thinking it was astron-
omy. “I don’t know what was in my head,” he says, laughing. He then landed in a
hotel kitchen for a school internship and that was it. After graduation, he worked at
a North Carolina country club before moving to Marco Island in 2014. He thought
about returning to Serbia in 2015 but chose to stay in the United States to earn
money to help his mother, who was in need of $10,000 for cancer surgery.
In 2016, he joined Ocean Prime as an executive sous chef and was promoted to
executive chef last year at the age of 28. “I like to take care of people,” says Trivu-
novic, who oversees a team of 20 at the restaurant. “If someone comes to me with
a problem, I do my best to help. My style is casual and friendly but tough on stan-
dards and exceptional service.”
Giving back is a big part of the culture at Ocean Prime. The chef and his team
donate time, talent, and food for events such as the Southwest Florida Wine &
Food Fest and the Paradise Coast Wine & Food Experience. When not working,
Trivunovic plays chess, ping-pong, or soccer with friends and visits other restau-
rants to see what they’re up to. Downtime is rare, but he’s okay with that. “When
you like what you do, there will never be stress. I always come to work with a smile
because I love being here.” «VLADIMIR TRIVUNOVIC
Executive Chef, Ocean Prime, Naples