Be Sharp founders Tanja and Bogdan.
Our journey begins about the same as anyone who decides to become a professional cook. From the very beginning, that is, high school, we worked in the kitchens of different restaurants, both through internships and through work, so that in the end we both completed master's studies in the field of Gastronomy at the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Novi Sad.
During the aforementioned work experience, we encountered knives every day and we were clear about their role and importance in the formation of every chef who strives to do his job properly. Like the others, we had no chance to get a quality Japanese knife in Serbia, and even if we could, at an astronomically high price, we had no place to properly maintain and sharpen that knife.
During our practice in a well-known Slovenian chain of hotels, we saw for the first time that our colleagues send their knives for maintenance on a weekly basis, and that's when the idea came to offer our chefs the same service. After returning to Serbia, we got employed again and at the same time thought about how to put our idea into practice. Then we managed to set aside money from our salaries for the first sharpening stones. We start practicing on our knives and of course we screw up the first few pieces. A few months later, Bogdan acquires a very good routine and we start sharpening the knives of our work colleagues. When in January 2019 we were satisfied with the sharpness that we can continuously achieve, we start offering our service to anyone who would be interested. Today, Be Sharp is synonymous with the sharpness of kitchen knives, and our service is recognized as by far the best quality in Serbia and the region.
Where did the Japanese knives and other products in the whole story come from?
Through sharpening and daily communication with professionals in the world of gastronomy, we had a unique opportunity to hear and recognize their needs and wishes. Like us, many people wanted to have a quality knife, so we often got the question: "Where can I get a quality Japanese knife?". That's when we decide to start sourcing and selling Japanese kitchen knives. In the same way, we recognized the need for other products that are in our offer today. When someone asked for a leather bag for knives and we couldn't get it or weren't satisfied with the quality, we started producing our own. We tried to meet each individual request to the maximum and in accordance with our capabilities. Professional chefs as well as hobbyists, people who enjoy food or love blades have become our regular customers and we are really proud that we still work with most of them today.
A few years later, we fully dedicate ourselves to BeSharp, providing service, procurement, sales and production of everything that actually makes our brand recognizable. We are no longer engaged in cooking in a professional sense, and we have replaced the desire to prepare beautiful dishes with the desire to make happy and facilitate those who continue to do so.
As the crown of our work so far, we would definitely mention our trip to Japan in March 2023. We had the opportunity to meet people who forge knives from our offer and who are just as passionate about this calling as we are. We visited some of the most special forging centers located deep in the rural areas of Japan and we are probably the first visitors to these places coming from Serbia. This visit allowed us to further strengthen our existing contacts, but also to meet many other manufacturers whose knives will be an integral part of the offer that we improve every day.
Finally, we would describe ourselves as the two luckiest people in the world because we have the opportunity to offer people in Serbia and the region services and products that are considered the pinnacle of achievements at the world level when it comes to knives and professional cooking equipment. We have the opportunity to share with you the moments of enjoyment and pleasure when cooking, to make the work of everyone who prepares food, whether for themselves or for others, easier and to be part of one big gastronomic family!