Željka Golomejić has been an indispensable presence at HELB for ten years — a woman who, every morning as the city is just waking up, turns on the kitchen lights and creates the aromas that shape the day for around eighty people. Her energy, dedication, and incredible sense of organization have turned the kitchen into a place that is not just a canteen, but a small living room of the company. Željka cooks with the same care as she does at home, remembering the tastes, habits, and little preferences of every employee, and her warmth and professionalism have created an atmosphere where people feel welcome. Although she never planned a career in the kitchen, that is exactly where she found her calling — and today it’s hard to imagine HELB without her.
“My day starts really early… too early, I’d say. I wake up around three in the morning, and sometimes the alarm rings three times before I finally force myself to get up. By four I’m already on my way to work, and I’m usually the first one to open HELB. Every day is different. Sometimes I go shopping first and only then head to the kitchen, and sometimes I start preparing food right away. The menu is planned in advance, but I always like to give myself something extra to do… more for pleasure than necessity. I love surprising people, adding something sweet, something new. Today I have help, but for almost eight years I worked alone. Back then I prepared 70–80 meals a day, and sometimes there were over a hundred people. You have to be very organized and resourceful… sometimes something runs out, but I always found a solution — an omelette, something quick but good. No one ever left my kitchen hungry, and more importantly — no one should leave dissatisfied. Some people say they don’t like something, and in the end they eat everything. That’s how it goes. I never thought I’d spend my whole life in a kitchen, but here I am — ten years at HELB and I’m not going anywhere. I love this job.”
“Honestly? For me, it’s not a challenge at all. I feel at home here — only instead of one family, I have eighty. These are my people, I know them, I know what they like, and I cook for them as if they were my own, just in larger quantities.”
“The biggest advantage is the trust I have. That’s not something you can take for granted. I have the freedom to organize my work, to decide what and how I’ll prepare things, and that means a lot to me. I’ve known the people I work with for years. I’ve learned their tastes, habits, little preferences. If I know someone doesn’t like a certain side dish, I already have an alternative ready. That attention to people creates an atmosphere. It’s not just cooking — it’s a part of their day that should feel pleasant. And it’s important to me that they feel good.”
“It’s very important to me. I like hearing what they think, both the good and the bad. If something doesn’t suit someone, I want to know. Not to take it personally, but to improve. I don’t want anyone to be dissatisfied. If something didn’t turn out right once, next time it will be better. My goal is for people to enjoy coming for a meal, for it to be a moment of rest, something they look forward to.”
“I cook at home too, almost every day. It’s part of who I am. I don’t see cooking as a job I need to escape from when I get home. Of course, at home I cook differently — more relaxed, without pressure, more by feeling. But yes, cooking is simply in my blood.”
“I used to love going to concerts, especially with my mom. We went to everything — from the philharmonic to tamburica bands. But deep down I’m a rocker, so my son and I went to concerts by U2, Iron Maiden, Motörhead… Today I go less often, not because I don’t want to, but because I don’t have anyone to go with. I also love animals. I have a dog, Gizmo, I walk him every day, even though he lives with my son. And I take care of two cats that I actually met right here at HELB — they were always hanging around the building, so I started feeding them and looking after them, and well… they stayed with me.”
“Scampi buzara with green tagliatelle. That’s my favorite dish. I could make it every day and never get tired of it.”
April 16, 2026This week marks an important milestone in HELB’s development. With the completion of the integration process and the acquisition of the remaining 25% stake, HELB has become a fully owned member of the KONČAR Group. Više
In March, six of our employees participated in a three‑day professional training program in the field of assembly and formation of Siemens Energy high‑voltage circuit breakers. Više
HELB has once again carried out the annual Best Colleagues selection, an initiative designed to highlight employees who, through their work, attitude and support for others, contribute to a positive and motivating work environment. Više
