Radek Kašpárek A Man Who Doesn’t Compromise in the Kitchen
114 ǀ POSITIV MAN
How do you maintain focus during demanding
shifts? What helps you handle the pressure
to perform and avoid mistakes?
I’m the last person who stands behind the dishes
before they go out. Mistakes are more likely to happen
during the actual cooking – not every day, of course,
but it can happen that a sauce doesn’t turn out exactly
as per the recipe. That’s where my sous chefs at Field,
Jan Gorecký and Daniel Břenda, and head chef at 420,
Marek Kominek, come in – they make sure that any
mistakes simply don’t leave the kitchen.
When you walk into a kitchen that’s delivering truly
high-level gastronomy, your mindset needs to be in the
right place. What helps me most right now is exercise.
I work out three times a week, and during that time,
my mind is able to reset completely.
In another interview, you mentioned that many
of your recipes come to you while driving –
reportedly up to 50%. Do you enjoy driving? Do you
listen to music or podcasts, or do you prefer silence?
And when does inspiration usually strike?
It depends on my mood. If I’m tired and my mind needs
to switch off, I drive in silence without any music. I think
about my work not just in the car, but also at home.
In the evening, after I’ve put the kids to bed, I have a bit
of time for myself and that’s when I start thinking about
recipes. But not just recipes – I also think about plates,
inventory, different ways of serving dishes, and so on.
I don’t listen to podcasts in the car – I’d need to focus
on them more. I’m more likely to put on some music
and zone out a little. But I always stay focused on the
road.
Which ingredients are closest to your heart –
the ones you couldn’t imagine your kitchen without?
Ingredients like bone marrow, chives, lovage. And also
the grill – because fire gives ingredients a completely
different flavour dimension.
You’re known as an uncompromising perfectionist.
What does the ideal plate look like according
to Radek Kašpárek?
It should be clear and readable. The plate itself should
look like a canvas painted by a great artist – and the
guest should look at it and immediately think: Wow!
Do you follow any rules or principles when plating
dishes? What, in your view, turns a plate into
an experience even before the first bite? Where
do you find inspiration, and do you have a tried-and-
tested recipe or key to perfect composition?
A plate has to be clean – never overloaded. The main
ingredient must stand out, and it should also be clear
what technique was used to prepare it.
I draw inspiration from my travels. I often travel with Míra
Nosek, the manager and co-owner of both restaurants.
We’ve had the chance to visit a lot of Michelin-starred
restaurants – in Scandinavia, London, New York,
and this year in Barcelona as well. These inspiration
trips always leave a strong impression on me.
Could you create a modern dish using three typical
regional ingredients – such as mushrooms from
the Beskids, sauerkraut from the Opava region,
and Silesian sausage – that would hold its own
in a Michelin-starred restaurant? What might
a “21st-century Moravian-Silesian plate” look like?
From the Opava sauerkraut, I’d make a light, sweet-
and-sour espuma-style foam, and I’d fry some of it into
a crispy element – like a crumble. Every dish I create
needs to have something crunchy to deliver that wow
effect for the guest.
Lately, I’ve come up with a great recipe for a mushroom
broth with marinated fermented vegetables, speck,
and egg yolk.
Does artificial intelligence have a place in modern
cuisine? For example, in creating recipes or planning
menus? Or do you believe that only a human can give
food its soul?
I’ll admit, I’m a little wary of artificial intelligence.
I have an app on my phone that I use when I need
to put together an email that needs to make sense.
I might take a few points from the AI’s suggestions.
But I haven’t used it – and I hope I never will – in my
restaurant. I don’t want any trace of AI in what we do.
I want the signature of Radek Kašpárek to still be clear,
even ten years from now.
Does a particular phrase or principle guide you in the
kitchen – something that could inspire someone just
starting out?
Discipline, structure, and order. I say that to myself even
during training, when I feel like I’ve hit my limit and my
trainer’s really pushing me. Even when I’m running
on empty, I keep repeating in my head: discipline,
structure, and order. These words drive me to give
my absolute best.
Thank you for the interview.
I was incredibly nervous – and that’s
something you just can’t prepare for.
ou need courage not to fall apart
in front of the camera