The Field restaurant remains one of only two Czech establishments awarded a Michelin star in the prestigious Michelin Guide. I use the word "yet" deliberately: we are anticipating the announcement of a new edition soon, from which we hope for more stars for the Czech gastroscene. With the new tasting menu, the famous Czech chef Radek Kašpárek once again demonstrates why Field has earned a star - and why it may not need to settle for just one.
The anticipation is building. On December 11th in Mariánské Lázně, we will discover how the inspectors of the famous Michelin Guide view restaurants from South Moravia to the Czech-German border during a gala evening. How many stars will they distribute among Czech restaurants? It's important to remember that the Michelin star is awarded primarily to the establishment, not to the individual, although the chef's contribution to such success is undeniable.
A Few Arguments
In recent months, I've frequently heard the question: Which Czech fine dining restaurant is the best? Is there any way to measure it? Is there a metric for that? Of course not - and there is no definitive answer either. It's always going to be subjective, despite what the commissioners of any bestseller might say or write.
Field has been around for more than a decade since it opened, and I've been visiting the place in person for nearly a decade. Likewise, it's been more than a decade since it first received a Michelin star. It's still at the same address and under the same management.
I'm almost sure I won't speak only for myself now: Thanks to all of the above, Field is, willy-nilly, a kind of reference model for many of us, against which we - consciously or subconsciously - compare other Czech fine dining establishments. Maybe it's unfair, but many will agree.
And now for one perhaps slightly bold but logical statement: in its current form, Field is the establishment (along with La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise) that comes closest to two Michelin Guide stars in the Czech Republic. Why?
For one thing, because we can count the restaurants that have jumped from no stars to two stars on the fingers of both hands in the entire history of the Michelin Guide. Let's mention Slovenia's Hiša Franko, run by Ana Roš - incidentally, the 2017 Chef of the Year, who popularized gastronomy in the entire region, perhaps including the Czech Republic, thanks to her well-known Netflix series. And let's not forget that the Michelin Guide is awarded in Slovenia also (not only) because of her.
The stories of Chicago restaurants Grace and Ever are also crucial. Both of them, under the leadership of the incredibly talented and hardworking Curtis Duffy, won two stars, and then a third. Nor should we forget the other establishments to which "a similar thing happened": Aimsir (Ireland), The Counter (Switzerland), or Enclos (California). As you can see, there are not many examples.
This year, we are slightly hopeful with the story of the Philippine restaurant Helm. In a country where the Michelin Guide awarded stars for the first time - as it did this year in the whole country - Helm won two stars. So hope dies last.
Field, however, has it easier in this context: moving up from one star to two is standard Michelin Guide procedure. Will it happen? Only God and the Michelin inspectors know.
Radek Kašpárek on the Field's Plate
In recent years, thanks to television programs and other circumstances, Radek Kašpárek's popularity has grown far beyond the borders of the gastronomic world. He is so visible, quoted, and talked about so much that it is often forgotten how talented a chef he is and how well he runs Field. What is forgotten is the most important thing - the food and how it fits into the overall concept of the restaurant.
With the new fall/winter tasting menu, he not only confirms his position but raises the bar once again. The dishes at Field are creative, imaginative, and understandable for the average guest, yet they also appeal to a more sophisticated clientele.
As with previous menus, the chef at Field once again goes back to his childhood and brings emotions as well as flavors. Daněk-mushroom-lanish is a memory of Radek Kašpárek's mother and her mushroom sauce; Hare-green-elito-marrow, in turn, refers to his favorite cabbage soup.
The aforementioned non-alcoholic pairing should be especially highlighted. If you have the opportunity and the taste, order one wine and one non-alcoholic drink in pairs, and compare. It really works at Field.
"What totally blew my mind," says Radek Kašpárek, "is the non-alcoholic pairing with the mullet, the main course. Danek, mushrooms... the service makes you feel a bit like you're in the woods. I wanted to get a taste of the forest into the pairing and our bartender reached for cranberry and pine needles - and it's absolutely brilliant. When I took a sip and closed my eyes, I found myself in the Beskydy Mountains with my parents when we went mushroom picking in the forest," the chef says, returning to his childhood again.
Emotions are another reason to visit Field, alongside techniques, flavors, and textures. Kašpárek and his culinary team know how to evoke these emotions in guests in a big way. Whether the restaurant remains at one star or "jumps to two," Field remains one of the leaders of the Czech - and, let's add, Czechoslovak - gastronomic scene.
