Chef Kanji Kobayashi, from two-Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant Villa AiDA, is coming to Marie B in Prague
Marie B – a relaxed restaurant without a menu
Here, head chef Jiří Šoura serves up a gastronomy experience like no other, combining traditional Czech cuisine, creativity, and quality ingredients. The Vin de Marie wine bar sits alongside the restaurant.
Half the menu features Japanese cuisine, and half features Czech cuisine, as prepared by the Marie B team. Although both establishments draw from different culinary traditions, their approaches overlap in many ways. Guests will be able to taste what this gastronomic dialogue looks like on the plate during a special evening on Sunday, November 1st.
“Japanese cuisine and Marie B’s cuisine share similar values and approaches — whether it’s working with local and seasonal ingredients, respect for ingredients and craftsmanship, or techniques such as fermentation and pickling. Although it may seem that way at first glance, this is certainly no coincidence,” says Oldřich Sahajdák, chef patron of Marie B and La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise.
The idea for the collaboration arose naturally thanks to the long-standing friendship between Japanese chef Kanji Kobayashi and Austrian winemaker Christian Tschida, who is also a close friend of sommelier Zdeněk Oudes from Marie B.
“I’ve never been to the Czech Republic before, so I’m really looking forward to coming here and getting to know a new culture. I’m also interested in what ingredients are typical of Czech cuisine and how local chefs work with them,” says the Japanese chef.
Local and seasonal ingredients as the common theme of the evening
An important theme of the evening will be seasonal and local ingredients, which form the foundation of Kobayashi’s culinary philosophy. At his restaurant Villa AiDA , located in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, he works exclusively with what the surrounding countryside has to offer.
The restaurant has its own farm, where they grow more than a hundred varieties of vegetables, and the menu here is tailored to the season. In addition to vegetables, Kobayashi also works with grains, citrus fruits, herbs, and flowers, and strives to use the entire harvest — preserving, pickling, or drying any surplus. The same respect for ingredients and tradition is also shared by Marie B’s team.
“I’m a huge admirer of Japan, its respect for tradition, and the way it works with it. An evening like this is a bit of a dream come true for me. Our dinner together will be something like a dialogue between two cultures, with vegetables serving as their common backbone,” adds Sahajdák.
Wine pairings from Austria and Moravia
The chefs have also prepared wine pairings for the multi-course dinner. Kanji Kobayashi’s dishes will be paired with wines by Christian Tschida, an Austrian winemaker from Burgenland who is a close friend of the Japanese chef and whose wines are also part of Marie B’s portfolio. Tschida was also awarded the title of Winemaker of the Year 2026 by the prestigious guide Falstaff Austria.
The “Czech” section of Marie B’s menu will be paired with wines from Czech and Moravian winemakers. The selection will be curated by Marie B’s head sommelier Zdeněk Oudes, who last year won the the Michelin Sommelier Award for his exceptional work with wine.
“Throughout the evening, we’ll be featuring wines from our good friend Christian Tschid, who is also a friend of Kanji’s. These will be complemented by Moravian and Czech wines, which we’ll select primarily based on the character of each course and how they complement one another,” says Oudes.
The one-day pop-up by Kanji Kobayashi and Marie B will take place November 1st 2026, at the Marie B restaurant. Guests can expect a fixed multi-course menu, with the option to purchase wine pairings on-site.
The event is sold out.
