Chef Marek Janouch and sommelier Lukáš Mohorko are creating together: What does the result taste like?
Czech food, beer, and Prague in the palm of your hand
The key pair in a restaurant is not only the chef and the general manager - the chef and the sommelier must also dance to the same rhythm. As does the whole team, but that's for another time.
The kitchen at Kuchyň is no longer just classic svíčková with dumplings accompanied by a perfect pint. For some time now, head sommelier Lukáš Mohorko and chef Marek Janouch have been working to match the food with the wine selection, and vice versa.
A winemaker's paradise
Kuchyň has known for some time that they needed to offer something in addition to the breathtaking views, their first-class ever-evolving cuisine, and perfectly drafted Pilsner. Wine was the answer. The menu used to include white, red and sparkling. Quality, but it didn't offer guests a wide choice and the opportunity to explore.
"We knew we needed someone who would start to fully commit to wine and become the face of it at Kuchyň. And today that's Lukáš," recalls chef Marek Janouch.
Let's skip forward to 2026. From the original modest selection, there is now a list of around 115 wines, from Bohemia, Moravia and the continent. Head sommelier Lukáš Mohorko sums up the offer with the words "healthy vineyard". "Quality of raw materials and healthy soil. These are principles that are not only used in the kitchen, but also guide our wine offer. We don't like to give labels to winemakers and wines, but this principle describes our wine cellar across the labels," explains Lukáš.
A chef with glass in hand
Thanks to the continuous work of chef Marek Janouch and his team, banquets have become a tradition for Kuchyň. There are five of them during the year, all based on the season. Each feast has a different theme, including spring, summer, geese, venison, Christmas.
"We have a skeleton plan and we stick to it. Every year some of the dishes or the way they are served during the banquet change. An example is the veal tartare at the spring banquet. Many Czechs are used to tartare on greasy toast. In our restaurant, we serve it on a lettuce leaf as an appetiser to emphasise the lightness of spring," says the chef.
As the wine list grows, so does the team's overview. Not only chef Marek, but other colleagues are buying bottles to take home and tasting at their own pace. Moreover, it is now common for the chef to join the sommelier on trips to visit the winemakers. "Marek discovered that wine adds to the overall picture of a dish and became more actively interested in wine. Last year we went to Wachau in Austria and Barolo in Piedmont, Italy. He went through the tastings with us and broadened his horizons. And today he is more open to wine than ever before," says Lukáš and Marek smiles.
Thanks to their collaboration, guests arriving at the banquet now have the option to purchase wine pairings.
Involving the team and finding themes
The springboard for every banquet are the basic ingredients that make up the individual courses. The sommelier will base the wine selection on these, or several variations.
And then the details take shape. Before a new feast is announced at Kuchyň, the staff spend two afternoons tasting the food and wines together. "We all sit down at the same table and Mark and I ask what our colleagues like, what they would change - either in the food or in the wine selection. We debate and take feedback. We need to get the team involved so that we all think in the direction we want to take the restaurant," Lukáš sums up the purpose of the meeting.
Just as the feast has a theme, Lukáš Mohorko frames the pairing with an idea that leads the guest into depth and opens up new horizons. "For the spring feast I paired only white Riesling and Chardonnay varieties. This way, we show guests that Riesling - or Chardonnay - can taste three times different depending on the soil and climate in which the grapes were grown and from whom the wine comes," explains Lukáš. "At the same time, guests will find that a fuller-bodied white wine can be drunk with red meat such as lamb or veal."
What will you taste at Kuchyň in spring 2026?
Lukáš selects wines from Moravia and various European countries for the banquets. "At Kuchyň we pride ourselves on locality and season, but we also like to offer wines from abroad, from the old continent. Czech cuisine, as presented by Marek Janouch, deserves the company of great wines and big names," adds Lukáš with pride and respect for his colleague.
So, which wines did Lukáš pair with the spring feast and why?
Veal tartare with lemon mayonnaise
Served with dried egg yolk on a leaf salad
Riesling Prameny - Polešovice, Moravia
Sommelier's notes: "The minerality of the Riesling from Slovácko gives the tartare, which has a fine texture, a pleasant crunch and the acidity of the wine works well with the bold mayonnaise."
Confit yolk with roasted leek straw
With roasted brioche, hollandaise and spinach
Goisot Chablis Faucertaine - France
Sommelier's notes: "A creamy Chardonnay that still retains a nice acidity and balances the hollandaise sauce. The minerality underlines the flavours of leek and sweet brioche."
Slow roasted lamb shoulder with herbs
With braised carrots and bear garlic salad
Chardonnay - Ota Ševčík, Moravia
Sommelier's notes: Typical Chardonnay with a fuller body and creamy notes. The acidity balances the strength of the lamb sauce and the fullness of the wine corresponds with it.
A tip for maximum enjoyment: The next time the sommelier pours your wine by the glass, start by smelling the wine. This will help you tune in to its aromas. Then taste, take a bite of food and wash it down. This way, you'll get maximum enjoyment from the tasting and pairing. On the advice of the sommelier, verified by all the chefs of Kuchyň!
For the full range of feasts, please visit the Kuchyň website.
The second edition of Víno na Hrad!
Because of its great success and all the good wine that is produced here and abroad, this year Kuchyň will again host the small wine festival. More than ten winemakers from Moravia, Germany, Slovakia and the Italian Piedmont will open stands in the castle gardens at the invitation of sommelier Lukáš Mohorek.
Who will come and what will they bring?
Fun and serious wines will be opened by Martin Grombíř alias Podkovné, the Nepraš family, Milan Nestarec and his wife Mira, bubbles by the Bidule winery, and you'll sample wine from volcanic bedrock at the stand of the Slovak Pivnice Čajkov. The winemakers from Cascina Fontana and Produttori del Barbaresco from Piedmont, Italy, and several others are also making the journey of over a thousand kilometres to join us.
You can buy a ticket in advance for 1290 CZK, or at the door for 1590 CZK. The number of tickets on pre-sale is limited - and the glass you get at the entrance is yours to keep.
