Pavel Švestka, a native of Ústí nad Orlicí, is a chef whose love for cooking began in childhood. He grew up surrounded by the atmosphere of the family pub where his father spent his whole life, and even when his parents initially didn't want him to go their way, Pavel had a clear idea - he wanted to give it a try.
"I grew up with it, so it was kind of predestined. My parents discouraged me because they knew how hard it was. But I said I wanted to start from scratch and get to know the journey myself," Pavel explains.
From Czech restaurants to London
Pavel's first steps led him to Czech restaurants and hotels, where he gained experience. However, he soon found that this was not enough. "One day I bought a one-way ticket to London," he says.
In London, he worked in kitchens under Michelin-starred chefs. It was a period of hard work and learning. One of his mentors once described him by saying: "Paul is like an olive - the best of him only comes out when he's under pressure." Those words haunt him to this day.
Inspiration from hometown garden
Pavel still remembers spending time with family in the garden at cottage, where they grew their own vegetables. "When we decided what we were going to cook, we would go and dig beets or pick peas," he recalls. This relationship with fresh and quality ingredients became the basis of his approach to cooking.
In Prague, he found a similar atmosphere at the markets. "In the markets you can choose exactly what you need. That's what I enjoy. It's just like in the garden - sometimes you need bigger, sometimes smaller, sometimes riper," Pavel says.
Travel and culinary passion
In addition to cooking, Pavel is also fulfilled by travel, which for him is inseparably linked with discovering new tastes and cultures. "I travel to taste food and get inspired. I'm a bit of a nutter, but we're all in gastro," he says with a laugh.
Fear of fish
Despite his courage and passion, Paul has one peculiarity - a panicky fear of fish when they're alive. "I don't mind dead fish, I like working with them. But swimming in the sea? I can't look underneath myself, I'm very scared of it," he admits.
A passionate man with zest for life
Pavel Švestka is an example of a man who lives his passion and is always looking for new challenges. His journey from the garden to Michelin cuisine is an inspiration of how important it is to love what we do. As Paul himself says, "Everything I enjoy is somehow connected to food."
Source and photo: TV Nova s.r.o.
