(21 February 2026) – More award-winning restaurants than last year, new awards for gastronomic personalities and the presentation of the "Stay & Dine" hotel guide – these are the highlights of the Czech Republic edition of the international gastronomic guide Gault&Millau.

The second edition of the guide covers a total of 421 restaurants. Of these, 334 achieved at least 11 out of a possible 20 points and are thus entitled to the prestigious chef's hat. In addition, 146 establishments were included in the "POP" (Popular Gastronomy) category. Although these are not rated by testers, they are nevertheless recommended as interesting destinations. Once again this year, no Czech restaurant achieved the highest rating of five chef's hats. However, three establishments received four hats. In addition to the Papilio restaurant, LEVITATE and La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise have been added for the first time.

There are 17 restaurants that have been awarded three toques: Restaurant Essens, Štangl, Salabka, TARO, Dejvická 34 by Tomáš Černý, STŮL, Zlatá Praha, 420 Restaurant, Augustine Restaurant, Borgo Agnese, Field Restaurant, La Finestra in Cucina, Mlýnec, Monastiq Restaurant, Pot au Feu, Terasa U Zlaté studně and TRITON Restaurant.

"Last year, the inspectors had to re-evaluate establishments from the previous edition as well as numerous new establishments that they had not yet been able to visit or that had only recently opened and piqued our interest. The overall figures and the number of new restaurants in the highest categories clearly show that Czech gastronomy has a lot to offer guests from both home and abroad. In our work, we clearly see that our establishments and chefs are attracting increasing international attention, which makes us very happy," said Miroslav Lekeš, chief inspector of Gault&Millau for Czechia and CEO of Gault&Millau for Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Italy, in his commentary on this year's edition of the gastronomic guide.

At the gala evening, the organisers of Gault&Millau presented awards to outstanding personalities and companies in Czech gastronomy in eight categories. Oldřich Sahajdák, chef and owner of the restaurant La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise, was named Chef of the Year 2026. Khanh Ta (TARO) received the "Great Chef of Tomorrow" award, Jan Horák (Reason) was named Young Talent of the Year, Sabina Keltnerová (Štangl) was named Pâtissière of the Year, Vít Eliáš (Zlatá Praha) was named Sommelier of the Year, Jiří Hrachový (Výčep) was named Traditional Cuisine Chef, Bistro & Café DOK in Liberec was named "Pop of the Year" and the Fairmont Golden Prague received the "Gourmet Hotel of the Year" award.

These awards are a prestigious recognition of the work of these gastronomy professionals. "It is an expression of trust, professional attention and respect, which is invaluable in our industry. At the same time, it is a moving moment for the entire team, because gastronomy is a collaborative discipline. The whole year after winning the Chef of the Year award brought professional development and more responsibility. It meant an even stronger focus on details, stability and team growth. It opened the door to new collaborations, talents and increased guest expectations. I consider the motivation of myself and the entire team to keep pushing the boundaries of modern Czech cuisine to be extremely valuable," said Jan Knedla of Restaurant Papilio, as he acknowledged the benefits of his Gault&Millau Chef of the Year 2025 award last year.

The general partner of the Gault&Millau guide in Czechia is MAKRO Cash & Carry ČR. "The high number of establishments awarded in the Gault&Millau guide confirms that Czech gastronomy has reached a high level and can maintain it in the long term. This year's results also show that quality extends across the entire gastronomic spectrum – from characteristic cuisine and excellent regional restaurants to new concepts that respond to changing eating habits and guest expectations. We at makro ČR are proud to have accompanied this development for 29 years – from everyday kitchen life to these highlights," says Jiří Nehasil, CEO of makro ČR.

In addition to publishing its restaurant guide, Gault&Millau collaborated with several local gastronomy festivals in its first year in Czechia and brought on board top European chefs such as Martino Ruggieri from the Paris restaurant Maison Ruggieri and Stefan Doubek, a four-toque chef from Vienna. In October, the company presented the culinary highlights of the Czechia and Slovakia at the "Dinner of the Year" event, featuring the winners of the "Chef of the Year" award. On 23 and 24 May this year, Gault&Millau is organising a completely new and unique event format for the public in Brno: the "Culinary Affair". The focus is on pairing, the art of combining flavours. For the first time in Czechia, visitors will be able to experience the culinary highlights of Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary in one place – with the participation of interesting personalities from the international gastronomy scene.

The awards at a glance

• Chef of the Year: Oldřich Sahajdák – one of the most prominent Czech chefs, who consistently delivers the highest quality. He has been part of the Ambiente Group since 1997 and is co-founder of the restaurant La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise. His philosophy is based on authentic, precise cuisine inspired by his childhood.
• Great Chef of Tomorrow: Khanh Ta – head chef, responsible for recipes, menu concepts and managing the chefs in the restaurants he runs with his brother. He reveals the beauty of Vietnamese haute cuisine by combining traditional dishes with a sophisticated culinary experience. He is constantly evolving and proving how vibrant gastronomy can be as a whole.
• Young Talent of the Year: Jan Horák – Founder, co-owner and head chef of the Prague restaurant Reason. He combines haute cuisine with sustainability, creativity and freedom. He is not afraid of daring flavours and presentations and has worked hard to promote young, talented chefs.
• Pastry Chef of the Year: Sabina Keltnerová – She is responsible for desserts at the Štangl restaurant. Her speciality is handmade pralines. In her work, she combines familiar flavours with imaginative presentation and attaches great importance to aesthetics, high-quality ingredients and a story.
• Sommelier of the Year: Vít Eliáš – Creator of the wine philosophy at the Zlatá Praha restaurant and curator of its exclusive walk-in wine cellar. His goal is to create the best wine list in Czechia. He is known for his professionalism, profound knowledge of wine and ability to harmoniously combine taste, history and experience.
• Traditional cuisine chef: Jiří Hrachový – co-owner and head chef at the Výčep restaurant, where he makes his own bread, cheese, smoked meat, herbal oils and smoked ketchup. He modernises classic Czech recipes without losing their authenticity. His work helps to make Czech cuisine better known internationally.
• POP of the Year DOK – a unique place in Liberec with a bakery, delicatessen, open kitchen and speciality roastery. Behind it is the Nordbeans roastery ecosystem, which has enriched the Liberec region with a number of interesting gastronomic concepts.
• Gourmet Hotel of the Year Fairmont Golden Prague – a place where history, gastronomy and art merge into a harmonious whole. Formerly known as the InterContinental, this iconic hotel on Prague's Dvořák Embankment has been extensively renovated and is now a symbol of the highest standards, honouring the past while looking to the future.