Meet the Young Talent of the Year: Jan Horák

Each month, Gault&Millau introduces exceptional chefs working in Czech restaurants awarded with our toques.

Behind every perfectly crafted dish that arrives at your table lies not only precise technique and high-quality ingredients, but above all, a personality. Who are the chefs creating your unforgettable dining experiences?

In this series, we reveal their human side. You’ll learn where they come from, what inspired them to become chefs, and the path that led them to their current position in a Gault&Millau-awarded restaurant. But that’s not all — you’ll also discover who they are when they take off their chef’s jacket, how they spend their free time, what gives them energy, and which little essentials they always carry with them wherever they go.

Meet Jan Horák, recipient of the Gault&Millau Young Talent of the Year 2026 award and Head Chef of the Prague-based restaurant Reason.

1. Who is Jan Horák?

A chef who values order in the kitchen, but also creativity. I enjoy building things from scratch, creating concepts, and above all, crafting a complete experience.

2. What did you study?

I attended Bukaschool Hospitality School in Most. It gave me a solid foundation, but in the end… nothing teaches you more than real-life experience.

3. When did you start cooking, and what was your journey like?

I’ve been cooking since I was a kid — I always liked hanging around the stove. I started taking it seriously at around fifteen. I’ve worked in hotels and restaurants of all sizes and styles — from high-pressure environments to more relaxed ones… Over time, I developed my own style and approach.

4. Where did you truly learn how to cook?

I can’t name one specific place — every stop along the way had its pros and cons.

5. What is your guiding motto?

“Humilité et passion — humility and passion.” I even have it tattooed on my back, and I truly believe in it.

6. Have you ever received a bad advice?

Yes, of course. And not just once.

7. When and why did you decide to leave the hotel environment and go your own way?

It was a very quick and spontaneous decision… basically done within a few days. ☺

8. How would you describe the concept of Reason, where you currently work?

Reason represents modern cuisine built on craftsmanship, clean flavours, seasonality, and our own definition of locality — continental biodiversity. No circus for effect — everything has a purpose. I want guests to feel depth and character. And sometimes I like to add a “hidden message.”

9. Where do you find inspiration?

I travel, visit markets and restaurants, and meet people. I also draw a lot of inspiration from nature, especially the mountains. Sometimes all it takes is a single scent or a memory to spark an idea.

10. What do you enjoy eating the most?

Simple things, honestly — pasta, good bread with butter. When food is done right, that’s all you need.

11. Who cooks at home, and what?

Mostly me. At home, I cook simple, quick meals that make sense. I have two little daughters, so it’s a lot of pasta with pesto and potatoes in every possible variation.

12. What do you enjoy cooking the most?

I like dishes that involve a process — sauces, broths, fermentation. But I also love street food just as much as fine dining tasting menus.

13. Have you noticed any changes after receiving the Young Talent award / with the arrival of Gault&Millau?

Yes, definitely. More people follow you, and expectations are higher. And I think Gault&Millau has really energized the scene.

14. What’s your guilty pleasure?

Probably a Negroni Sbagliato. ☺

15. What do you think about cookbooks?

I like them — not as instructions, but as inspiration. Books open your mind. I have quite a large collection.

16. What music do you listen to?

All kinds. I don’t have a specific genre. Lately, I’ve been told my “signature” is German pop and rock.

17. How do you relax?

I practice Brazilian jiu-jitsu. And I like spending time with my family. When I travel, it’s usually into nature — especially the mountains.

18. Do you use any technological tools?

Yes. Technology is a natural part of the kitchen today. If something helps maintain quality and consistency, why not? But it will never replace taste or skilled hands.

19. What do you wear when you’re not in your chef’s jacket?

Simple, comfortable clothes. I have a few favourite brands I rotate — Dr. Martens shoes, Prohibited T-shirts… kind of a Berlin style.

20. Where do you see yourself in ten or twenty years?

In ten years, I want to be behind multiple concepts that work well and maintain a certain standard. In twenty years, I want to leave behind a brand, a system, and people I’ve helped grow.

21. Do you have a tip for Young Talent of the Year 2027?

There are many talented young chefs out there. I think Vojta Petržela would deserve it — he’s a skilled guy who does what he loves.

22. What is underrated in Czech gastronomy?

Vegetable-based dishes.

23. What is missing in the Czech Republic?

In my opinion, a better understanding that in a restaurant you don’t just pay for food, but for comfort — that you don’t have to cook, serve, clear the table, and wash the dishes yourself. ☺

24. What can’t Jan Horák live without?

• Car keys — I’m practically no longer a Prague local, so I need a car.
• An Opinel mushroom and truffle knife — perfect for cleaning mushrooms and truffles this season.
• A vegetable peeler — things don’t peel themselves. ☺
• A fish scaler — same logic as the peeler.
• A small offset palette knife with a very thin edge for handling delicate elements — this painter’s version works better than a kitchen one. ☺
• An Infinity Book — a reusable whiteboard-style notebook for notes and orders; the service team uses it to avoid wasting paper.
• A green card holder — for business cards and access cards.
• AirPods — I’m constantly on the phone, so I need them to save my arm.
• Highlighters for service — each colour has a specific meaning: allergies, VIPs, kitchen tours, etc.
• Sharp-point tweezers — essential.
• A small “fish” made from recycled Nespresso capsules — great as a letter opener or for opening boxes.
• A pen — obviously.
• A tester — to check if something is hot or properly cooked.
• And my personal knife from Nigara Blacksmith — a 360-year-old forge that once made swords for samurai.