Translated by ChatGPT.
"Hey, my folders are on fire! They’ve traveled the world with me and didn’t survive — right here in Brno," laments host Petr Vejvoda over a smoldering work tool he had carelessly placed near a hot burner just moments ago.
As Saturday noon approaches, the sun-drenched courtyard of Brno’s Špilberk Castle is the stage for the kickoff of the Elimon FRESH festival, and a culinary showdown is brewing on the main stage between two beloved Brno bistros — the Japan-inspired Bango and Bratrs from Bystrc.
In the program titled Gault&Millau POP Battle, cooking duos from the two establishments must prepare a three-course fine dining menu in front of a live audience for a five-member jury. Quite the challenge for chefs used to running a casual bistro.
"This dish contains prehistoric vinegar? What is that? The father of all vinegars?" wonders the experienced host when the list of ingredients in the first course is revealed. Natálka and Daniela from Bango serve the judges asparagus yakitori — essentially the Japanese version of a chicken skewer. Their take includes grilled asparagus, rabbit and herb mayo, potato crumble with nutritional yeast, and elderflower glaze. “Visually stunning. A bit sour, a bit sweet, a bit crunchy,” shares a member of the audience who was selected to be on the jury.
Adam and Karel from Bratrs respond with a pastry basket filled with confit and pickled golden beetroot, curd cheese, hazelnuts, and pea tamari caviar. The judges take varying approaches to the refined dish — some cautiously scoop out the contents with their forks, while others bite into the crisp shell with gusto. The sizzle of a frying pan and the scent of grill chips reach even their table at the back of the stage.
For the main course, Bango presents handmade cappelletti pasta stuffed with rabbit forcemeat and spinach, accompanied by a strong saffron rabbit sauce, butter-sautéed smoked rabbit kidneys, asparagus, peas, and pearl onions. Meanwhile, Bratrs serves up pike-perch confit in herb ghee with elderflower-infused buttermilk, tarragon koji oil, fried potatoes with celery salt, and dried egg yolk.
“We thought a lot about our menu, but honestly, we only really finalized it yesterday. Still, we spent countless hours on it, and I’d say we gave it our all. Fine dining demands a ton of prep work that’s not immediately obvious,” admit Adam Hrazdílek and Karel Selinger from Bratrs.
Time is tight, and although most of the cooking had been done in advance with only finishing touches happening on stage, the program begins to fall slightly behind schedule. Both teams are now under time pressure — something chefs are more than used to. Backstage, Zdeněk Pohlreich is waiting for his segment. There’s no time to waste — desserts must be served!
Bratrs brings out a showstopper: a twist on the classic "mole cake" — banana mousse cake with stracciatella center, brown butter biscuit, miso caramel cream, passionfruit gel, and a milk foam cracker. Bango counters with a pandan chiffon topped with marinated rhubarb, strawberries, elderflower glaze, whey dressing, and pandan cream.
Despite the time crunch, the women from Bango manage to serve a few portions to the audience, which has split into cheering fans for each bistro over the past half hour.
The judges write down the names of their favorites, and the battle ends with a clear result — 4 to 1 for Bratrs. The judges agree the decision came down to the smallest of details. They believe both bistros could easily pivot to fine dining and thrive in that arena.
“Bratrs presented a menu full of surprising flavor combinations that made us want to come back and try more — a hallmark of fine dining. Bango’s dishes were perfectly seasoned with excellent ingredient focus, the kind of food you’d happily eat again and again,” summarizes Miroslav Lekeš, Czech license holder for Gault&Millau and one of the five judges.
“Hats off to the girls — they’re experienced, focused, and fierce. We succeeded thanks to our entire team, who helped us brainstorm everything. This wasn’t just the two of us,” say a beaming Adam and Karel as they accept the winner’s diploma.
Meanwhile, the stage is being set for the official opening of the Elimon FRESH festival and the upcoming entertainment program featuring Zdeněk Pohlreich and Petr Švancara. The two-day gastronomic celebration is just beginning.
What is the Gault&Millau POP Battle?
A new addition to this year’s Elimon (formerly Prima) FRESH festival is the Gault&Millau POP Battle. In each host city, two local eateries from the current Gault&Millau POP category compete in a live cooking showdown.
In Plzeň (May 24), the competition featured Cavino café and Šenk Lékárna restaurant. In Brno (May 31), it was Bratrs and Bango. In Pardubice (June 22), United Garden Café and Bistro Esko will face off.
Each city has its own theme — Plzeň chefs had to incorporate local beer, Brno focused on fine dining, and Pardubice’s battle will require the use of traditional gingerbread as a key ingredient.