Meet a Prague local: Tomas Karpisek of Ambiente - a podcast by Taste of Prague Food Tours

When we talk about Tomas Karpisek, the founder of the ubiquitous Ambiente
group of restaurants, on our Prague food tours, we often describe him as
the “Steve Jobs of the Prague culinary scene”. Sure, it's overstatement,
but it’s not that far off. If there is anyone who sets food trends in the
Czech Republic, it’s Tomas. The appearance isn’t that far off, either:
we’re yet to see Tomas in something that even barely resembles a business
suit. He’s more of a jeans-and-a-t-shirt guy. Also, just like the late
Jobs, he’s a visionary of sorts and has a bigger plan, too. And he’s
undoubtedly one of the most respected personalities on the food scene, as
witnessed by our interview with Hana Michopulu, the owner of the popular
Sisters bistro.

What does not stick in the Jobs analogy is the demeanor. Despite his
achievements, Tomas is one of the humblest and most approachable people we
know. He also clearly thinks a lot about his job, and it is hard to catch
him off-guard with anything food-related. But interviewing him is
fascinating: he’s very open and his twenty-plus years in the business mean
he has stories to tell. 

Interviewing Tomas now is more interesting than ever: the Ambiente group is
now on the cusp of a generational shift marked by the openings of the Eska
restaurant (this interview was held two weeks before it opened last week)
and the Bokovka wine bar, both co-created and run by a young generation of
chefs and managers, a trend started by the Nase Maso butcher shop over a
year ago. 

We met over coffee to discuss a few things. We planned for an hour. We
ended up rushing the last questions after nearly two. We talked about the
past, the present, and the future of Ambiente and Tomas, too. This is what
he told us. 

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