RICCARDO LUCQUE
CHEF AND OWNER
Riccardo´s career in gastronomy began at the age of 16, working in hotels around Rimini and Pesaro in the Marche region of Italy. In 1990, he began working at the Michelin starred Da Alceo seafood restaurant in Pesaro. Three years later, aged 24, he left for England to work at Zafferano, named the best Italian restaurant in London in 2001 and awarded a Michelin star.
After a three-month sojourn as head chef of Buco in Manhattan (Buco was evaluated by the title the best new Manhattan restaurant during Riccardo´s stay by the Zagat Guide), he returned to England to serve as the executive chef of a chain of five Italian restaurants in the Thames region. He came to Prague in 2002 as head chef of the “Square, a restaurant” on Malostranské náměstí.
In April 2005, Riccardo opened his first restaurant, Aromi, in Vinohrady. Four years later, in 2009, he launched its sister restaurant, La Finestra in Cucina, located near Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square) in central Prague. In May 2012 Riccardo opened his third restaurant, Il Mercato, in Brno.
Riccardo also operates two shops and bistro with the best Italian delicatessen. La Bottega di Finestra was opened in 2012 and is located a short walk from La Finestra restaurant.
In 2007, Riccardo opened La Bottega di Aromi around the corner from Aromi on Mánesova Street. Six years later, Riccardo expanded the tiny shop with Italian delicacies into a larger space with a change in its concept.
In January 2014, Gastronomica La Bottega di Aromi opened to the public. The gastronomic bistr has one exclusive innovation - a kitchen with a completely new concept, called "rosticceria".
In June, he opened his third shop with the bistro La Bottega Express, which is located in the Oasis passage in Prague. And in September 2014, the portfolio has frown with his fourth bistro, La Bottega Bistroteka on Dlouhá Street. Bistroteka offers the very best of Italian gastronomy.
Riccardo is motivated by the public´s interest in Italian cuisinek, and is constantly pursuing new ideas and plans. He plans to expand his business network in the future.
ONDŘEJ RÁKOSNÍK
Owner
After successful completion of hotel school in Klánovice, Ondřej went to England where he studied Business Administration and also gained experience in various restaurants. During his stay in Britain he often undertook trips to Italy in which he fell in love.
After his return to Bohemia he worked in the restaurant Square on Malostranské náměstí where he first met Riccardo Lucque. In 2005 their cooperation began when Ondřej helped Riccardo open the restaurant, Aromi, in Vinohrady and four years later, already as co-owners, they opened the restaurant La Finestra in Cucina, in central Prague. In May 2012 Riccardo and Ondřej extended their businesses to Brno, where together with partner Martin Němec, opened an Italian restaurant, Il Mercato, at Zelný Trh.
DIEGO DELLA PIETRA
MANAGER OF LA BOTTEGA BISTROS
ROBIN KAPLAN
Shop Manager
Robin graduated from the “U Krbu” gastronomy school in 2006. He worked as a chef in various restaurants for four years, each focusing on a different international cuisine: Indian, Belgian, and French and, of course, Czech.
In 2010, he switched to the “front of the house”, working as a waiter and discovered he preferred having direct contact with customers. He travelled to America and worked on a large cruise ship. On the ship he worked in several different positions, ranging from crew mess waiter, captain's waiter and headwaiter in the big restaurant serving up to 1,000 guests.
After returning to the Czech Republic, he accepted a job as a waiter at Amade in the 5* hotel Mamaison Pachtuv Palace. After a year at Amade, working with Chef Radek Benetka, he moved to the Hotel Boscolo at the position Food and Beverage Supervisor. At the time of Chef Benetka’s operation at the hotel Boscolo, the hotel was purchased by the Hungarian company, Eventrend, which owns several well-known restaurants including the famous New York Café in Budapest and Salon winner of the Gault Millau award.
Robin eventually became a waiter at La Finestra in Cucina. In 18 months, he rose to the position of manager of La Bottega di Finestra.
LUKÁŠ POCNAR
chef
He graduated from “U Krbu” gastronomy school in Prague 10. During his studies, he was acquainted with the culinary profession in the catering La Bodeguita, where on the basis of networking he also collaborated with other catering companies.
After finishing school, he joined Hotel Leonardo in Prague, where under the leadership of Vladimir Honzák, he became acquainted with Italian cuisine. Then he moved to the restaurants “Rybí Trh”, Les Moules and Renommé, where he participated in the opening of the project “Oblaca” where he worked for a year and a half as sous chef. In the Zizkov Tower Restaurant, he gained experience from colleagues who came from the Four Seasons Hotel, where they worked with Andrea Accordi, a Chef who brought the first Michelin star to the Czech Republic.
With all of his experience and a great desire to cook Italian cuisine at the highest level he came to work at the bistro La Bottega di Finestra. Under the leadership of owner and Italian chef Riccardo Lucque and Executive Chef Radek Hasman, Lukáš continues to develop his skills and ideas.
RADEK HASMAN
creative chef
Radek Hasman graduated from secondary School of Hotel Services in Ondříčkova Street in Prague. After graduating he began working at the Hotel Ambassador, where he spent two years gaining valuable experience before moving on to some of the best hotels and restaurants in Prague. He has worked at restaurants Flambée, Bellevue, and the Hotel Palace restaurants. In 2002, he was employed as Chef de Partie at Kampa group’s restaurant Square, where he met Riccardo Lucque.
Soon thereafter, he was promoted to the position of Sous-Chef. When Riccardo Lucque opened his restaurant Aromi in 2005, Radek became the restaurant’s chef. With his team in Aromi he won seven times in a row the award Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Every year he combines work and pleasure by regularly visiting Michelin star restaurants Da Alceo, Il Piastrino, Urbino dei Laghi in Italy and the restaurant Ottolenghi in London. He is currently working as an Executive Chef of both Riccardo´s bistros La Bottega di Finestra, La Bottega Gastronomica, La Bottega Express, Bistroteka and La Bottega Tusarova.
