Welcome to the sweet revolution
“Confectionery is not rocket science, but an endless world that I have yet to get to know fully,” says Tomi Češek, chief pastry chef at Zebra Patisseries.
When we visit Zebra Patisseries, among all those eclairs, pralines, macarons, and cakes, we get the feeling we stepped into an art gallery. This is the world of Tomi Češek, who for a long time did not see himself as a pastry chef, then at the age of 36 decided to stop dreaming of all the things that had been hiding inside him for so long, and make them a reality.
He enrolled into a patisserie school in France and learned the fundamental rules. He was not yet a master, he became that in the following years. When he was done with the French confectionary, Zebra Patisseries turned a new leaf and became a pastry shop with his signature. It is a very special industry that demands the utmost precision, and therefore, it is not for everyone. Češek is an artist and a confectionery surgeon. With his creations, he also convinces those who do not have an affinity for sweet treats and is slowly but surely changing their habits.
His philosophy is simple: learn the basics to the core, then create according to your own taste. And why will you not be able to get a Sacher torte in his pastry shop? He simply does not like it. He prefers creamy cakes that are full of flavour, or mono-portion ones. He is quite the master of creating the latter. For example, Zebra cake will take you to heaven and there are many who would risk their slim figures for the mango pie. And yet this is just the tip of the iceberg of sweetness. In the future Češek would like to share his knowledge of the basics of confectionery: "I would like to stimulate creativity, originality." He tries very hard that the dessert – the last thing guests in a restaurant will put in their mouths – is outstanding and a true highlight of the day.
