PRESS RELEASE

THE PRAGUE FOOD FESTIVAL attracted more than 15,500 visitors this year, despite the poor weather

Featuring 33 top restaurants from Maurer’s GRAND RESTAURANT guide, the third annual PRAGUE FOOD FESTIVAL this year was held in the riverside area “Between the Bridges” (from Křížovnické náměstí / Knights of the Cross Square to Alšovo nábřeží / Embankment) between 29 and 31 May 2009. The festival attracted more than 15,000 paying visitors (3,000 more than last year) over the course of three cold and rainy days.

The three-day food festival gave visitors an opportunity to taste Czech, Italian, French, Japanese, Mediterranean and Thai delicacies, as well as kosher cuisine. Among the dishes served were spicy glass noodle salad with marinated prawns, traditional Slovak pasties stuffed with smoked meat, roasted veal cheeks, Gefilte fish in jelly, saddle of venison and fresh oysters (of which more than 3,000 were sold). The award-winning restaurant Radisson Blu Alcron, for example, sold 90 kg of salmon trout, 80 kg of tuna, 40 kg of asparagus and 900 desserts.

Some facts of interest:

A new 0.75 litre Mattoni bottle – designed by Pininfarina, best known as a designer of Alfa Romeo and Ferrari sports cars – was presented at the festival
Pilsner Urquell tapped 69 barrels of beer
About 1,100 bottles of wine from across the world – supplied by Global Wines – were tasted
Bohemia Sekt opened 506 bottles of local wine and popped 621 bottles of Sekt
Dům vína U Závoje combined 350 litres of wine with 175 kg of select cheeses
Every fourth visitor tasted Piacetto coffee

The accompanying activities were a success. Nine beer tastings were presented on the Nepomuk riverboat, with 2,700 samples of nine different types of beer – Birell, Gambrinus 10, Pilsner Urquell, Kozel Černý (black), Master polotmavý (medium dark), Master tmavý (dark), ale, stout, wheat beer and Gambrinus Excellent. Each presentation was full to capacity (30 people).

Also a great success were the cooking shows, which this year took place on the riverside Svět Pontoon. Most interest was shown in the presentations of Zdeněk Pohlreich from the Café Imperial (entitled “There doesn’t always have to be caviar”) and of French chef Jacques Auffrays from Bellevue Restaurant, whose delightful Czech and culinary art met with thunderous applause. The shows were superbly moderated by Radek John and Ivo Dvořák, the several-time Sommelier champion of the Czech Republic and Europe. Volunteers were invited to cook with the chefs on stage. A new features this year was the evening Barman Show, which showcased the best bars in Prague (Infinity Bar, Bugsy's Bar, Cloud 9 Sky Bar & Lounge). Visitors were treated to a bit of molecular mixology and exhibition flair. We are were delighted that Barista Champion Graziano Chessa was able to come to the festival. He prepared a Coffee Show at which he demonstrated the art of preparing an authentic Italian espresso, as well as ‘latté art’.

From Nowaco’s product portfolio, more than 2,000 cups of luxury Häagen-Dazs ice cream and Prima lollipops were tasted, and as many as 3,000 fresh oysters from Bretagne were slurped down.

The festival also hosted the 2009 Nestlé Asparagus Cup. Eight chefs took part in the afternoon semi-final. Norbert Hojda (from Sovovy Mlýny Restaurant) and Jan Hlůžek (from Holiday Inn Prague Congress Centre) went on to the grand final. In what was an evenly balanced contest, luck and the jury’s preference in the end leaned towards Norbert Hojda, who became the second ever winner of this competition. Particularly popular was the boat trip service, which connected the area “Between the Bridges”. A flotilla of about 20 sightseeing boats (provided by the First General Boating Company) operated non-stop. Passengers had a unique opportunity to take in the amazing panorama of Prague Castle and were also given a special commentary, including a complementary tour of the Charles Bridge Museum. The popular Apetit magazine booth met with a positive response from visitors who were able to meet the editors throughout the three-day festival. At the Interspar booth alone, 8 tonnes of fruit and vegetables were used to make unique fresh juices. Special online terminals were available in the Charles Bridge Museum for use of all Google services. Interesting videos of the festival can been on YouTube and at www.praguefoodfestival.cz. Special Google maps of the event are also available at www.mapy.google.cz. The PRAGUE FOOD FESTIVAL was held under the auspices of the Mayor of Prague, Pavel Bém, and the Mayor of Prague 1 Borough, Petr Hejma.

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Contact:
Dominika Vrkotová, DiS
Press service
dominika@praguefoodfestival.cz
606 886 103