Behind the scenes at Yes Krabičky: From the mountains and the sea to Prague. Riccardo Lucque on Italy, pasta, and the friendship behind the perfect menu

Even as a child, he would hang around the kitchen, fascinated by the aromas, flavors, and work of his family. Today, he is one of the most prominent representatives of Italian gastronomy in the Czech Republic. Riccardo Lucque, owner of the iconic Aromi, is a pasta lover and a man who brought the authentic taste of Italy to Czech lands.

In our interview, he reveals what it is like to cook in a land where dumplings and svíčková reign supreme, why the kitchen is like a battlefield, and what it was like to be a guest chef in the Yes Krabičky kitchen from October 13th to 17th.

Riccardo, do you remember when your love for cooking began?

“I was always in the kitchen with my mother as a child,” he laughs. “The whole family was bustling around, and I was fascinated by everything. The aromas, the vegetables, the produce from our fields. I enjoyed cooking from my very first steps. And the more I helped, the more I knew I wanted to continue.”

His culinary talent, however, was shaped not just by his family, but also by his home—the Marche region.

What makes Marche so unique?

“It is a region between the mountains and the sea. We have a special microclimate that influences everything—temperature, humidity, and therefore the taste of our ingredients,” Riccardo explains. “When you grow up in an environment like that, you can't help but love food. And you can't help but love quality ingredients.”

Who has influenced you the most on your gastronomic journey?

“The chefs I worked with. I only wanted to be in restaurants that had talented people, because that is where you learn the most.”

Riccardo never chose the path of compromise. When he decided to learn, he learned from the best. And that is still evident today in his proper Italian approach: precision, simplicity, and absolute respect for ingredients.

What is your most memorable gastronomic experience?

“I was recently at the Da Lucio restaurant in Rimini. The chef there cooks seafood with lard, and every one of his dishes is an explosion of flavor,” Riccardo describes with a spark in his eyes. “Gastronomy is always changing, trends come and go, but that restaurant was truly exceptional.”

And why did you eventually move to the Czech Republic?

“My wife is Czech,” he says with a smile. “I traveled to Prague often and realized that a good Italian restaurant was missing here. So, I sold my house in London and put all my savings into my dream: the Aromi restaurant. And it worked.”

Aromi became one of the most prominent establishments in Prague. A place that set the bar for Italian gastronomy.

What about Czech cuisine? Do you have a favorite dish?

“I eat Czech food occasionally. I like everything… but I can’t say I exactly dream about a Czech dinner,” he says diplomatically.

Riccardo, you and Radek Hasman—you have known each other for years. How did it start?

“Radek was my head chef at Aromi. My right-hand man. He is a soldier and a fighter,” Riccardo says quite seriously. “The kitchen is a battlefield and service is an organized battle. Radek never complained, he had huge passion for food, and he was a true man of action. And we shared the same mission. That’s why it worked for us.”

Do you have any shared “disasters” or funny stories?

“Once we were at a conference in San Sebastián. In the evening, we were walking between restaurants and had an amazing Pil Pil emulsion. After a few drinks, we decided we would learn how to make it directly from the chef,” he laughs.

“So we got up, went into the kitchen, and told him bluntly that we wanted to make it with him. The chefs were thrilled, though we did disrupt the service a bit. It was a night never to be forgotten.”

How did you enjoy working in the Yes Krabičky kitchen?

“I was incredibly surprised by how precisely the guys work. It’s a different world. It’s not just cooking; it’s perfect organization of the entire system,” Riccardo says admiringly.

“Delivering thousands of meals every day is not easy at all. You need technology, processes, safety controls, temperatures, bacteria management. And they handle it all. That’s a huge achievement.”

The collaboration took place from October 13th to 17th and gave Yes Krabičky customers a unique opportunity to taste Riccardo’s authentic Italian menu.

Which dish from your menu is your personal favorite?

“Pasta is my passion. And seafood is my love,” he says without hesitation.

In your opinion, what mistakes do Czechs make most often when cooking “Italian”?

“The biggest mistakes? Oil in the water, Edam cheese on pasta, ketchup on pasta—though I understand that students with no other options often cook like that,” he lists. “And then spaghetti bolognese. That is the biggest myth. Bolognese belongs only on fresh egg pasta. When you see spaghetti bolognese in Italy, run. It’s a tourist trap.”

And pizza with pineapple? “Run even faster,” he laughs.

If you had to give Czech cooks one single piece of advice about pasta, what would it be?

“Add 13 grams of salt per liter of water, cook the pasta two minutes less than stated on the packaging, and combine the pasta with the sauce in the pan. They will be creamier.”

And that is exactly the kind of simple, yet essential advice that only someone with decades of experience can give.

Do you have any bad habits in the kitchen?

“I make a mess,” he admits. “My wife complains, but I’m always the one cooking anyway.”

And now the most important question: are the women more beautiful in Italy or in the Czech Republic?

Riccardo laughs and answers without a moment’s hesitation:

“In the Czech Republic. Always.”

What would you like to say to Yes Krabičky customers?

“Consider yourselves lucky to have Radek Hasman as your personal head chef,” he says in conclusion.

The collaboration with Riccardo Lucque was both an inspiration and a joy for us. He brought a piece of Italy, energy, professionalism, and friendship into our kitchen, which can be felt on every plate.

Riccardo, thank you. It was great!