Four culinary teams will showcase their cooking skills at the International Canteen Championship, which the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague will host for the fifth time on 15–17 June 2026. CZU has two strong contenders in the competition: last year’s champion, Delirest Services, s. r. o., which runs the university canteen, and the team from the Food Pavilion. The other two teams are made up of canteen chefs from VSB – Technical University of Ostrava and the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice.
The main competition, always a symphony of aromas and flavours for lovers of good food, will take place on Wednesday, 17 June, and will include a tasting of the prepared dishes. The required ingredients for the main course are fish, either zander or salmon trout, pulses, and two side dishes, each prepared in a different variation. The dessert must include citrus fruit, either lemon, orange or grapefruit, as well as strawberries and nuts.
However, the Canteen Championship is not only about excellent food. It is also about new trends in gastronomy and a healthy lifestyle. The programme will include a sensory laboratory, the revolutionary InBody measurement method, and, above all, lectures by experts in healthy nutrition. Professor Lukáš Kalous will speak on people and fish, while Diana Chrpová will focus on the importance of fish in human nutrition.
“Last year, the change in concept proved successful, as we expanded the programme to include expert knowledge. I believe that this year, too, participants will take away interesting insights,” notes Jiří Macoun, Director of CZU Dormitories and Canteens.
This year will once again feature a show by renowned culinary stars. It will be led by Jan Horký, a native of České Budějovice and head of the National Team of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of the Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of the Czech Republic, who has cooked for presidents and celebrities. He will be joined by Kristýna Ostratická, a nutrition expert and professional chef. Her recipes are excellent, practical for everyday life, and she can show you how to think and cook healthily.
The International Canteen Championship is open to the public
When? 15–17 June 2026
Where? Food Pavilion, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
