The Sůl a Řepa restaurant represents a unique connection between gastronomy and nature. The basis of the cuisine does not begin at the stove, but in the fields and farms of local suppliers, whose work is key to the company. Every ingredient is processed here without a trace – it is pickled, dried, fermented. The restaurant is a founding member of the South Bohemian association of four businesses Jíme Jih, which supports small farmers and producers. It cooperates with a number of suppliers, including farmer and herbalist Karol Lesný, František Langmajer's organic farm Olešná, or Václav Žíla's farm. Together, they create a new form of South Bohemian gastronomy. The open kitchen is literally lined with fermented ingredients that push the taste of dishes to the maximum. Natural ingredients are the alpha and omega of Czech cuisine – potatoes, cabbage, wheat, cucumbers, carrots, fish, and farm meat. They are complemented by herbs and fruits from the surrounding meadows and forests: ivy, spruce shoots, maple flowers or dandelion roots. The dishes are prepared gently, with the aim of extracting one hundred percent of the taste from each ingredient. Inspiration comes primarily from the traditional recipes of our ancestors, which are passed down from generation to generation thanks to modern techniques. The menu changes five times a year and always reflects the current season.
The interior features a popular open kitchen, a bar wall made of spruce battens and shelves with jars of pickled fruits.
Chef Pavel Drdel is behind the project, who has been drawn to cooking since childhood. In the family, his grandmother was the main inspiration – she cooked from what grew in the garden and preserved many fruits. Even then, he realized how important the relationship with raw materials is. He smiles as he recalls his first “meal” from 1982 – a disparate mixture of sausages, leeks, peppers and soy sauce. Nevertheless, it was clear from the beginning that cooking would be his path.
He studied at a vocational school in Písek, where inspiring teachers introduced him to the craft, and he gained experience at home and abroad. A significant place of work was Kozlovna in Písek, where he led a larger team and learned to work under pressure. He learned humility, responsibility and the desire to constantly improve. “Not to give up, to learn, to discover, to be yourself,” he sums up his philosophy.