“Baking is for me a feeling of happiness in difficult times, an opportunity for endless self-expression, a release from the demanding study of medicine. It's a passion, an obsession... love,” says Vojtěch Vrtiška, pastry chef, calligraphy expert, and med student at the First Faculty of Medicine at Charles University.
Since the moment he raised the crystal platter as the winner of the third season of Peče celá země (The Czech version of The Great British Bake Off, Vojtěch Vrtiška has given dozens, if not hundreds, of interviews. Today, the whole country knows almost everything about this charismatic young man: that he was initially a substitute contestant, that the preparation of recipes took six months, that his closest advisors were and are his mother and grandmother, that he impressed the judges with original ingredients every time, that he revels in creativity, and that his baked goods were often truly golden...
In April 2024, Milena Králíčková, the rector of Charles University, invited Vojtěch to the Carolinum to personally congratulate him and thank him for representing the university so brilliantly. How does this 22-year-old from Mladá Vožice look back at his time on Peče celá země, and where does he direct his energy and creativity now? Forum magazine caught up with him at one of his pastry courses.
The First Wooden Spoon
“As a little boy, I even went to the dentist with a wooden spoon, while others brought toy cars or stuffed animals,” laughs Vojtěch when asked if the claim that he helped in the kitchen from a young age is true. “I still recognise that’s spoon among all the others,” he continues, “my mum still uses it.” And he adds with amusement, "At five years old, I got a children's mixer!"
It’s still his mother who is the first to evaluate Vojtěch's pastry creations. They regularly consult many recipes and approaches together. “My mum bakes the classics, and she bakes them excellently! I love her babovka and strudel,” he says proudly.
It’s still his mother who is the first to evaluate Vojtěch's pastry creations. They regularly consult many recipes and approaches together. “My mum bakes the classics, and she bakes them excellently! I love her babovka and strudel,” he says proudly.
Medieval Love
Vojtěch's love for baking came to a fore around five years ago, when he started to focus on it more intensively at high school. Even earlier, he found his calling in the world of historical calligraphy, illumination, bookbinding, and also in the reconstruction of medieval and early modern recipes. Vojtěch is a member of the DANAR association for history and crafts, whose artistically skilled members strive to bring the heritage of our ancestors closer to the public.
From his calligraphy practice, Vojtěch brought a personal touch to pastry: many of his creations are decorated with gold. He also demonstrated his artistic spirit, especially when creating his Monet-inspired "Impression" cake (pictured left). Or when designing his own logo. “I’ve slowed down my activities with the DANAR association for a while, mainly due to time constraints, and also because I wouldn't want to draw attention to myself because of my popularity,” he says.
Patience, Precision, Stress
What do baking and studying medicine have in common? According to Vojtěch, precision and patience are the main similarities: “Before I became self-taught in pastry, it was mainly about patience. And it’s the same with medicine.” Vojtěch admits that stress plays a role in his life: it naturally accompanies him in all his exams, and it even influenced his decision on which university to attend — he chose medicine because he dreamed of working in the emergency ward. The ever-present stress also appeared in all ten rounds of the baking competition: “You could say I actually seek stress out,” he reveals.
And what about precision? In pastry, the sense of accuracy and detail is easily noticeable: the cake either pleases the eye or it doesn’t, and the same goes for the taste — the ideal balance of ingredients simply cannot be faked. And in medicine? “Since the first year — when precision plays an important role, such as in dissection, or now in the third year with pathology, it really comes in handy. I think I have it in me, even though it can sometimes be a bit of a drawback. I'm a perfectionist, and not every time do I manage to bake the cake as I envisioned it in my head,” he admits.
Medicine Can Be Inspiring
Proof that Vojtěch manages to combine both of his life’s loves — the sweet one and the medical one — with a good dose of humour is the cake he made in the shape of a Covid-19 cell, which he presented at the show’s casting.
“Well, three years at medical school, where you're immersed in medicine 24 hours a day, seven days a week, inevitably leaves its mark on your desserts,” he says with a smile.
“I sketch my ideas in a special notebook. So, for every cake, the visualisation comes first, and then I develop and refine it. It's quite interesting to have the original plan next to the final product, sometimes it’s a total reversal. When I’m going through a tough period, my creativity intensifies — either in combining flavours or in visual form. Fortunately, there’s a period that follows where I can realise my ideas. But it can take a year to materialise them,” Vojtěch explains. During this realisation phase, he also managed to bring to life an idea of a more lasting value: a cookbook titled Kuchařka (Cookbook), which was published this autumn.
Where does the current popularity of baking come from, and why is it so "sexy"? Vojtěch says, “The baking trend, which followed the cooking trend, is at its peak because it gives us the opportunity to combine quality time with your loved ones with pleasant flavours and an atmosphere of comfort. It’s wonderful to give someone a cake as a gift. I also love receiving cakes...” (laughs)
Chance of a lifetime
Do you think the amateur pastry wizard would take part in Peče celá země again? “Probably, yes. What the competition gave me far outweighs what it took from me. Even if I had to go through the difficult relocation process again, all while having exam periods and preparing forty recipes, I would still do it again,” he says after a moment of reflection.
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Cakes (from left): Black rice + Cherries, BÛCHE de NOËL, Mango&Chilli, Řasokoule (photo: Vojtěch Vrtiška).
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A little help from his friends
How do you bake on a meadow? (Peče celá země takes place in a tent at the Bon Repos castle grounds — editor’s note). Knowing that pastry is unpredictable, and what you’ve successfully baked a hundred times might fail the hundred-and-first time, it’s not easy. “A month and a half, baking from Monday to Thursday, was incredibly demanding. When I got home on Friday, I slept up to 12 hours straight. I entered the competition thinking I’d bake a few things and then be done. I never expected to win. I see my participation in the TV show as one of the strongest life experiences,” says the baker, whose creations not only amazed with their stunning creativity but also captivated viewers with his friendly and down-to-earth demeanour.
Vojtěch admits that it was the stress of the limited baking time — a common enemy for all competitors — that made them friends instead of rivals: “Mutual help was completely natural; we were all in the same boat. Our common goal was to finish our work on time, submit it, and not embarrass ourselves. I believe we all succeeded, and I’m glad about that. The crew, whom viewers don’t see, also played a big part in creating a relaxed atmosphere.”
The final round of the third season of Peče celá země (held on March 16, 2024) became the most-watched programme of the Saturday evening and the whole day. Over 1.2 million viewers aged 15 and above tuned in (photo: Czech Television).
Finalists of the third Peče celá země. Over 1.2 million viewers watched the 16 March 2024 finale (photo: Czech Television).
Time, time!
“I wish the day had at least forty-eight hours,” he says. And what would he do during such a day? “I think I’d only rest, if I could and if I could forget about all my obligations. Or I’d go for a hike in nature, maybe in the Brdy forests, where my grandparents live, and I really love it there. I’d also start reading fiction books; at the moment, I mostly lie in textbooks or cookbooks. Hopefully, one day I’ll get to do that!”
“The greatest joy comes when I get to meet my whole family. Due to the demands of my studies and the pastry activities organised within Gourmet Academy and Chef Arena, I only get home about once a month. If I also get to ride a horse, that's the biggest joy for me,” says the young medic-pastry chef, who tries to juggle both school and his passion for baking full-time: when he can, he studies during the day and bakes at night (and when he manages to sleep at least five hours a night, he says he’s very satisfied).
We wish him all the best!
