Chef Filip Ondrušek: food, memory and tradition ^{CEFR B2}

Filip Ondrušek is an Austrian‑Slavic chef, ecologist and activist based in São Paulo, Brazil. At 29 he has lived in many places and visited over thirty countries, and he has worked as a creative chef in several two- and three-Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, including notable kitchens in Latin America, Europe, Asia and North America.

Ondrušek follows Slow Food and Demeter principles and uses biodynamic, seasonal ingredients. In Autumn 2025 he was an honorary guest at Bulgaria's Traditional Cheese Festival. His aim is to blend classical technique with traditional methods and modern creativity while always respecting the integrity of products.

He describes Austrian and Slavic culinary traditions as complementary: Austrian cooking emphasises structure, precision and craft, while Slavic food is more intuitive and rooted in family, local ingredients and memory. From his travels he identifies universal values in gastronomy — respect for ingredients, seasonality and the social role of food as a carrier of memory and identity.

• fermentation
• curing and smoking
• pickling and slow cooking

On Central and Eastern Europe he highlights hospitality, hearty meals and family-centred dining. He argues that national history — wars, migrations, political regimes and economic change — leaves clear traces in cuisine. About socialism he says it had mixed effects: it promoted resourcefulness and low waste but also led to more homogenised flavours and loss of regional diversity. He believes contemporary chefs should preserve useful practices from the past while reviving local identity and creativity; modernization and fast food can erode authenticity, but when used responsibly they can help reinterpret traditions and support sustainability without losing cultural meaning.