In the heart of Prague’s Lesser Town, a centuries-old monastery finds new life through Michelin-worthy cuisine and a forward-thinking culinary partnership. At Augustine, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Chef Jan Horák leads a new gastronomic chapter—rooted in Czech tradition, elevated by global technique, and driven by a mission of sustainability.
Set within the still-functioning St Thomas Monastery, parts of which date back to the 13th century, the hotel offers a rare experience: a sanctuary where monastic silence meets the hum of modern luxury and the promise of a world-class meal.
Recently, the hotel has become a launchpad for a new kind of culinary pilgrimage. Under the direction of Executive Chef Jan Horák, Augustine has partnered with MAD Academy, the global food education initiative founded by René Redzepi of Noma. Their joint mission: to redefine what it means to cook—and live—sustainably, with deep local roots and global perspective.
This initiative is part of a larger push by The Luxury Collection to reimagine hospitality not just as a form of indulgence, but as cultural engagement. And in Prague, Augustine proves to be an ideal testing ground.
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A Culinary Mission with Depth
Chef Horák, trained in celebrated kitchens from Copenhagen to Napa, brings both skill and sensitivity to the table. His style is unmistakably modern, yet grounded in Czech tradition and terroir. He sources from nearby forests and farms, brews relationships with vintners and cheesemakers, and works closely with artisans to reflect the region’s seasonal rhythm.
On a rainy afternoon in the monastery’s courtyard, Horák tends to snails sizzling over open flame, while offering insights into his approach. “If it grows together, it goes together,” he says, as he plates a delicate amuse-bouche of smoked yogurt, venison, foraged berries and mushrooms—served with a crisp white wine from a friend’s experimental winery on the outskirts of Prague.
The philosophy behind the plate is simple: cook with what the land offers, and do so with integrity. But behind that simplicity is a deliberate strategy, shaped by his time at MAD Academy. “That experience deepened my understanding of what it means to cook responsibly,” Horák shares. “It’s not just about local ingredients. It’s about relationships, stewardship, and purpose.”
The Setting: Monastery Turned Culinary Retreat
The culinary experience at Augustine is inseparable from its setting. Housed across seven historic buildings—including cloisters, chapels, and the original monastery—the hotel’s architecture provides both drama and calm. Designed by Olga Polizzi, interiors blend monastic restraint with rich colour, art, and contemporary texture.
Nowhere is this dialogue more potent than at Augustine Restaurant, the hotel’s all-day dining venue overlooking a quiet courtyard. Here, Horák’s menus balance old-world flavours with refined technique: daikon radish with parsley root and sour cream; chicken with truffle, garlic spaetzle and red pepper; a bold Czech reinterpretation of nouvelle cuisine.
Next door, the St Thomas Brewery—one of Prague’s oldest, originally run by the monks themselves—still brews beer from its 600-year-old recipe. Today, the brewery doubles as a moody, underground pub serving Czech spirits, hearty fare, and its signature house ale: dark, rich, and evocative of the monastery’s centuries-old rituals.
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Rooms, Suites, and Stillness
Augustine’s 101 rooms and suites continue the theme of quiet elegance. From the two-bedroom Moser Suite, adorned with handcrafted Bohemian glass, to the spiral-staircased Tower Suite with sweeping city views, no two spaces are alike. For art lovers, the Fresco Suite offers preserved ceiling paintings from the monastery’s earliest days—history, literally overhead.
Though luxurious, rooms are designed to soothe rather than dazzle. The ethos here is clarity, not clutter—evidence of a hotel more interested in soulfulness than showmanship.
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Beyond the Plate
The Augustine experience doesn’t end at the table. Guests are encouraged to explore both Prague’s celebrated icons and its quieter corners. The concierge team can arrange private tours of the monastery’s Baroque chapel, guided art studio visits, and culinary field excursions led by Horák himself. Future wellness retreats—including yoga, meditation, and creative writing—are in development.
Whether stepping into the hushed brewery or wandering the gardens with a glass of St Thomas beer in hand, guests find themselves enveloped in a setting that honours its past while moving thoughtfully into the future.
Where Time Slows and Taste Deepens
In an age when luxury often hinges on spectacle, Augustine offers something more enduring: stillness, substance, and a sense of connection. Through its partnership with MAD Academy, its reverence for Czech ingredients, and its deep architectural soul, it has emerged as one of Europe’s most compelling culinary retreats.
Here, in the heart of Prague, dining becomes more than indulgence—it becomes ritual. And in the silence between courses, you can almost hear the echo of footsteps in stone corridors, the murmur of monks, the clink of glass in a hidden brewery. At Augustine, the sacred and the sensory are never far apart.