Pizza Chef Course at Všehrdy Prison: A Conversation with Jonáš Motyčka and Tomáš "Fénix" Franek

Tomáš "Fénix" Franek

The Pizza Chef Course at Všehrdy Prison came together through the collaboration of several key players: VOLONTÉ, which runs the course, Všehrdy Prison, which supports its organisational delivery, and the duo of Jonáš Motyčka (Správný start) and Tomáš "Fénix" Franek (Food Addictors), who were behind the partnership and the teaching itself. We are publishing this interview during the pilot run of the course — five participants completed the programme between 21 April and 26 May 2026.

At VOLONTÉ, we believe that change rarely begins with grand words — it begins with one concrete step. "The Will to Help" means connecting people, creating opportunities, and doing things in a way that makes a real difference in practice.

Tomáš "Fénix" Franek is a head chef, founder of the Food Addictors project, and creator of the Demons of Gastronomy educational programme for secondary schools. He has walked a difficult path in life — from drugs and living on the streets to building his own successful culinary project. That experience gives his role as an instructor in prison a special dimension.

In this short interview, we bring two perspectives: Jonáš's (why and how the course came about) and Tomáš's (what the teaching looks like and what it can offer participants).

How did this course come about?

Jonáš Motyčka:

"During talks with the management of Všehrdy Prison, I noticed demand for educational courses in gastronomy. I have been working with young people from children's homes for nearly thirteen years, and even though many of them study to become cooks there, they tend not to want to pursue it. In prison, the situation was different — both the management and the young offenders were genuinely interested in gastronomy. I'm a big food enthusiast myself, with many friends among head chefs and restaurant owners, so I started thinking about what kind of course would be most effective for the young men there. The choice landed on pizza."

Tomáš „Fénix“ Franek:

"Jonáš originally approached me about giving a talk at a different event, which ultimately didn't happen. Later, he came back with the idea of whether I'd be willing to share my story at a youth offender prison. Since I'd faced the prospect of a prison sentence myself in the past — and was spared by an amnesty — I decided I was in. It makes sense to me to show these young guys that even when someone falls very low, there's always a way out — as long as they're willing to look for it and put in the work."

Why pizza chef specifically? Why does this trade make sense in this context?

Jonáš Motyčka:

"Pizza is enormously popular in the Czech Republic — it's food that people across all age groups love. That means there's real demand for pizza chefs in the job market. On top of that, it's an appealing profession for young people — something they enjoy, something they feel connected to, not a job they'd be ashamed of. It's a genuinely creative pursuit. Add to that the fact that becoming a pizza chef doesn't take as long to learn as, say, traditional cooking, and the choice was clear. It brings together job market demand, an attractive trade, and a realistic timeframe for developing real skill."

Tomáš „Fénix“ Franek:

"After a phone call with Jonáš, who was looking for a replacement for an instructor who had pulled out at the last minute, I offered to take the course on. Gastronomy is in a situation right now where there's a desperate shortage of staff, and I believe that if this kind of work grabs you, if you enjoy it and see the point in it, you don't need a formal qualification. Anyone with the drive, the discipline, and the desire to achieve something can become a great cook. And the pay for skilled people is in a completely different place than it used to be. All it takes is wanting it, putting in the effort, and not being afraid to start."

Tomáš, you've walked a difficult road yourself — from the streets and drug addiction to building your own culinary project. How does that personal experience shape the way you teach in prison?

Tomáš „Fénix“ Franek:

"I was someone the people around me had written off. I know what it feels like when everyone gives up on you and simply judges you. Maybe that's exactly why I told myself: if I ever get the chance to give something back, I'll make the most of it. Today I want to help young men and women who haven't had it easy in life. Because I've been through a lot of difficult situations myself, I have no trouble speaking openly with them, seeing things from their perspective, and offering them a different path than the one I could see at the time. When I can give them advice, share an experience, or simply show them that even from a very dark place you can find your way out — that means everything to me."

What was the hardest part at the beginning?

Jonáš Motyčka

Jonáš Motyčka:

"For me, it was getting every detail aligned so the course could actually launch — finding the right instructor, someone who would connect with the young offenders and who was also at the top of their field. Coordinating the timing with what the prison could accommodate. Sourcing the necessary equipment — a pizza course in prison is completely new territory, so we had to get a pizza oven and other kit, find suitable space, plan the whole programme. The hardest part was the logistics before the course even started."

Tomáš „Fénix“ Franek:

"If you mean the very beginning of my new life, that meant one thing: changing my environment, cutting ties with everything from before, and starting completely from scratch somewhere nobody knew me. It was a leap into the unknown — but exactly the leap I needed to have any chance of building something and not staying trapped in the past."

What does the teaching look like in practice, and what is the "foundation" you build on?

Jonáš Motyčka:

"The key is the personal approach. Tomáš came to the prison with me last autumn to share his story — at that point we didn't yet know the pizza chef course would happen. That visit confirmed for me that Tomáš is a professional with a human touch. He approaches young people who have no background in gastronomy with real empathy and creates an environment where they can grow. The guys aren't embarrassed in front of him, they're not afraid of failing, they're not afraid to try things — there's no pressure."

Tomáš „Fénix“ Franek:

"The basic principle I try to pass on to the guys is simple: the best results come from a combination of praise and accountability. Whether it's a course in prison or working with my own kitchen staff — it's always about balance. I show them that work is nothing to be afraid of. When they do something well, I praise them and give them recognition. When they get something wrong, they get honest feedback — sometimes firm, but always fair. People need to know that their effort matters, but they also have to feel that they own their mistakes. That, in my view, is how you help them become stronger, more reliable, and more confident."

What should a participant take away at the end — not just in their hands, but in their head?

Jonáš Motyčka:

"I think it comes down to two things. The first is a positive relationship with the trade — loving the process of creating something wonderful, food that will bring enjoyment to the people eating it, all within an industry as rich as gastronomy. And the second is practical: wherever they walk into a pizzeria, they'll know their way around and be able to step straight into the working process. They'll know the techniques, they'll know what to do — and once they find their feet in the environment, they'll be capable of working as a pizza chef in any restaurant."

Tomáš „Fénix“ Franek:

"I do pass on knowledge and theory, of course. But what I place the most emphasis on is practice — that is the absolute foundation of success. Theory might account for 20%, but practice is the remaining 80% that determines whether they become good pizza chefs — and not just pizza chefs, but skilled cooks in general. In a kitchen, you learn with your hands, through mistakes, through pace, pressure, organisation, and repetition. And once they understand that, they start to grow faster than anyone who relies on books alone."

What does "The Will to Help" mean to you in practice — and why does working with VOLONTÉ make sense to you?

Jonáš Motyčka:

"For me, the will to help means improving the environment around you — because quality of life is directly proportional to the quality of the environment you're in. Helping is an absolutely fundamental factor in building relationships, and relationships are an inseparable part of what we need as human beings. What makes working with VOLONTÉ so valuable is that we share the same values — together we want to help the people society has too often given up on and written off."

Tomáš „Fénix“ Franek:

"I know only too well what it feels like when no one helps you. When the people around you write you off instead of offering a hand. That's exactly why, whenever I can, I'm glad to be the one who helps. Working with VOLONTÉ means a great deal to me — I admire their commitment, their approach, and above all the fact that they support people whom society so often simply condemns. They give them a chance at a new and better start. And that is exactly what I once needed myself. When I can be part of giving someone a second chance, I consider it an honour."

Quick-fire round

The most common mistake beginners make

Jonáš: They're afraid of making mistakes — but making mistakes is human, and no one is born knowing everything.

Tomáš: They don't have patience.

What a good pizza chef always needs

Jonáš: A positive relationship with their work.

Tomáš: Order and a system.

One sentence for someone starting from zero

Jonáš: Fall in love with the process, don't be afraid of failure — because you learn more from setbacks and mistakes than you ever do from success.

Tomáš: If you truly want something, you can achieve anything — it just won't happen overnight, without effort and without commitment.

We thank Jonáš Motyčka and Tomáš "Fénix" Franek for their energy, time, and trust. Thanks in part to them, "The Will to Help" takes on a very concrete form in the Pizza Chef Course.

The "Pizza Chef" course is funded through the project "VOL Comprehensive Employment Programme", registration no. CZ.03.01.01/00/24_078/0005026, supported by the Employment Plus Operational Programme, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus.