Prague, Nov 14 (CTK) – Petr Kosiner has succeeded in making and selling the most traditional Czech dish – dumplings, and in the summer he opened the first shop offering exclusively his dumplings of various kind in Prague, the Respekt weekly out Monday writes.
It adds that in the past Kosiner did various jobs. He was a waiter, a carpenter, a music teacher, a factory worker and a cook in a sport bar where he spent six years and he was also making his delicious dumplings.
At the age of 44, he realised that he would like to start his own business in catering. He chose dumplings since they did not require high initial investments and he could make, distribute and sell them himself, Respekt writes.
First he feared that people would not be interested in his products and therefore he tried to offer his home-made dumplings to 100 restaurants and canteens. To his great surprise, 98 of them said they would order them, Kosiner recalls.
Afterwards, he took all his savings and a loan from his friends, some 400,000 crowns in total, he hired a kitchen and some auxiliary cooks, bought material and launched his own production of dumplings in the “Knedliky (Dumplings) Laznicka” firm (called after his nickname).
During the first two months, he was offering his dumplings to restaurants and cafeterias and he persuaded tens of managers to order them.
Now he is supplying dumplings to many famous pubs in Prague’s historical centre, for instance, Respekt writes.
In June, Kosiner opened the first “dumpling shop” in Prague. He was also selling his products at the more and more popular farmer’s markets in the capital where people were waiting in a long line for his dumplings.
The reason for his success is simple – his dumplings are of a good quality, which the Czech food inspection has confirmed, and they are sold for affordable prices, Respekt says.
It adds that filled dumplings are only some 30 percent more expensive than their low-quality equivalents in supermarkets and typical bread dumplings are offered for the same price.
Apart from classical bread, potato and fruit dumplings, Kosiner is also selling his own speciality – a big leavened dumpling with fresh herbs, the weekly notes.
Though the firm is making over 400 dumpling rolls and some 200 filled dumplings a day, the demand is almost five times higher, Kosiner told Respekt.
This is why he is looking for new premises with a bigger kitchen to meet the rising demand, he added.
“I wish I had small dumpling shops all over Prague and extended the assortment with German and cottage-cheese dumplings. It would be wonderful,” Kosiner told Respekt about his business dreams.
