MEET THE TEAM
Even though each of us does something a little different, we have one thing in common: we do everything with 100% commitment and love. At Dudes & Barbies, we work, create, plan, and above all, dream and bring to life ideas that truly make sense to us. We are a close-knit team, and that is exactly what makes our work so special.
Want to turn your dreams into reality with us? Get in touch at ondra@dudesandbarbies.cz
LUKÁŠ ŽĎÁRSKÝ
Founder of Dudes & Barbies
Although founding the first Dudes & Barbies project—Radlická kulturní sportovna—might have seemed like a bit of a boyish prank back then, building similar projects quickly became Lukáš's lifestyle. After that, creating Vnitroblock, Kavárna, and Gram was only a matter of time.
When it comes to where he wants to take his projects next, Lukáš has a very clear vision. For instance, he would love to open the first-ever café on Mars. Luckily, he has a loyal team that keeps his feet firmly on the ground.
And despite having the chance to taste the absolute best gourmet creations across all our venues, nothing brings him more joy than a couple of donuts from a gas station.
JAKUB ZAJÍC
Founder of Dudes & Barbies
Together with Lukáš, Kuba laid the very first foundation stones of Dudes & Barbies, kickstarting an endless marathon more than 10 years ago.
His ultimate driving force is looking back at the customers enjoying the spaces he built with his own two hands. Even though Kuba doesn't exactly vibe with today's hectic pace of life, he is constantly on the run. Quite literally—running and other sports are a massive part of his life.
The fact that the finish line for our projects is still nowhere in sight brings nothing but pure joy to both Kuba and his entire team.
VÁCLAV TRTÍK
CEO
A general manager through and through. Mr. Václav has been heading up the entire Dudes operation for four years now. His years of experience, combined with a loyal team, have elevated our services to the next level. Straddling the line between a Millennial and a Boomer, his Instagram serves strictly as a tool for keeping tabs on his team. The concept of work-life balance doesn't mean much to Vašek. Working at Dudes is his life, and his team members are lucky that he doesn't demand the same from them. His passion for woodcarving carries over into his professional life as well. Throw a stick under his feet, and he’ll carve a whistle out of it—just so he can blow it and make you jump.
JAKUB KAPR
Operations Manager of Kavárna co hledá jméno
The café that found Kuba. Who is Kuba, you ask? Kuba is a foundational building block of not just the Café, but the entire Dudes family. He has been running the operations at Kavárna co hledá jméno for quite a few years now. What he values most about the job is the sheer dynamism and the constant growth of our company. We attribute all his heroic operational feats to his love for Marvel movies. His actual superpower would be his broad general knowledge and his knack for convincing everyone that he understands absolutely everything. And what does Kuba have to say about the Café? "I love it here, so you better love it too."
ALEŠ BARTECKÝ
Operations Manager of Bistro B
Commodore Bartecký
As unbelievable as it may sound, Aleš literally sailed into our company on a ship. It's true! He spent several years working as a sommelier on an ocean liner before finally dropping anchor in our Holešovice harbor, where he stayed for nearly three years. Thanks to his wealth of experience, he quickly became the perfect candidate to manage operations at Vnitroblock, followed by Gram and Bistro B at Budějovická. We are definitely counting on him for future projects as well. Even though his dream of becoming an air traffic controller didn't quite take off, he still lives by the motto: "Jump, and you will grow your wings on the way down."
CELINA DORŇÁK LOBPREIS
F&B Manager
The Food Boss
It all started innocently enough—a high school girl taking on a part-time job in hospitality who just never left. Every new position she took on was a level harder, but her sheer persistence pushed her all the way to the top. Now, she is the boss of everything in our venues that smells good, sizzles, crunches, or bubbles. She absolutely loves food. Not just on a plate, but as a concept. She knows that hunger is a real issue, and if she could, she would feed the entire world. She firmly believes that food connects people—and she also believes that you should always eat well and honestly. When she isn't managing inventory, she dreams of one day escaping to a secluded cabin in the woods, complete with her own farm, animals, and homegrown veggies. No spreadsheets, no deadlines, but still full of flavor. Honestly, imagining this company without Celina is an absolute horror story—and Celina doesn't even like horror movies.
MARIAN HRUBÝ
Operations Manager of Radlická kulturní sportovny
The Uncle of Radlická
Over the past 25 years, Marian has had the chance to try out every possible role in the hospitality industry. Naturally, there is no candidate better suited to be trusted with running the entirety of Radlická kulturní sportovna. The venue very quickly became a second home to him. However, he absolutely treasures his real one; to find peace and quiet, he heads back to his family, with whom he tries to spend all his free time. Let's be honest—when it comes to food and beverage trends, Marian is a bit of a boomer. Nevertheless, his constant drive to improve makes every single day spent at Radlická a valuable learning experience. And he looks at that—just like everything else—with nothing but pure positivity.
RUDOLF ŠKALDA
Operations Manager of Vnitroblock
Rudoblock
Another member of the management team who was bred and raised right here at Vnitroblock. What originally started as an innocent summer job grew into a passion for setting up operational processes. Thanks to his hard work and sheer determination, Ruda became a manager through and through. He looks at the problems he encounters on a daily basis from a broader perspective—ideally from a climbing wall, which is just one of the many sports he dives into. As a hardcore athlete, he prefers fresh and light Asian cuisine, but he never forgets his protein! Because in Ruda's own words: "Eat your curd, see the world!"
FANDA ČECH
Manager of Taneční Sector
When the Stars Dance
Fanda has been dancing pretty much since he took his very first step, and he hasn't stopped since. He runs our Sector—a dance studio where every dancer tells their own story, and Fanda is the one who makes sure those stories are heard loud and clear. He is extraordinarily ordinary. He loves moving movies, sings, cooks, practices yoga, and whenever he talks about Thailand, his eyes light up with memories of the local tides—which come and go, just like happiness, which happens to be the motto he lives by. Fanda is the definition of a great choreography—he’s got the rhythm, the emotion, the technique, and quite often a bit of freestyle that always makes perfect sense in the end.
ONDŘEJ ZAHRADNÍK
Head of Projects
A Google Calendar with a Human Face
A project manager at Dudes & Barbies is someone who ensures everything runs smoothly and, ideally, in the same direction—even when every other colleague is running in a completely different direction and at their own pace. Within Dudes & Barbies, he is the one who connects, checks, recalculates, and untangles the threads that others have managed to get a little knotted up. He loves Italian cuisine—meaning fast, honest, and with no unnecessary steps, because efficiency is key. He’s got clarity in Excel, a broad perspective on life, and in his closet, running shoes and a camera, which he uses to capture stories just the way he likes them: sharp, real, and completely unfiltered.
ZUZKA JUROVÁ
Head of Marketing
Tailor-Made Creativity
After successfully completing her degrees in fashion design and graphic design, a career in marketing was the perfect fit. That same creativity follows her straight into her free time. As it happens, Zuzka is a foodie through and through, making marketing for the Dudes & Barbies gastro projects an absolute dream match. She is used to eating with her eyes first, which is why when it comes to plating, she notices not just what's on the plate, but the plate itself. In fact, porcelain making is a topic she could easily talk about for hours.
ANETA ČAJÁNKOVÁ
Junior Marketer
Millennial, Gen Z & Gen Alpha Specialist 🧠📱
Anet is our in-house IG algorithm 🤖. She has a finely tuned trend radar 📡, knows exactly what’s hot 🔥, and most importantly—unlike the rest of us—she actually understands why it's trending 👀. She effortlessly drops ideas 💡 that have total vibe ✨ and substance, whether it's campaigns 📣, content 🎥, or creative communication 🎨. She is a walking green flag 💚—transparent, authentic, and always in full-speed mode 🏎️, because no movement = no life 🚫🛋️. When she isn't falling down a rabbit hole 🕳️ of Czech historical movies 🎞️, she’s hunting down the best brunch spots 🥞🥂 like a true urban explorer 🧭. This crazy girl of ours has FBI mode always on 🕵️♀️—she can dig up the tea on absolutely anyone.
Banger! 💥
KATEŘINA SPILKOVÁ
Onboarder & Trainer
A Guide to the World of Dudes & Barbies
First day on the job. Fear. Nervousness. Yeah, not here. A first day with Katka feels more like a guided tour where she not only shows you the ropes but lifts your spirits while doing it. As our onboarder, she is a partner to newcomers from the very first "hello" all the way to their first independent espresso. Aside from rookies, she also helps develop our long-term team members and plays a massive role in their professional growth. In both work and life, she has a gift for showing the way—whether it’s guiding colleagues through training or charting her own path, like when she decided to open her own café in England. Now, she dreams of her next big adventure: traveling the world in a yellow van with a shuffled playlist and absolutely zero plans.
ŠTĚPÁN HOLMAN
Head of Finance
Guardian of the Treasury
In a world full of variables and uncertainties, he is the one who transforms financial chaos into harmony. Even Chuck Norris wouldn't dare mess with his Excel spreadsheets. His superpower is seeing the future in numbers before it actually happens. When he isn't balancing on a mountain of invoices, he spends his time with his family. But beware! If you think he's just your typical "spreadsheet guy," then you’ve never seen him play kin-ball—a sport he has taken all the way to the international level. He is the quiet strength of our team. He knows when to speak, when to stay silent, and when to just raise an eyebrow, because in Štěpán’s case, that says it all.
GABRIELA MELCROVÁ
HR & Office Manager
The Globetrotter Among the Binders
Gabča would love to travel the entire world—and if she could do it for free, she wouldn't mind at all. She is fascinated by the hidden corners of Asia, drawn to the Boston Red Sox, and absolutely loves both Italian and Asian cuisine. When she doesn't happen to have a suitcase in hand, she escapes into nature or into fantasy worlds where anything you can imagine is possible. Her love for journeying carries over into her work, where she constantly shuttles between HR and Finance. As our office manager, she handles more paperwork than the immigration office in Singapore. We attribute her incredible organization amidst all that administration to a built-in GPS that guides not only her, but often everyone else too. Plus, she’s highly cost-effective for us—just her presence alone is enough to light up the entire office.
IRENA JEČMÍNKOVÁ
Head of Controlling
The Justice Fighter
Although it might seem like her job is an eternal battle with numbers, Irča is actually the one who has every single digit completely under control. And while the role of a controller might not always be the most popular among the staff, Irča compensates for it with her sweet personality and optimistic approach. Even so, we highly recommend staying on her good side. She has a massive obsession with true crime and investigative documentaries, so God only knows what she’d be capable of. It’s probably not even worth mentioning that her favorite color is red. Of course, this is all just humor—slightly sarcastic, just like Irča herself.
LINA ŠTECHMILEROVÁ
Head of Events
A Seasoned Event Veteran
That is exactly what our Lina is. She has dedicated the last 12 years of her life to events, during which she has gathered countless experiences and a contact list just as long as her never-ending to-do list. Organizing events often comes with minor fuckups, which she is used to handling with a snap of her fingers. Perhaps what helps her most is her ability to keep her sense of humor even in the most critical situations. However, as soon as the topic of celery comes up, the joking stops. In Lina's own words: "Wars and celery bring nothing good to this world."
KATEŘINA SMRČKOVÁ
Vibe Manager
Dudes & Barbies Presents...
For nearly 10 years, our Kačka has been a leading star in the film production genre, but it wasn't until she joined us that she discovered what it’s like to be her own director. Here at Dudes, Kačka is in charge of organizing our events, mastermind-ing them from A to Z. These events bring a vibe to our venues that is just as optimistic as Kačka herself. She draws her inspiration mainly from cultural events and her frequent travels to historic sites—the Italian Amalfi Coast, for instance, completely stole her heart. While she is still waiting for her big breakthrough movie role, to us—the people of Dudes & Barbies—Kačka has been a hero for a long time.
SÁRA TOMAŠKOVÁ
Event Manager of Vnitroblock
Miss Congeniality
Sára is another key member of our event team. She has been moving and shaking in the hospitality industry for 9 years, during which she even had the opportunity to build her career abroad. However, event organization is the one field where she feels completely in her element. In her free time, she is an enthusiastic athlete—which, in Sára's book, also includes being a professional café lounger. Always elegant and frequently dressed in black, Sára possesses a secret weapon: her captivating smile, which can sell even the most premium catering package with absolute ease.
MAREK ŠOUREK
Event Manager of Radlická kulturní sportovna
The Apple of Fun Doesn't Fall Far from Marek
Marek studied anthropology, which means he is supposed to understand why people behave the way they do—and that is probably why he enjoys working with them so much. It comes as no surprise to us that people enjoy working with him, too. He is exactly the type of guy who always has three good jokes and one seriously weird story up his sleeve. If he got a brick for every crisis situation he’s successfully resolved, he would have been living in his own self-built house—which he dreams about so much—a long time ago. He has been a familiar face at Radlická for years, but over the past year, he’s been the driving force behind the events that give the venue its pulse. From corporate parties to bashes that started as a "small idea" and ended up becoming local legends—just like Mára himself.
KRISTÍNA KADÁKOVÁ
Art Manager
Art That Doesn't Just Stop on the Wall
You’d be hard-pressed to find more creative venues in Prague than ours, and you’d be just as hard-pressed to find a bigger art enthusiast than our Kika. She is the mastermind behind our Dudes & Barbies Gallery project, meaning constant contact with artists is just a regular day at the office for her. Even though organizing art openings can sometimes be a total horror story, Kristína doesn't mind one bit—after all, horror happens to be her favorite genre. And whenever she has to dual with a challenging exhibition, Kika draws from her experience in historical fencing and parries like an absolute pro.
MICHAL FIALA
Roaster
Not Another Boring Roaster
Michal is our head roaster. And even though he doesn’t see colors as vividly as others do, he can extract flavor notes from every single coffee bean that you experience with your heart rather than your eyes. He prefers classic Czech cuisine, fantasy worlds, and a slower pace of life. He loves going for long walks, used to be an absolute menace at the ping-pong tables back in the day, and occasionally plays a game of chess. In recent years, he has traded the chessboard for the roasting machine, where—just like in chess—every single move matters. While most people in the hospitality industry dream of escaping into the woods after a few years, Michal has the exact opposite dream: to open his very own café and roastery. And that is probably the most genuine proof of just how seriously he takes his coffee.
ANNA DRESLEROVÁ
Pastry Chef
Sweet Management in Practice
Finding someone who approaches pastry-making with the same dedication as our Anička is no piece of cake. She gathered her experience in Prague's top establishments, where precision and perfection are the golden standard. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, but Anička stands out as someone who treats them as milestones that push her forward. In her role as head pastry chef at Dudes, she prides herself on honesty and tradition, combining them with novel flavors that she would travel the entire Milky Way to discover. She pours her romantic soul right into her desserts, so you won't find a single sweet treat that hasn't been crafted with love.
DOMINIK DORŇÁK
Vnitroblock & Bistro B Chef
Precision in a Chef's Jacket
Dominik isn't in the kitchen by accident. In his case, cooking is a passion, a discipline, and a form of self-expression. The kitchen is his sanctuary. That’s where he lives, creates, and averts disasters before they can even become a reality—ironically enough, considering disasters are his favorite film genre. When he relaxes, it's always with food. He loves fish and, because he deeply respects his ingredients, prefers to prep and cook them himself. Despite his experience in some of Prague’s top restaurants, he anchored himself in our modest kitchen. And yes, he is already impatiently looking forward to its upcoming renovation. Even though his personal motto is "You can only trust yourself," when it comes to his food, he has our absolute and total trust.
HONZA HAJNÝ
Chef of Radlická & Kavárna
Full-Throttle Chef
It’s been nearly 30 years since Honza hopped on his favorite motorcycle and set off on a never-ending culinary ride. While Honza might seem like a "tough guy" at first glance—perhaps that's why he dedicated many years to professional food carving—deep down he is a jokester with a knack for metal detecting and a casual, flirtatious relationship with blacksmithing. Honza appreciates strong character, honesty, and people who keep their word. In fact, his cooking style mirrors his approach to life—driven by respect, responsibility, and above all, fun. His dream? Six months on his motorcycle. And because we believe dreams should be as real as a homemade broth, we hope this trip will one day become the next item on his life's menu.