A Remoska cooker. (source: Adobe Stock )
Before the Velvet Revolution, a metal bowl with a hefty lid and an electric cable—ideal for baking—was a staple in many Czechoslovak households. Known as the Remoska, this Czechoslovak product remains a trusted appliance in Slovak kitchens to this day.
Do you know its story?
Anyone without a gas or electric oven—especially those who spent time at cottages—came to appreciate this versatile and remarkably practical appliance. It was invented and crafted by the renowned "Czech hands".
In the 1950s, Czech electrical engineer Oldřich Homuta visited Sweden, where he was intrigued by electric pots designed for cooking, though not for baking. Upon returning to socialist Czechoslovakia, he began developing an electric appliance, which soon became a huge success for decades to come. By 1991, more than 1.5 million of these baking bowls had been produced in Czechoslovakia.
However, after 1989, the golden era of the Remoska appeared to be drawing to a close. With growing enthusiasm for Western technological advancements, people began buying microwave ovens, deep fryers, and later steam ovens in large numbers.
In the mid-1990s, a Czech private company sought to revive the Remoska’s proud tradition, updating the design and giving the metal bowl a Teflon coating. Yet, rekindling public interest in the tried-and-tested appliance was not easy—until an extraordinary coincidence changed the course of the Remoska’s story.
A modern Remoska. (source: WIKIMEDIA / CC)
When you couldn't find a gift
Lady Milena Grenfell-Baines was just nine years old when her parents placed her on the last train that Sir Nicholas Winton arranged from Prague to London. He saved nearly 700 Jewish children from the Nazis. Milena grew up in England and eventually married a successful architect who was later knighted by the Queen—thus, Milena became a true English lady.
Towards the end of the millennium, while searching for a gift for a friend, she remembered the Remoska. Despite looking everywhere in the United Kingdom, she couldn’t find one. She contacted a company in the Czech Republic that was trying to preserve the Remoska’s legacy and asked why it wasn’t being exported to Britain. She was told the company simply didn’t know anyone there.
Lady Grenfell-Baines didn’t hesitate. Thanks to her efforts, the Remoska is now established in the UK market, and the British have embraced it for baking their favourite dishes. She even compiled two cookbooks of recipes specifically for the Remoska—earning her yet another title: Lady Remoska.
A quality that speaks for itself
The original Remoska, along with its modern variants, is available from various brands—and you won’t regret purchasing one. Its unique combination of baking and steaming offers an extraordinary culinary experience. The lid contains an electric coil that heats the contents to around 170°C, while a small hole in the glass allows excess steam to escape, locking in moisture and flavour.
A simple salted chicken topped with slices of smoked bacon can be roasted to perfection—achieving crispy skin and succulent meat in a way most conventional ovens cannot replicate. Vegetarians can delight in dishes such as baked pasta with asparagus and cauliflower, while those with a sweet tooth will enjoy treats like buns filled with tvaroh or plum jam.
Over the decades, generations of home cooks have used their culinary flair to elevate this humble appliance into perhaps the most versatile kitchen companion. From bublanina and sourdough cake to puff pastry sticks, chestnuts, crispy crackling, and even homemade bread—the Remoska does it all.
Its enduring popularity is reflected in a 45,000-strong online community on a popular social media. The most passionate enthusiasts scour attics, second-hand shops, and online listings in search of vintage Remoskas, lovingly restore them, and cook with them just as their mothers and grandmothers once did.
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