gastronomy BOCUSE D'OR WORLD BRONZE FOR HUNGARY

The Hungarian Team Made It To The Podium For The First Time

Hungary has finished third at the world's most prestigious chef championship, the biannual Bocuse d'Or (Concours mondial de la cuisine) in Lyon, France, behind winners Denmark and runners-up Norway. The 24 members of the Jury gave their verdict after five and a half hours of tests, rewarding technique, product presentation and non-waste.

A milestone in Hungarian gastronomy

The Hungarian team has competed in the world finals several times before, but this is the first time they have made it to the podium. Hungary qualified for the world final of 24 teams when they won a silver medal at the European finals of the Bocuse D'Or competition in Budapest in March last year.

"This is a huge milestone not only in the history of the Hungarian Bocuse d'Or competition, but in the history of Hungarian gastronomy as a whole. Many, many years of experience, a lot of work, sacrifice and cooperation are behind this result. This bronze statue is further proof that Hungary has its place on the world gastronomic map," the President of the Hungarian Bocuse d'Or Academy, Zoltán Hamvas, said in his evaluation of the result.

Appreciated children’s menu

All the candidates had to highlight monkfish for the platter test, and sublimate squash during the new ‘Feed the Kids’ test, aimed at promoting education on eating well among the younger generations. After the serving and the first bites, the jury members were satisfied with the Hungarian dishes. The children's menu dishes were particularly appreciated for the creativity and playfulness that Bence Dalnoki and Patrik Nyikos had put into the dishes.

“It's a great happiness, I can't find the words. We really wanted to be on the podium, we worked so hard for it, it's an incredible pleasure to hold the bronze statue in our hands, it's going to take some getting used to!" Bence Dalnoki said.

Inspiring future generations

It was after two days of high-level competition that the victory of Denmark, represented by Brian Mark Hansen and his commis Elisabeth Madsen, closed the 19th Grand Final of the Bocuse d’Or, thus succeeding the Bocuse d’Or 2021 winner French Davy Tissot. The team from Norway, composed of the chef Filip August Bendi and his commis Leon Haarberg Nilsen came second and won the Bocuse d’Argent, while Bence Dalnoki and his commis Patrik Nyikos from Hungary completed the podium. As for the special prizes, the one for social commitment went to the Mexican team, Norway won the best commis (assistant) prize, Sweden was awarded for the best fish bowl, the best plate theme went to the French team while Japan was the favorite of the children's jury. Bocuse d'Or – held in the framework of the international hotel catering & food trade exhibition SIRHA – is not only the world's most prestigious cooking competition but also an international gastronomic meeting. The previous competition was blighted by the new coronavirus pandemic but this year, the Lyon event was back to its former glory. Hungary has been participating in the competition since 1987. Before this year's event, the country's greatest success was achieved in 2016-17 when Tamás Széll won the European final in Budapest and finished fourth in Lyon.

“An innovative and inspiring edition for future generations!” Bocuse d’Or President Jérôme Bocuse attested. “The ‘Feed the Kids’ test is the perfect expression of the importance of introducing young people to eating well and thus carrying the values of tomorrow’s chefs,” he added.

“I came here in all humility, to be inspired by those chefs,” the Honorary President of this year’s edition of the Bocuse d’Or, Dominique Crenn explained. “I loved that there were so many countries, so many different cultures, and they all told us their story, not the one of others. The children who watched the Bocuse d’Or can now say to themselves, I can also be there, I also have a story to tell.”

Dishes Prepared By The Hungarian Team

‘Feed the Kids’ theme

• Cold squash soup, crunchy cucumber stuffed with squash and parsley.

• Oat cream & green peas marinated in barbecue oil.

Crispy squash ‘Halloween’

• Pan fried egg flan with mushrooms and onions, pickled squash, lemon thyme & creamy egg yolk.

• Matured softly smoked Hungarian cheese sauce with squash & squash seed oil.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

• Vanilla yoghurt mousse filled with squash, apple, raspberry and squash sponge cake.

• Crunchy ‘earth’ with exploding candy, chocolate, hazelnuts & lemon verbena.

Monkfish, St. James clams & black mussels

• Devilfish ‘Budapest’ with softly smoked St. James clams, black seaweed, lemon & leavened bread croutons.

• Pickled root vegetable ‘roses’, mashed potatoes, bear's weed, fresh herbs & aged cheese.

• Salt roasted beets stuffed with slow roasted onions, Tokaji must vinegar jelly, black pepper & thyme.

• Crispy Jerusalem artichoke chips.

‘Hungarian feast’

• Seasonal Hungarian vegetables from the forest and fields.

• Black mussel tortellini with beechwood-smoked paprika.

• Black mussel sauce, tender horseradish & turmeric.

• Sauce: monkfish sauce fried in browned butter & Tokaj champagne and Tokaj must vinegar with ‘caviar’.