Our best chefs are under 27 years old

Eight young chefs entered the competition

The competition, also known as the antechamber to the Bocuse d’Or, was organized for the 29th time by the Hungarian Chaine Association at the METRO Culinary Academy on May 22, 2024.

The competition started with eight young chefs under 27:
Máté Dudar – Hotel Wellamarin
Máté Gulyás – IKON Debrecen
Árpád Incze – Pajta Restaurant
Gergely Kis – Four Seasons
Patrik Nyikos – Stand Restaurant
Torontál Schmidt – Lokal47
Noel Szabó – Forbidden Csíki Pub
Botond Végh – BGE

Instead of a pre-determined and well-rehearsed menu, the contestants had to prepare a three-course meal (starter, main course, dessert) for four people in 3.5 hours from a surprise basket – the black box – announced at the start of the competition.

The fresh ingredients for the competition were provided by METRO, a long-time supporter of the event, as a prominent partner of the HoReCa sector. This year’s mandatory ingredients included venison back, marrow bone, pikeperch, white carrot, celery stalk, strawberries, and Kotányi vanilla paste.

The judging criteria in the kitchen included: cooking technique, economical use of ingredients, cleanliness, and time efficiency. The tasting jury’s criteria included: flavor impact, presentation, and originality. The jury also evaluated how the competitors managed the quantity of the given products.