Everything I need is close by!

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2025/12-2026.01

– What are your most significant professional achievements?

„It also takes mindfulness, perseverance, and a touch of luck”

– So far the most valuable awards for me have been the Pro Turismo Award and the Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit. The Gundel Award is particularly significant, because it is given on the basis of recommendations from professional communities and organisations.

– What are you most proud of?

– The process by which most of my working relationships over the years have developed into genuine human relationships.

– What do you consider your first major breakthrough?

– My first real breakthrough came when at the age of 25 I was given the opportunity to open the kitchen of the country’s first 5-star castle hotel, the Kastélyhotel Sasvár.

– What would your own restaurant be like?

– If I had my own restaurant, it would be based on local ingredients, seasonality and close cooperation with producers. It would be authentic, connected to the landscape – a place where hospitality isn’t only about food, but also about community.

– What gastronomic trends play a role in your work?

– I believe in using local ingredients and seasonal produce from a given region. I follow and use new technologies, but in my kitchen they only have a place if they really add value.

– Could you name three people in the Hungarian hospitality industry whom you respect?

– Tamás Sándor, the cheesemaker from Bükk, János Macsinka, the chef and owner of Macok Bistro, and last but not least chef István Lukács, who is sadly no longer with us.

– What advice would you give to young chefs leaving school?

– It is important for them to understand from the outset that this isn’t just a profession: it is a way of life that brings a lot of joy, but also involves a lot of sacrifice.