The Food of Hungary 2023 chef and cooking competition will start soon

The dishes will be made from Hungarian ingredients

Márton Nobilis emphasized that Hungarian agriculture produces high-quality food, of which there was no shortage even in the recent crisis years. Fortunately, their consumption is becoming more and more common, and next year, at least 80 percent of Hungarian ingredients must be used in public catering, he added.

Bence Rétvári, the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, noted that not only the judges can get to know the dishes prepared for the competition, but the organizers hope that they can also appear in the caterers’ offer. The Food of Hungary 2023 is also a significant event because it draws attention to the gastronomic traditions that are an important part of the national identity, he declared.

The State Secretary responsible for national policy of the Prime Minister’s Office welcomed that, continuing the tradition of the previous years, this year’s competition could be for all Hungarians. János Árpád Potápi is confident that, in addition to the natives, members of the foreign regions will take advantage of the opportunity and will be among the applicants. Their participation is particularly important at such an event, as Hungarian cuisine is typically Central European, enriched over the centuries by the traditions of neighboring nations, just as Hungarian gastronomy influenced other peoples of the Carpathian Basin.

István Asztalos, the president of the Hungarian Chefs’ Association of Étrend, as the originator of the competition, announced that they are looking for “bistro-style” dishes suitable for the main course for the competition. Among the conditions, there will be restrictions on raw materials, but at the same time, they will also evaluate how much can be made of a dish, so that they can later spread as widely as possible. The semi-finals will be held in January and the final on March 18.

He added that the competition announced for the 6th time wants to encourage the participants to create new dishes, since widely known specialties have not been created for decades, even though Hungarian cuisine has constantly changed over time, even in the 20th century. This goal has not changed since the beginning, compared to the first call in 2017, the event has developed a lot, especially since competitors from Transylvania, the Highlands, the South, Transcarpathia, and not only Hungarians join, he added.

The call for Food of Hungary 2023, application conditions and entry form were published on the event’s website. The first stage of registration lasts until December 16. AM supports the event as a professional partner together with several other organizations – read on the page.

Magyarország étele 2023