Where are the sponsors?

In our September edition, Sándor Kovács, the Hungarian competitor at Bocuse d’Or, talked about the lack of support from Hungarian organisations, which he experienced at the competition. We have contacted István Pető, chairman of MNGSZ, to ask him why has support for Sándor Kovács been so limited? – First of all, I would like to thank the sponsors that we did have, including the competent ministry. However, there has been a definite lack of interest among potential sponsors, regarding the Bocuse d’Or competition. – We had contacted at least two dozen companies, but most of them chose to stay away from the competition as a result of the deep division seen in the profession – say Vilmos Kreil, the Hungarian member of the jury. – A few years ago, it took me a lot of effort to get somebody to publish my report about the competition in Lyon. The competition is better known now, but it is still quite hard to sell, although it is like an Oscar ceremony for the profession, with two thousand journalists reporting about the event – he explains. – In spite of all difficulties, we are satisfied with the score achieved by our competitor. Maybe, we could have done a better job in enlisting support from sponsors. Now, we know that we have to start looking for sponsors a least a year before the event. The question why government organisations are not interested in such a prestigious event like Bocuse d’Or Europe is a logical one. – Personally, I have not been contacted by anybody in connection with sponsorship for attending the event – says dr. Ákos Niklai, president of Magyar Turizmus Zrt. In his opinion, the condition of the Hungarian catering sector is not as bad as it is often portrayed. Magyar Turizmus Zrt. provides continuous support for the sector. The competition is about gastronomy, and this is not so much the competence of MT Zrt, as of the catering profession. – However, we provide support for attending the Chefs’ Olympics – he adds. – On the other hand, it is quite disturbing for me to see how deeply our leading chefs hate each other. It might be a positive thing for the catering sector that the president of MT Zrt is an active restaurant owner himself. Dr. Ákos Niklai has told us that they are ready to negotiate about sponsoring all projects which are sufficiently prepared and documented, provided they are kept up to date regarding preparations. – I am instinctively looking for harmony and a chance for success, rather than conflict – he says. It is now up to MNGSZ to work out a feasible proposal for the next Bocuse d’Or.