A magyar csapat március 15-én lép színpadra a Bocuse d’Or Európai Válogatóján

The competition this year is also built on the tension of constancy and surprise. The mandatory ingredients for the bowl theme are grunt fish and purple artichoke, while the Mediterranean feel must be evoked on the plate with squid and Camargue bull tenderloin, among others. However, the Hungarian team also introduces its own character into the southern French atmosphere: Tokaji wine, sour cream and the idea of ​​a classic paprika redraw the Mediterranean map.  

The novelty of this year’s competition is the so-called “on stage” challenge: after the second hour, the chefs leave the kitchen and prepare a Provençal-style aioli by hand in front of the jury and the audience – in just ten minutes. This task goes beyond technique: a demonstration of craftsmanship, where precision, creativity and personality are simultaneously in the spotlight. Each competitor must also reflect their own national identity in the sauce, in the form of a characteristic ingredient. 

The Hungarian team is once again led by Roland Kelemen, chef of Hunguest Sóstó in Nyíregyháza, who won the special award for best dish at the European Selection in Trondheim and the final in Lyon. He is assisted in his work in the competition box by Zoltán Vincze as commis, who came to the team from the Iszkor bistro as a student of Ádám Pohner. The preparation is being led by Bence Dalnoki, the bronze medalist chef from Lyon, as a coach, while Tamás Széll represents Hungary on the tasting jury this time. 

At the press conference held within the framework of SIRHA Budapest, Ákos Bősze, representing Metro Hungary, spoke with the team members. Zoltán Hamvas, president of the Hungarian Bocuse d’Or Academy, spoke about the enormous development that has taken place over the past ten years: he recalled the first competition experiences when they were confronted with the standards of the Bocuse d’Or, and then emphasized that with the bronze medal in Lyon, Bence Dalnoki has become one of the chefs whom the Bocuse family considers immortal. He also said that by giving motivation to countless beginners, they have also raised the prestige of the culinary profession. Roland Kelemen said that the goal of the current competition is clearly to take things to the next level. The expectations they set for themselves are also higher, they strive for precision, but now they can approach the competition more confidently.  

Gábor Ganczer, CEO of Hungexpo, said that Hungexpo is intertwined with Bocuse, as the development and support of high-quality gastronomy is also very important to them, and in Bocuse they have found a cause that they are very happy to support.  

The several-month preparation also takes place at Hungexpó, the training ground of the Hungarian Bocuse d’Or Academy, where young professionals and students from all over the country join in the work. The process not only prepares for a competition, but also shapes a generation. 

The Hungarian team will start on March 15, one of our most important national holidays. The result will be announced on March 16th, in the evening. 

10 years of Bocuse d’Or history 

This year marks 10 years since Tamás Széll and his team achieved a historic victory at the Bocuse d’Or European Selection held in Budapest. The victory itself is a huge achievement, but the fact that the world’s most prestigious chef competition came to Budapest was also a milestone in the history of Hungarian gastronomy.