General meeting 2024

By: Trademagazin editor Date: 2024. 03. 26. 12:35

On 12 February the Hungarian Confectioners Guild (MCI) held its annual general meeting and a confectioners’ ball in Balatonalmádi.

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2024/4

Balázs Erdélyi
president
MCI

MCI president Balázs Erdélyi gave his annual report at the event. He told that 2023 was successful for the guild, but not without difficulties. Only 53 were confectioners from the catering businesses that closed in the first half of 2023. The number of MCI members hasn’t decreased, staying at around 400.

Competitions, talent management, trainings and workshops

For the 17th time, MCI organised the Cake of the Hungary competition, which attracted 35 entries. It was a new feature of the competition that participants had to use at least one of the ingredients from a basket of national values and Hungaricums. The winner of the three-round competition was the cake called Tipsy Fig and Respect, made by Pál Lakatos, a pastry chef from Szigetszentmiklós. The Foundation for Artisanal Confectionery had another successful year, with sold-out courses held in the MCI workshop under the guidance of Zsuzsa Andrásné Kemény. The spring season was a little slower at the MCI headquarters, but in the autumn the place was full again, with a trainings, presentations and workshops.

Community building programmes

MCI held the June Confectioner Feast at the Tanyacsárda in Lajosmizse, where 150 participants spent a day together in the usual family atmosphere and with excellent food. As part of Éva Vojtek’s “The boys are back in town” programme, MCI members visited Csákvár last year, where the Csuta family hosted pastry chef colleagues. In recent years the programme has grown into a two-day event. At the end of 2023 MCI made a new recommendation for the inclusion of Christmas candy in the Hungaricum Collection. Hopefully this year, following the Dobos cake and the Bratislava roll, the third confectionery product will also become one of the top national values.

Grant applications and international success

MCI has successfully applied for participating in the Erasmus+ mobility programme at the Tempus Public Foundation in 2023. As part of MCI’s Tutti Frutti programme, 26 people have the opportunity to learn new things abroad. Last year 15 participants went on a study trip to Italy and got to know the confectionery industry in the Veneto region. This year the programme will continue with 11 more participants. In 2022 MCI successfully applied at the Hungaricum Committee, and with the help of their grant published the book “The Confectionery Values of Hungary”. At the Gelato World Cup the Hungarian team could once again stand on the podium – this time wining the bronze medal! Harrer Chocolate Workshop from Sopron represented Hungary at the International Chocolate Awards competition in Tuscany, where they won nine world championship medals. //

Success in Stuttgart

Two Hungarian pastry chefs have achieved great results in the artistic category at the Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart. The presidency of the guild congratulates Míra Steierlein-Reichert on her gold medal and Kricky Podmaniczky on his silver medal.

Míra Steierlein-Reichert…

…and Kricky Podmaniczky with their award-winning artworks

Year opening gala

At the Tourism Year Opening Gala, traditionally held on 1 February each year, the confectioners guild (MCI) was once again present as a sponsor: at the MCI stand visitors could taste Zoltán Andrész’s sweet and savoury pastries, and Karl Harrer’s world champion bonbons. The event also saw the launch of the publication on the 50 most important people in tourism.