Hungary's capital, Budapest - a rising star in the culinary world - is proving that by this year hosting the European heat of the Bocuse d'Or world cooking contest.
ADVERTISEMENTHungary’s capital, Budapest, is a rising star in the culinary world and this year is hosting the European heat of the Bocuse d’Or, which is known as the Olympic Games for chefs.
Hungary also boasts several Michelin-starred restaurants. A team from one of them – Onyx – came first in the Bocuse d’Or.
Tamas Szel, Hungarian candidate, comes to check on competitors before competing tomorrow at home! pic.twitter.com/PTgkMvb8jS
— Bocuse d'Or Official (@Bocusedor) May 10, 2016
The managing director of Onyx, Katalin Pintér, told Euronews that being recognised by the Michelin Guide is good for kitchen and customers alike: “After your business is awarded a star, you pay more attention to the quality of ingredients, you become more demanding, you use pricier ingredients, you can send your colleagues to get better training, and so they gain, and all this can be reflected in the price of the menu.”
Onyx got its Michelin star in 2011 and chefs from the restaurant won a place at the Bocuse d’Or final in France two years later and again this year.
Demonstrating it has got a lot more to offer than goulash, this year Budapest has increased to five its tally of eateries that have made it into the Michelin Guide.
That is a big boost for tourism attracting gourmet visitors in droves from around the world.
Budapest’s deputy mayor Alexandra Szalay-Bobrovniczky said: “We’ve seen that since Budapest got its Michelin-starred restaurants more and more tourists are coming here just to dine in these excellent restaurants, which – by international standards – have very reasonable prices.”
Winning the right to host the semi-finals of the Bocuse d’Or competition also brought in a flood of food fans to see how 20 of Europe’s top chefs pan out as they exercised their culinary creativity all the while dreaming of more Michelin stars.
UK meat plate with picture #BocusedorEuropepic.twitter.com/NObRY0KcbI
— Bocuse d'Or Official (@Bocusedor) 10 de maio de 2016
Our correspondent at the event, Beatrix Asboth, concluded: “The Michelin brothers published their first guide recommending restaurants for motorists in France more than 100 years ago. Their aim then was to increase the demand for car tyres. Now, it is perhaps the most prestigious restaurant guide in the world, and dozens of chefs compete for a place on the Michelin map.”
