This year has been full of exciting gastronomic events, but 2023 is also full of excitement for us. The Michelin stars have just been awarded and will remain a topic of discussion for some time to come, as it has been full of surprises. For the first time in our country, a restaurant in the countryside has been awarded a star, and two of them, and the restaurant of Tamás Széll, a world champion, has also been awarded its second Michelin star. This is a huge achievement in itself, but if we look ahead to the beginning of next year, we are looking at the Bocuse d'Or finals.
Bocuse d'Or
The final of the cook-off will start at the end of January. The finals of the event named after master chef Paul Bocuse are held in Lyon at the end of January every two years. The venue is the SIRHA International Exhibition of Hotels, Hospitality and Food Trade. The Bocuse d'Or is one of the most prestigious cooking competitions in the world, and Tamás Széll was the first Hungarian to qualify. It is a great achievement not only for Hungarian gastronomy but for the whole country that Hungary is once again taking part in an international event that is of great interest all over the world. It is an honour and a great opportunity to promote Hungary's gastronomy recognition, we can again show what our chefs can do on an international stage.
The qualifiers
The Hungarian final of the Bocuse d'Or took place on 21 October 2021 at Hungexpo. Tibor Huszár, the creative chef of Kakukk Restaurant in Nyírbátor, Roland Kelemen, the chef of Hunguest Hotel Aqua-Sol in Hajdúszoboszló, Balázs Adamek, the chef of Diófa Restaurant in Székesfehérvár, and Bence Dalnoki, the Sous Chef of Stand, which now has two Michelin stars. Bence Dalnoki and Patrik Nyikos (commis) won first place in the competition.
They were able to represent our country at the 2022 March 23-24. European final, which was also held in our country. The European Final is the most watched event of the qualification series. The whole of Europe cheered on their home teams, as they make their way straight to the tournament kitchens of the world finals. On home soil, it was an amazing we were a success. The Hungarian team came second in the European Bocuse d'Or.
Bence Dalnoki, chef, Patrik Nyikos, commis, Szabina Szulló, president of the team, Tamás Széll, coach, are all delighted with the result, as they are the ones who will represent Hungary at the Bocuse d'Or finals in France in 2023.
Preparing for the grand final
At the final in Lyon in January, Tamás Széll will be the coach and Zoltán Hamvas, president of the Hungarian Bocuse d'Or Academy, will be the team's president. Preparations have been underway for a long time, of course, in the Bocuse d'Or tank kitchen at Hungexpo. Many people are helping, with more than twenty student chefs and dedicated chefs taking part. It's a tough time, ahead of a tough competition. The competitors practice six days a week, alternating between preparation days and cooking days.
The mandatory ingredients
The 2023 Bocuse d'Or promises to be particularly rich. The prestigious competition is constantly renewing itself to strengthen its role and inspire the world in the science of cooking and hospitality.
In the Bocuse d'Or final in Lyon, teams have to prepare two dishes as usual. A spectacular, dazzling dish, which is amazing in itself, must then be presented on a plate. The second task is to prepare a dish to be served on a plate. The mandatory ingredients for the dish theme have already been described. The teams have to prepare their dish using monkfish, black mussels and St James' mussels.
Bence Dalnoki: „We love monkfish. It's white-fleshed, simple, clean-tasting and, if cooked really well, juicier than any other fish. Obviously, seafood is a disadvantage for Central Europe - and an advantage for the Nordic countries, as it is not part of our cuisine - but that shouldn't stop us from achieving our goals.” Source: Hungarian Bocuse d'Or Academy
“Bocuse d'Or is always new”
Another task for the 2023 final in Lyon is the plate theme. The teams have to prepare a children's menu consisting of three dishes and cooked for 15 people. The theme is particularly forward-looking, as children's catering is one of the most important segments of the hospitality industry. It is also stipulated that pumpkin must be included in each of the three dishes, the starter must be vegan and eggs are a compulsory element in the main course. According to the organisers, this theme is guaranteed to have many creative solutions and surprising twists.
The order of the competition
In the world finals, the question of who will be in the kitchen at what time is a very important one. Traditionally, this is decided by a draw. Luck smiled on the Hungarian team, as it means that they can start from the second position on the second day of the competition. This is definitely positive.
We are looking forward to the tournament day, and the MATUSZ - Wild Group is of course rooting for the home team as one man!
