There has been quite a difference between chefs and cooks in recent years. The segmentation of the profession, although not present in education, is a hallmark of the way in which the domestic hospitality industry is evolving, with many careers. Balázs Adamek, third place winner of this year's Bocuse d’ Or, is a prime example of this.
What motivated you to enter the competitive world of cookery?
- The story is very simple. My father is a chef. So I've been in the kitchen since I was six, I was born into it. If I wanted to meet him, I had to go to work with him, so very early on, I found myself in the ovens and pots and pans. At first he wanted to talk me out of it, but it was a no-go, because seeing the world of the kitchen, it was what I had chosen as a child. After my studies, it was the same for me, and the competition itself was already in 2001. Basically, I have a strange competitive spirit that has constantly pushed me to achieve better and better results. In the beginning, I competed in cold cooking competitions, there was not much else at that time.
So you've always been up for this?
- I don't see the potential for development in anything else. Since I got into it through my father, who started his career in the Gellért Hotel, I have seen this world all the time. It was never a question for me „what I would be when I grew up”. Cooking is not a profession, it is a life. I just love cook, I enjoy being in the kitchen. It's also important that I've been in the sin Diófa restaurant in Zékesfehérvár I work. It is located halfway between Budapest and Lake Balaton, so it is ideal as a stopover for trips to Lake Balaton, the capital or Western Transdanubia. My aim has always been to introduce our guests to European gastronomic art, in addition to Hungarian specialities. That's why I don't really like to change jobs, I like to go on a trip to the stars. And the competitions have taught me a lot, especially abroad.
How did it feel for you to start at the Bocuse?
- I first entered the Bocuse d'Or in 2011. There, the cuisine technology of the countryside was still quite behind. Even then I started to learn. After that I got into the spirit of competition and got a feel for what it was all about. I took part in a couple of hot food competitions, but somehow the Bocuse was missed after that. Now I felt the urge to actually do the race again, so I went for it a second time.
When you found out what the ingredients were, how did you feel?
- I really like mangalica, and I was happy about it. I had to be careful not to get too greasy. It was the carp, which I admit is not my favourite, that I had to think about the technology to put together. Carp is our fish, but it's quite spiny and doesn't lend itself to much. The surprise-raw material, the chives, thankfully, were not a huge challenge for me, they were basically part of the recipe I was going for.
How did you fit in the time?
- You have sixty minutes from the time of purchase. We made it in time, but there were some mistakes, which lost us about half an hour. But we had to sacrifice that to get the food to the level I had planned. That's probably why we got a point deduction. We made a side dish item and I didn't bring the tart form we practiced with in preparation. There was a slight glitch here, but luckily my commis Marcell Kocsis was able to sort it out.
Photo: Hungarian Bocuse d'Or Academy
How did it feel when the competition was over, the prize-giving ceremony came and you found out you were one of the three winners?
- Of course, it feels fantastic. I was very happy about it, even though there is always dissatisfaction lurking in the human heart. This is only towards myself, because I was told where the mistakes were and afterwards the driver gets annoyed. Of course, at such times you realise how I could have done better, how I could have done differently, but that's part of the learning process. I'm very grateful for this placement, and especially for the guidance I received from the greats of the profession. It pushes me to be even better and to learn even more. On the other hand, it is a confirmation that the road is good, I'm on.
The inevitable question is: what next?
- It depends on many things. Competition gives you an extra boost in your life and you always want to do better. I've already started thinking about how to make different dishes, how to vary the menu in the restaurant. Part of the learning process is, for example, how I can sneak certain items into the menu. I have already decided that I would like to have a wine dinner where I present my competition dishes, Bocuse dishes, with a little bit of addition. So I'm still working on doing my thing. If you ask me if I'll be running next time, I don't have an answer. I've been competing for twenty years and I'm now in the middle age group. The future will decide what the next step will be. I still have a lot of energy and a lot of things I would like to show, so I don't rule out the possibility of continuing this streak.
Is the increased attention gained by the competition also good for the restaurant?
- Naturally, more attention is then focused on a single chef. It's no coincidence that I'm also planning a dinner party. People who love gastronomy and who pay attention will certainly be curious about my work, and this will certainly attract more interest in the Walnut restaurant. The Bocuse itself was a great experience and a great inspiration for me, which is important in my professional career. #
Source: Airchef Tamás Budafoki
Photo: Hungarian Bocuse d'Or Academy, Adamek Balázs
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