We all know that a festival is no longer just about music and entertainment, but also about food and drink. But have you ever wondered how much the offer has changed recently?
In the old days, if you went to a festival, the most you could do hamburgerre, on a sizzling bun or a slice of quickly grilled for bacon you could expect. Today it's different. Festival food has become much more varied, healthy and special. And it's all created by us, the chefs.
Quality ingredients, unique dishes
Nowadays, the food on offer at festivals is much more gastronomic experiences (also) focuses on. In addition to the classic festival food, in recent years there are also stands where star chefs and larger restaurants offer special, innovative dishes. International flavours have made an appearance at festivals, be it about sushi, Thai woks, French crépes or even South American street food. Today, it is not uncommon to find stalls at the biggest festivals where Michelin-starred chefs offer gourmet cuisine.
Hungarian cuisine is also a little renewed at this time. There are more and more stalls where traditional Hungarian dishes are being reimagined, and served in a modern, innovative way. For example, stuffed cabbage is served as a refreshing stew rather than the traditional way, and chicken paprikash is served as a taco. So the festivals have given Hungarian cuisine a new, youthful and fresh look, which attracts even more visitors and foreign guests.
The rise of the plant-based diet
Healthy eating is also gaining ground. Every year, there are more and more vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, so that everyone can find something to suit them. And it's not just about salads and vegetables, but also dishes like jackfruit burgers and lentil falafel, which probably wouldn't have been in short supply 10 years ago.
So festivals are no longer just about having fun, they are also about introducing visitors to new and unique flavours. The food scene has changed enormously in recent years. We have moved from simple, quick-to-prepare meals to complex, tasty and healthy dishes. And this change offers huge opportunities not only for festival-goers but also for chefs. Opportunities to create new recipes, new flavours and bring the gastronomic experience to the festival world.
