This year, the continent’s best chefs will compete with each other in Budapest at the European finals of the Bocuse d’Or, one of the world’s most prestigious cooking competitions.
Those who advance in this round will be able to compete at the world finale of the contest, held in Lyon. Representing Hungary during these European Bocuse d’Or finals, Tamás Széll of the Michelin-starred Onyx restaurant leads his kitchen team here on May 11th.
The Bocuse d’Or finals takes place at Hungexpo, and anyone can attend it with a ticket, but for those who want to watch the appetite-arousing action from the comfort of the city center, the Downtown Market will host a cheering center throughout the competition, with a giant screen, champagne, a farmers’ market, and live music. This year, the competing chefs will have to make exciting dishes from two official ingredients: red deer haunch and saddle, and sterlet and its caviar. The jury will evaluate the dishes based on the originality of the recipe and the faithful usage of the ingredients.
In case we grow hungry from the sight of appetizing dishes on the screen – which is quite likely to happen – we can choose from the market’s great offers for a quick snack, with longer opening hours on these two days. For example, we can choose from huge wiener schnitzels, lángos, steamed buns, or hamburgers. When adequately full, we also recommend checking out the photo exhibition with a selection of the country’s best gastro photographers’ works. The broadcast of the competition lasts until 5pm on both days; afterwards, we can enjoy the bar music of the Belvárosi Cigányzenekar (“Downtown Gypsy Orchestra”), followed by a DJ until 11pm. The visitors’ official after party of Bocuse d’Or will also be held here at the Hold Street Market, and is free to join!
