This year’s National Final of the Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition was the 25th consecutive event staged by the Bailliage.

It was held at the HUNGEXPO exhibition centre simultaneously with SIRHA Budapest (the premium international HoReCa and Retail Show) for young talent under the age of 27.

The Hungarian Bocuse d’Or Academy provided the kitchen equipment and some of their members formed part of the panel of judges.

Conseiller Culinaire Lazar Kovács orchestrated the preparatory and co-ordination work as well as orchestrating the competition on the day. He did an outstanding job!

The results, following several hours of intense creativity, concentration and delivery of an outstanding level of food, were as follows:

Winner: Levente Lendvai, Golden Caviar Restaurant
Runner-up: István Akács, Olimpia Restaurant
Third Place: Réka Szegedi, Four Seasons Budapest

The winner, Levente Lendai now has the honour of representing the National Bailliage at the International Final.

The competition has become a special event in Hungary. Holding it as an event open to the public has done a lot to raise the profile of the Chaîne in the wider community.

About 250 spectators were present and followed the competition as it was streamed live.

Géza Kaszás, a well-known television personality, compered the live coverage of the competition. With microphone in hand he visited each working station and described in detail what the competitors were working on at that moment. He also asked the jury members, sponsors and organisers to say a few words during the cooking stage.

A new element was that the servers (trained students) showed the plates to the audience. Many were keen to take photos of the dishes sharing them on social media.

After announcing the results each competitor was interviewed. The entire competition, with particular emphasis on the young Chefs competing, had much coverage by the printed and electronic press.

An eight-member brass band entertained the audience which encouraged an excited mood of anticipation in the results.

Ivan Novak
Bailli Délégué

Photos courtesy of Réka Földi