While Budapest may be primarily known for its architecture, geothermal springs and communist heritage, the city’s gastronomy scene has been gaining considerable travel attention in recent years.
New and exciting fine dining spots are constantly opening up in the Hungarian capital, many headed up by prolific chefs keen to inject imagination and prestige into the Budapest dining experience.
Two restaurants in the Hungarian capital were awarded new Michelin stars in the past 12 months alone, bringing the total of Michelin-awarded establishments in Budapest to six.
Hungary only received its first Michelin star nine years ago, so this is a pretty remarkable turnaround.
There’s little doubt a culinary revolution is underway in the “Pearl of the Danube,” but what’s brought about this burgeoning movement?
Record numbers of tourists and a booming economy have definitely played a part.
With Hungary’s difficult past well documented, it’s fair to say that fine dining hasn’t necessarily been a high priority for locals haunted by Communist austerity.
“Hungary was always a pretty poor country,” explains Hungarian food critic Andras Jokuti. “So the main goal of Hungarian cuisine was to stay alive. It was very important to have lots of proteins and carbs – it was based around potato and meat.”
Culinary movement
Shifting this perception has been a lengthy process, which continues today. However, the tide is definitely turning.
Portuguese chef Miguel Rocha Vieira believes this is partly due to good quality produce becoming more readily available in the country during the past decade.
“We’d have to buy butter from abroad [before] because there was no good quality butter here,” he tells CNN.
“Everything is completely different now.”
Vieira heads up Costes, based in Raday Street, and was at the restaurant’s helm when it became the first in the country to earn a Michelin star back in 2010.
He produces modern takes on classic Hungarian dishes, serving up four to seven-course set menus with various wine pairings.
Jokuti feels that Vieira injected life into the dining scene by merging both Hungarian and Portuguese influences into his dishes early on.
“When Miguel arrived in Budapest, it was like the very beginning of the fine dining story in Hungary,” he says.
Vieira admits he knew little about Hungarian cuisine when he came to the country all those years ago and was often “hammered by critics.”
“My cooking has changed a lot,” he adds. “Now I can tell you proudly that my stamp is in the food.”
“One of the biggest compliments we can have here is if somebody says, ‘I felt this dinner had personality.”
While Vieira tries to incorporate Hungarian traditions in his dishes, this isn’t the “ultimate goal” and he certainly doesn’t have Michelin stars in mind while in the kitchen.
“I always say to the boys, ‘We should cook for ourselves. We should do what we believe.’ It’s not about cooking for awards,” he adds. “It’s not looking for stars or for recognition.
“That’s the cherry on top of the cake. But that’s not why we work 14, 15 or 16 hours a day.”
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