For the third time now, the Gundel Awards ceremony has taken place at its most fitting venue – the Gundel Restaurant in City Park – where the Hungarian Catering Trade Association (MVI) invited the cream of the hospitality profession to a gala lunch in honour of this year’s award winners. Here, everything spoke of tradition, a glorious gastronomic past, a successful present and, seeing the swift diligence of the trainee waiters, a future full of hope.

At midday on Sunday 15 October, the cream of the Hungarian gastronomic scene gathered to celebrate this year’s award winners with a gala lunch featuring fabulous flavours in a warm, family-like atmosphere: Katalin Pintér (Gerbeaud, Onyx Műhely, Émile Restaurant) and Sándor Nyíri, known as Szása, the founder and owner of Arany Kaviár Restaurant.

The host of the gala lunch on this occasion was Marcsi Borbás, one of last year’s award winners; her professional mentor was Lajos Bíró, whilst sommelier Mihály Fabók ensured that the drinks perfectly complemented the dishes.

As the host of the event, László Kovács, President of the MVI, welcomed the attendees and went on to explain that the Trade Association had established the Károly Gundel Award in 2014 with the broad involvement of professional organisations, which is awarded to individuals who, within the Hungarian hospitality sector, serve as exemplary followers of Károly Gundel’s life and gastronomic legacy. Each year, one, two or three people may receive the Kossuth Prize of the Hungarian hospitality industry, the president continued, adding that in 2023, delegates from 12 professional organisations, delegates from three institutions, the Gundel Restaurant, and a representative of the Gundel family decided on this year’s award winners based on the nominees’ work.

We then listened to an account of Károly Gundel’s life and work in the year marking the 140th anniversary of his birth, whilst the young, energetic waiters began serving the courses of the celebratory lunch to the tables. Marcsi Borbás would always call up onto the stage the chefs who had just served the dish – presented in a mirror-image arrangement – to the guests, and they would demonstrate what they had prepared for them. This was a challenge for the trainee waiters, not least because there was barely any space between the tables, as there were so many of us gathered once again at this award ceremony, filled with good cheer, delicious food and lively conversations and encounters – an event that has now become the highlight of the Hungarian hospitality industry each year, crowned by the Gundel Prize.

Marcsi also told us that the theme of this year’s lunch was dumplings; a dumpling had been cleverly incorporated into every course – and there were even two in the plum dumpling dish that rounded off the meal.

The audience of industry professionals welcomed this year’s two award winners, Katalin Pintér and Sándor Szása Nyíri, as they received their awards. Following the ceremonial proceedings, the convivial luncheon continued – an event which, year on year, is also the most atmospheric gathering in the hospitality industry. A gathering where, right through to the kitchen, renowned chefs, and cooks give their all to the dishes served to the discerning and expert guests, who are all well aware of just how much selfless work, enthusiasm and professionalism goes into what is served before them.

The full menu for this year’s gala lunch was as follows.

Welcome drink: Törley Tokaji Brut sparkling wine

Amuse-bouche: Catfish sausage balls, goat’s cheese balls dusted with venison ham, rabbit rillettes in a pistachio-spiced crumble, and bean patties fried in crispy pastry served with zakuszka

Created by: Viktor Moldován and András Wolf – Gundel Restaurant, Budapest

Starter: Szilvásvárad trout with quince, hazelnuts and celery

János Macsinka – Macok Bistro, Eger; László Ruprecht – Páskom 1802 Gastronomy Workshop, Lajoskomárom

Wine: Budai Chardonnay Selection 2022 – Nyakas Winery

Soup: Csorbaleves

Lajos Bíró

A beer to go with it: India Pale Ale (IPA) – HopTop Craft Beer

Main course I: Cabbage and yeast dumplings

A dish by Marcsi Borbás, prepared by creative chef Sándor Kerekes – Vadaskert Restaurant, Keszthely

To accompany: Szekszárd Merlot Rosé „Niola” 2018 – Tamás Dúzsi Winery

Main course II: Kappan in red wine, veal shank, mushrooms

János Macsinka – Macok Bistro, Eger; László Ruprecht – Páskom 1802 Gastronomy Workshop, Lajoskomárom

Product: Egri Juhász Végtelen Cuvée 2018 – Juhász Brothers Winery

Dessert: Plum dumplings

Viktor Moldován and András Wolf – Gundel Restaurant, Budapest

With: Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2019 – Götz Winery

The programme, which stretched into the afternoon, would have ended with a raffle had the guests gone home afterwards, but the conversations and encounters were so enjoyable that nobody wanted to interrupt them by simply going home.