Pro Gastronomia Award
The history of the award
Dr. Sándor Dénes, retired associate professor of the Faculty of Commerce, Hospitality and Tourism of Budapest University of Economics and Business, established the Pro Gastronomia Award in 2018 with the purpose of endorsing Hungarian gastronomy and acknowledging the professional activities of the principal personalities and emerging young talents in hospitality.
According to the intentions of the founder, this professional award can be given annually to a maximum of four persons who make outstanding contributions to Hungarian and international gastronomy. On the same occasion, as a youth award, a chef coat worn by Dr. Dénes Sándor is awarded to former students of BUEB FCHT or its predecessor institutions who excel in the field of gastronomy.
The award is granted annually, and the winners are chosen by the founder Dr. Dénes Sándor together with the Head of the Department of Hospitality of BUEB FCHT and they also invite a third person who is widely recognised in gastronomy. In 2020, the founder chose the winners of the award with Dr. Lugasi Andrea and Prof. Dr. Gundel János, professor emeritus of BUEB FCHT.
In 2021, the founder was joined by Dr. Andrea Lugasi, Kiss Imre, retired director of the Hungarian Museum of Trade and Tourism, and Segal Viktor, chef and gastronomical advisor to decide who can win the award.
In 2022, the founder was joined by Dr. Andrea Lugasi, Dean of the FCHT, Prof. Dr. János Gundel, retired college professor and professor emeritus of BUEB FCHT, Imre Kiss, retired director of the Hungarian Museum of Trade and Tourism, and Viktor Segal, chef and gastronomy advisor to choose the persons who were deemed eligible for the award.
In 2023, the founder was joined by Dr. Andrea Lugasi, Dean of the FCHT, Prof. Dr. János Gundel, retired college professor and professor emeritus of BUEB FCHT, Viktor Segal, chef and gastronomy advisor and Kőrössy Zoltán, co-owner of Eventrend to select the awardees.
We are grateful to Kiss Imrének (1956-2023), retired director of the Hungarian Museum of Trade and Tourism for his devoted and valuable work in the Selection Committee of the Pro Gastronomia award. His memory will live on in our hearts.
In 2024, the founder was joined by Dr. Andrea Lugasi, college professor of the FCHT, Prof. Dr. János Gundel, retired college professor and professor emeritus of BUEB FCHT, Viktor Segal, chef and gastronomy advisor and Zoltén Kőrössy, co-owner of Eventrend to select the awardees.
Why did we establish this award?
Because celebration is rare in gastronomy, and its everyday practice, hospitality. There is no time for it. They serve guests on 365 days a year up to 24 hours a day. That is why we thought that we should stop for a moment just once a year, only for an hour. Let us celebrate those colleagues who show exceptional performance, and who pamper the guests with delicious dishes daily, day and night, on weekdays and holidays too.
Gastronomy is our beautiful profession, and cooking is a multiple source of pleasure. Firstly, because it is a joy to prepare food using the appropriate kitchen technology and see how raw materials become mouth-watering dishes and how nicely these are served to the guests. On the other hand, an aesthetically served and tasty dish consumed in a nice company is a pleasure for the guest as well. Thirdly, the person who prepared the dish will be happy when seeing the satisfied guest, which will fill him or her with new energy.
The founders of the award find it important to select the award-winners from different generations so as to represent the continuous development of gastronomy. The founders believe that gastronomy does not only mean the use of local ingredients and the preparation of regional dishes but it is a global phenomenon and they also consider it important to grant a gastronomy award to former students of BUEB FCHT. This award is a chef coat worn earlier by Dr. Dénes Sándor.
You can find more information about the Pro Gastronomia Award, the awarding ceremony and pictures on BGE’s page.