Life line/Dine line
My childhood
A happy childhood and the inheritance of good genes.
Asparagus on the table in the 1960s and today. Let’s have a taste!
Hotel Sport and Culinary School Part 1
Crayfish, snails, frogs on the permanent menu in 1968. We are making lobster cream soup with my guest Csaba Horváth, my former fellow student.
Hotel Sport and Culinary School Part 2
We are preparing roasted rabbit loin fillet with my guests János Cseh and István Ferenczi, my former fellow students from chef school.
The 70s
Summer work at Lake Balaton, three years at the Pilvax, starting a family, and my high school years.
We are preparing delicious bites of pike-perch with my guest, Ferenc Balatoni, my former chef.
1970-80s 1. Part
Between 1977 and 1980 I completed my studies at the College of Catering (KVF), and in 1980 I began working there as well. At the Joy of Cooking, my guests are my former students, György Haris and Eszter Haris, with whom we are making Paella de mariscos.
1970-80s 2. Part
Alongside my main job, I often went to help out (working as a substitute) as a cook or a waiter, thus I gathered a lot of experience. Between 1982 and 1985 I pursued my studies at the University of Economics. At the Joyful Cooking, my former colleagues Anikó Balog-Siposné Szőcze and Hedvig Hidvégi are my guests, with whom we are preparing Creamy risotto.
Gaining Experience in More Developed Countries
1985–1992
Traveling, seeing the world, I have always loved, and moreover, if I saw something forward-looking, valuable, I incorporated it into the professional education of the college/university. In this part, my experiences between 1985-92 in more developed countries can be read. On Joyful Cooking, my guests are my former colleagues Károly Varga and Zoltán Kiss, with whom I was together at the 1992 World Expo in Seville, and with whom we prepare Soft buffalo cheese with crunchy salad with yogurt dressing, basil-green apple sorbet, and tuile leaf.
Hospitality College (KVIF, BGF) work 1992-2004 Part 1
With the launch of the Training Cabinet in 1992, our students could become acquainted with a standard similar to that of advanced Western European higher education institutions at the College’s restaurant-kitchen practice facility. In the kitchen, my guests are Tamás Lusztig and Attila Bicsár, with whom I maintain both a professional relationship spanning several decades and with whom, at the Joy of Cooking, we prepare salmon roasted with spiced butter, served with spinach potato stew.
Hospitality College work 1992-2004 Part 2
From the mid-1990s we organized numerous domestic and international competitions and cooking demonstrations alongside and in support of education. Several times our guest was, for example, Patrick Pages, a two-Michelin-star chef. At the Joy of Cooking, my guest was Lázár Kovács, who won the Chaîne des Rôtisseur young chefs competitions in the second half of the 1990s, and with whom we prepared steak variations.
Gaining experience in more developed countries 1993-2004
Between 1993 and 2004 I continued gaining experience in more developed countries: England, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy. In 2003 in South Africa, together with Frigyes Vomberg, we represented our country at a charity event where 150 chefs from 33 countries helped poor, starving children with demonstrations and food distribution. At the Joy of Cooking, my guest was György László, the legendary chef of the Forum, later the Intercontinental Hotel, and with whom we prepared pork tenderloin with Gorgonzola.
Hungarian Executive Chefs Association
I was the founding president of the Association of Hungarian Chefs Étrend from 2002 to 2006. Our goal was to create a society of those who wanted to contribute to Hungarian gastronomy, which, while respecting the diversity, richness of flavors, and traditions of classic Hungarian cuisine, adapts it to the expectations of the time and promotes its recognition at home and abroad through its work. At the Joy of Cooking, my guests were my Étrend colleagues István Varga, András Schwarcz, and Endre Kelemen, with whom we prepared orange tomato soup.
College of Hospitality (BGF KVIK) work 2005-2013 (Part 1)
At the College of Catering (KVIF, BGF), in the first part of my work from 2005 to 2013, we can still read about many events organized by the Teaching Cabinet – Italian cooking demonstration led by chef Cristian Broglia, Renaissance feast and gastronomic competition, “Golden Wooden Spoon” cooking contest. At the Joy of Cooking, my guests were my former master student István Kiripolszki and my former student Tamás Stiller, with whom we prepared roasted young chicken breast with aged ham and sage, served with creamy zucchini risotto.
College of Hospitality (BGF KVIK) work 2005-2013 (Part 2)
In 2011, at the Dr. László Ketter gastronomic tradition-preserving competition, the college team finished in absolute first place. The article written at the time can be read here.
“Absolute first place with a gold medal
Once again, the students of the Budapest Business College achieved an outstanding professional success.
At the Dr. László Ketter tradition-preserving jubilee gastronomic competition, three students of the BGF Faculty of Commerce, Catering and Tourism, Boglárka Balogh, Zsuzsanna Debrődy and Jessica Kaskova, finished in absolute first place with a gold medal. At the competition organized on 14.12.2011 by the Gödöllő Area Regional Tourism Association in the Csíkvölgyi Pipa inn in Mogyoród, the students’ instructor was Hedvig Hidvégi, college assistant lecturer.”
College of Hospitality (BGF KVIK) work 2014-2015
The College of Hospitality (KVIF, BGF) my work in 2014-2015 was partly, as before, an international cavalcade in the Training Kitchen: Korean, French, Thai, and Finnish gastronomy. Competitions: Chaîne des Rôtisseur young chefs, table setting, Dr. László Ketter tradition-preserving competition. Aquaculture and craft demonstrations: bakery, ice cream, wine, pálinka, coffee. At the Joy of Cooking event, my guests were Péter Palotás, the owner of the Budaörs fish market, and Viktor Segal, culinary consultant chef, with whom we prepared steamed giant halibut fillet.
Budapest Business University Hospitality Course work 2016-2017 Part 1
At the College of Catering and Hospitality (KVIF, BGF), in part 1 of my 2016-2017 work, in the Teaching Cabinet, in keywords: visit of the Bocuse d’Or Academy board and the competition team, Bocuse d’Or waiter training, Researchers’ Night, Dr. László Ketter Gastronomy Competition, Gourmet Club introductory event. At the Joy of Cooking event, my excellent former competitor Barbara Ramocsai was my guest, with whom we prepared Ceviche.
Budapest Business University Hospitality Course work 2016-2017 Part 2
In the second part of my 2016-2017 work at the College of Catering and Tourism (KVIF, BGF), the events organized in the Teaching Cabinet in brief: Visit of the Hungarian Restaurant Masters’ Club, Thai food presentation, product development of dishes made from domestic fish and sweet potatoes. At the Joy of Cooking event, my guest was Péter Korponai, who had trained my competitors in plated desserts, and together we prepared a wine foam dessert.
Gaining Experience in More Developed Countries 2005-2018 and PhD studies 2006-2012
Gaining experience in more developed countries between 2005 and 2018 and my PhD studies in keywords: chef training in Louisiana, giving presentations at WACS conferences, guest lecturer at TAMK in Tampere, participation in the “Saperi e Sapori in Cattedra” gastronomic event in Florence, visit to the Swiss HTMi Hotel & Tourism Management Institute, professional trip to Italy on the production and use of Gorgonzola and Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses. PhD degree obtained in 2012. In the Joy of Cooking, my guests are Áron Barka, chef of the Zeina Hotel, and György Lipták, a distinguished former student of mine, with whom we prepare gnocchi with tomato and sage.
Skills competitions
I was Hungary’s culinary expert (coach, jury member) at the Skills competitions between 2010 and 2017. The best result was achieved in 2012 by competitor Zsolt Berki at the EuroSkills in Belgium, who won an individual Medal for Excellence and a team bronze medal. At the Joy of Cooking event, my guests were Zsolt Berki, chef of the Port Restaurant & Inn and my former excellent competitor, and the renowned culinary expert Frigyes Vomberg, with whom we prepared Trout Roulade.
Olivier Roellinger cooking competition
We achieved fine results in the European fish cooking competitions named after and organized by the French chef Olivier Roellinger, who has 3 Michelin stars. During the period I mentored between 2016 and 2018, Fanny Czompa won bronze, Dániel Szűcs won gold, Barbara Ramocsai won silver, and Norbert Csukás won a bronze medal. At the Örömfőzés, Dániel Szűcs, the chef of Vino Bar ’N Bistro, and Fanny Czompa, a creative cake designer, were my excellent competitors and my guests, with whom we are preparing Mangalica collar.
Dr. Sándor Dénes "Pro Gastronomia" award
I established the Pro Gastronomia Award in 2018 with the help of Dr. Andrea Lugasi, Dean of BGE KVIK, to promote Hungarian gastronomy and to recognize the professional activities of outstanding figures in the hospitality industry and promising young representatives. The professional award can be received by individuals who deliver outstanding performance in domestic and international gastronomy. Alongside the award – as a youth prize – a chef’s jacket previously worn by Dr. Dénes Sándor is also presented to a young professional who has achieved outstanding performance in the field of gastronomy.
My family
My family is in focus. We live in harmony, giving each other strength and energy. Mutual love and respect are our cornerstones. At Joyful Cooking, with my grandchildren Nóri, Réka, and Mira, we prepare egg dishes and Fruit Balls.
