The interactive event was more than a simple cooking show: it offered visitors insight into the cultural and religious background of kosher food preparation, while also allowing them to taste the finished dishes on site.

Shakshuka, cholent, and Jewish-style eggs on the menu

During the demonstration, Heller prepared three key dishes that represent different aspects of Jewish culinary tradition.

One of the highlights was shakshuka, a North African–origin dish that has become widely popular in Israeli and broader Jewish cuisine. The dish, made with a rich tomato base, peppers, onions, spices, and eggs poached directly in the sauce, was presented as a versatile, seasonal meal that can easily be adapted in home kitchens. Fresh parsley was added at the end to enhance both flavor and presentation.

Another central dish was cholent, a traditional slow-cooked Sabbath stew. Heller emphasized its long cooking time—often four to six hours or more—and its regional variations across Jewish communities. The dish typically includes beans, grains, and meat, and is designed to be prepared before the Sabbath and left to cook slowly overnight. The version presented at the festival reflected this heritage while also highlighting how recipes differ between families and regions.

Alongside these, the audience was introduced to variations of Jewish-style eggs, a simple yet culturally significant dish. Traditionally prepared with hard-boiled eggs mashed and mixed with fat and onions, the dish also appears in different regional interpretations across Jewish communities.

Kosher principles and cultural context

Beyond cooking, the session placed strong emphasis on the rules of kashrut, the Jewish dietary laws that determine which foods are permitted and how they must be prepared.

Heller explained that kosher food is not defined only by ingredients, but also by strict rules of handling, processing, and supervision. These include the separation of certain food types, ritual preparation methods, and in some cases, rabbinical oversight during production.

He also highlighted how kosher regulations extend into modern food industries, influencing everything from wine production to large-scale manufacturing processes. The discussion touched on the symbolic meaning of food within Jewish tradition, particularly the role of ritual purity and dietary discipline.

Set in the green heart of Debrecen, along Lake BĂ©kĂĄs in the Big Forest, the Debrecen Gourmet Festival has evolved into one of Hungary’s most distinctive summer gastronomic events. While it showcases high-level cuisine, craft beverages, and international collaborations, its defining feature is not only what is served, but how people experience it.

For many returning exhibitors and visitors, the festival is less a traditional event and more a shared seasonal meeting point. A place where gastronomy becomes a backdrop for something more fundamental: community.

László Zsirai, owner of the Eger-based and a regular participant in Debrecen’s gastronomic scene, describes the festival’s atmosphere in simple terms:

“It feels like a big picnic more than a classic festival. You come here, but you don’t just rush from one place to another — you stay, you talk, you sit down, and you meet people.”

According to him, this is exactly what makes the Debrecen Gourmet Festival stand out in Hungary’s increasingly busy festival landscape. Instead of focusing only on consumption or programming, the event creates a space where visitors naturally slow down and engage with each other.

“It’s not just about eating or drinking something good,” Zsirai said.

“It’s about the experience around it. You can talk to producers, chefs, bartenders, or even strangers sitting next to you. That’s where the real value is.”

Over the years, the festival has become a recurring meeting point for both professionals and guests. Many exhibitors return annually, creating a familiar community atmosphere where conversations continue from one year to the next, and new connections form organically.

The setting itself plays a key role in shaping this experience. The lakeside environment, open grassy areas, and relaxed layout encourage visitors to spend hours in one place rather than moving quickly between stands.

“It’s big, it’s well organized, but it still feels relaxed,” Zsirai explained.

“You don’t feel pressure. Everything is there — food, drinks, music — but you can decide your own pace. That’s why I call it a picnic.”

This balance between scale and intimacy is what defines the Debrecen Gourmet Festival most strongly. While it hosts a wide range of Hungary’s leading culinary brands, experimental kitchens, and international collaborations, the overall experience remains approachable and community-driven.

As Zsirai summed it up: “Debrecen here feels open and welcoming. You come for the food, but you stay for the people.”

Beyond the pint: How Mad Scientist is redefining beer culture

International collaboration beers bring the “world flavors” theme to life

This year’s Debrecen Gourmet Festival also reflects its “world flavors” theme through a special selection of international collaboration beers brought by MAD Scientist.

LĂĄszlĂł Zsirai highlighted that the brewery arrives with a line-up built around global partnerships and experimental brewing. The selection includes collaboration beers made with partners from countries such as the United States, Greece, France, and Sweden, covering a wide range of styles from hop-forward IPAs to hazy and sour experimental releases.

“These beers are a perfect fit for the theme,” Zsirai noted. “They really bring the idea of world flavors into the glass.”

He also emphasized the limited nature of many of the brews, with several small-batch, one-off creations that are only available for the duration of the festival.

– Éva BĂĄcsi –

The story of Cvekedli is rooted in experience far beyond Hungary’s borders. After years of working in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, chef-owner Erik Gabulya and his team made a conscious decision to return home. Their goal was not to chase international fine dining prestige, but to rebuild something closer to home.

“Everywhere is good, but home is the best,” Gabulya says in his introduction. That idea led them back to Nyíregyháza, where they opened their pasta bar and began reinterpreting classic Hungarian dishes through freshly made pasta, local sourcing, and a strong zero-waste philosophy.

Today, works closely with regional producers, preparing pasta daily and building a menu that reflects both tradition and modern culinary thinking. Their approach is simple but ambitious: make Hungarian pasta dishes exciting again, while keeping them accessible and rooted in familiar flavors.

This philosophy was also on full display in Debrecen, where the team presented their concept for the first time at the Gourmet Festival. “We are really happy, this is our first time here,” Gabulya notes. “We hope it will be a beautiful weekend, with a lot of visitors and good feedback.”

Behind the stand, a small team — including Csilla, Levente and Ádám — worked continuously, preparing fresh pasta on-site and showcasing the brand’s core values: freshness, locality, and creativity.

Hungarian pasta, reimagined

These are the dishes Cvekedli TĂ©sztabĂĄr brought to the Debrecen Gourmet Festival, where Hungarian pasta traditions meet Italian inspiration and are reinterpreted in a modern, creative way.

One of their signature dishes is a tagliatelle with cabbage, where the vegetable is not simply cooked, but slowly prepared with honey, thyme, and black pepper. The result is a surprisingly elegant balance between sweetness, earthiness, and tradition. Combined with freshly made pasta, it becomes a modern interpretation of a deeply rooted Hungarian flavor profile.

Another dish presented at the festival takes its inspiration from Italian culinary thinking, especially the bold, rustic character of southern flavors. The starting point is ’nduja, the spicy Italian sausage, which is reimagined through a local lens. In this version, the ingredient comes from regional producers and is paired with fermented chili, broccoli, sunflower seeds, and pickled onions. The dish delivers heat, acidity, and texture in a layered composition that reflects Cvekedli’s approach: Italian inspiration, but Hungarian ingredients and identity.

Perhaps the most unexpected dish brought to Debrecen is a sweet pasta interpretation of diós tészta, a classic Hungarian childhood favorite. Walnuts and raisins are combined with brown butter, which adds deep caramel and subtle chocolate-like notes. The result is a nostalgic dish elevated into a refined, dessert-like experience.

To complete their festival selection, the team also introduced a cherry gazpacho with tarragon, a refreshing and unconventional pairing that stretches the boundaries of a pasta-focused menu. Light, aromatic, and slightly surprising, it reflects their willingness to experiment beyond traditional expectations.

– Éva BĂĄcsi –

This year’s festival brings together Michelin-starred chefs, acclaimed restaurants, local producers and food innovators, offering guests a chance to discover both traditional Hungarian flavours and international culinary trends. Cooking shows, workshops, tastings and family-friendly activities will complement the gastronomic experience, making the event an attractive destination for food lovers of all ages.

Program schedule:

Friday

Master Good Main Stage

16:00 – Gates open
17:15–17:45 – Presentation of Debrecen’s City Wines
18:00–18:45 – Live cooking show with Ákos SĂĄrközi
19:00–19:45 – Kreinbacher sparkling wine tasting
21:00–22:00 – Mr. Vasovski DJ set
22:00–23:30 – Mr. Vasovski Live concert
23:30–01:00 – DJ NĂ©meti
01:00 – Festival closes

Container Kitchen

16:00–16:45 – Coffee workshop and tasting: The history of Italian coffee culture
17:00–17:45 – Three kimchi flavour bombs with Johanna Miae Choi
18:00–18:45 – The world in one bowl: Wild Eastern miso ramen with Tomi BĂĄrczi (A LEVES Ă©s BURGER)
21:00–23:00 – World Championship broadcast

VIP Tent

18:30–19:00 – DJ NĂ©meti
19:00–21:00 – VIP reception

Saturday

Master Good Main Stage

11:30 – Gates open
11:30–13:15 – DJ Tokai
13:30–14:15 – Live cooking show with Balázs Fedor, Sous Chef (Lestyán X Karám)
14:30–15:15 – Pumpkin stew, zucchini, pike-perch and vermouth with Roland Balogh (Hilton Garden Inn)
15:30–16:15 – A bite where Hungary, Japan and Dubai meet – Michelin two-star chef Eszter Palágyi
16:30–17:15 – Live cooking show with Roy (Michelin-starred chef)
17:30–18:15 – HortobĂĄgy-style catfish with PĂ©ter Pataky (HorgonyzĂł KisvendĂ©glƑ, Tiszalök)
20:00–21:15 – Petra Gubik concert
22:00–23:00 – Josh and Betti
23:30–01:00 – DJ Tokai and Jaykid
01:00 – Festival closes

Container Kitchen

14:00–14:45 – Coffee workshop and tasting: The rise and success of specialty coffee culture
15:00–15:45 – Cauldron cooking, the Great Plain and slambuc – authentic Hungarian shepherd life
16:00–16:45 – Shepherd’s tortellini with ÁdĂĄm ThĂŒr (IKON)
17:00–17:45 – Vermouth show: Italian lifestyle with a Hungarian twist – Moena Vermouth with Zoli Nagy
18:00–18:45 – Indian spice-inspired dishes with Roland Balogh (Hilton Garden Inn)
21:00–23:00 – World Championship broadcast

Sunday

Master Good Main Stage

10:00 – Gates open
11:15–12:00 – Children’s concert by Fruzsina Kovácsovics
12:45–13:30 – Piccoli Pizzaioli – Italian pizza adventure for children with Víghkovász Bakery Bistro
13:45–14:30 – Children’s cooking session with ÁdĂĄm ThĂŒr and Master Good
14:45–15:30 – “Tortilla Passport” – a culinary journey around the world with the young apprentices of Chef Academy
17:00 – Festival closes

Container Kitchen

11:00–11:45 – Kosher traditions and Jewish gastronomy – presentation and tasting with Zsolt Heller, folklorist and essayist
12:00–12:45 – Dinosaur cookie baking (buttery dinosaur-shaped biscuits) with Gergely Vass, author of the Dinosaur Calamity books
13:00–13:45 – Syrup and lemonade making with Szender Garden
14:00–14:45 – Little Pretzel Masters – Bavarian cooking for children with Víghkovász Bakery Bistro
15:30–17:00 – Film screening: Ratatouille

The organisers reserve the right to make changes to the programme.

Flavours of the world arrive in Debrecen – 10 national cuisines, Michelin-starred chefs and Kids Gourmet in the Big Forest

Photo: FƑnix RendezvĂ©nyszervezƑ KözhasznĂș Nonprofit Kft.

The Berliner Wine Trophy showcases thousands of wines from around the world each year, making any recognition here a true mark of professional excellence. Among this year’s awardees, the Tokaji Szamorodni Sweet Amethyst 2022 received particular attention, standing out not only for its quality but also for its accessibility. This success is a reminder of the rich treasures hidden in the Tokaj wine region—and that these treasures are often much closer than we think.

The Taste of Tokaj in Everyday Life

Szamorodni is one of the most exciting types of Tokaji wine. In its production, both botrytized (nobly rotted) and healthy grapes are processed together, so the wine carries the freshness of ripe fruits alongside the deep, honeyed aromas developed by noble rot. This balance makes it special: easy to love, yet offering a complex experience.

The success of Amethyst 2022 is not unique. The winery returned from Berlin with multiple awards, including a grand gold for an AszĂș and another gold-winning Tokaji release. These multiple recognitions together demonstrate that Tokaj remains a stable presence on the international wine map while offering increasingly exciting opportunities for domestic wine enthusiasts.

A Tradition That Still Inspires Today

Tokaj’s history stretches back centuries, and the region’s unique microclimate and volcanic soil continue to shape the character of its wines. Careful vineyard work, the patient process of aging, and a modern professional approach together create the quality that succeeds even on the world stage.

Bea SzöƑr’s article in hungarian can be found .

The festival will be held at the Nagyerdei Stadion Event Square, where international students and community members will present traditional foods representing more than 30 countries. According to the event description, organizers are planning to serve over 20,000 portions of food, making it one of the largest international culinary gatherings in the city.

Beyond food, the event will also highlight Debrecen’s diverse international student community. Visitors can expect live performances, music, and cultural shows, featuring singers, bands, and performers representing different cultures.

The event has attracted thousands of visitors in previous years. Organizers estimate that around 5,000 people attended the festival last year, and a similar turnout is expected again in 2026.

Students from across Hungary may also take part. International scholarship students, including those studying in Budapest, Szeged, and ±ÊĂ©łŠČő, are expected to travel to Debrecen for the event.

After the daytime programs, celebrations will continue with an after-party running until 4 a.m., offering participants a chance to socialize and celebrate the multicultural spirit of the community.

More details at the .

According to a statement from the organizers on Wednesday, the festival will feature around a hundred exhibitors, dozens of programs, and tastings for visitors interested in high-quality gastronomy and culinary experiences.

Exhibiting restaurants will present the distinctive flavors, ingredients, and dishes of rural Hungary according to their own vision and creativity.

More countryside restaurants will be represented than usual: returning participants include Anyukám mondta, the only two-Michelin-star rural restaurant Platán, and the Bib Gourmand-rated Iszkor. For the first time, the festival will host the green Michelin-star Villa Kabala and Papi, which is considered the rural “sibling” of the one-Michelin-star Babel Budapest.

“The Hungarian countryside is not a passing trend but a permanent value that must not only be preserved but also made more visible,” said Richárd Nemes, the festival’s main organizer, in the statement.

Celebrating Hungarian cuisine also inspired a new festival venue, where renowned chefs will prepare different classic rural dishes in limited quantities each day, including Baja-style fish soup, Karcag lamb stew, rooster stew, and contemporary goulash.

For those seeking learning and professional knowledge, the Gourmet Academy will once again offer free lectures, workshops, and tastings related to the theme. Sunday will be family day, and visitors under 18 years old can enter for free, as noted in the organizers’ announcement.

(MTI)