The Gourmet Festival is held again in Budapest between May 24 and May 26, the most renowned event for gastronomy enthusiasts. The theme of the festival this year was “Inspiring Women.” In previous years, there were similar conceptual categories, such as “Heritage” or “New Generation.”
We also checked out the opening day of the event, Friday, which started cumbersome due to the rainy weather in the morning. Despite this, people were already exploring the event area when it opened at 11 a.m.
Someone either loves oysters or hates them
When talking about female energies, we cannot overlook the Oyster Sommelier stand. You have often heard in movies that oysters are an aphrodisiac. Due to their high zinc content, they can indeed have beneficial effects on women.
Many people are afraid of consuming oysters, not just because of the taste and experience, but because it’s important to have fresh and high-quality oysters. At this stand, interested visitors had safe opportunity to try it.
Better weather
Despite the initial bad weather, more and more people showed up at the festival venue, but after the sun came out in the afternoon, guests started arriving in large numbers.
Drinks
The Gourmet Festival is not just about eating but also about drinking. You could try numerous special cocktails, wines, beers, coffees and also choose from a variety of non-alcoholic drinks.
Lots and lots of options
But let’s get back to eating. At more than 100 exhibitors, you can taste the most extraordinary dishes at restaurant stands.
The catering establishments paid attention to various food allergies, offering lactose-free, gluten-free, as well as vegetarian and vegan dishes. With so many options available, it was easy to get lost in all the choices, but whatever you chose, you could surely taste the best flavor harmonies. From cold to hot dishes, you could sample flavors from all around the world at the Gourmet Festival.
At the Majorelle stand, you can taste exceptionally delicious and authentic Moroccan dishes.
Desserts
This year, similar to the Sziget Festival, at the Gourmet Festival, we also encountered “well-priced” foods for 2500 HUF. Some restaurants offered multiple dishes at this price, but you could also buy a slice of pizza or pastry for less.
Many restaurants opted for their desserts in the affordable price category. For that price, people can try the flódni, which is a sweet, filled pastry from Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. Or the Gundel pancake, which is a well-known Hungarian specialty.
“Flower Garden”
However, we would like to highlight the dishes created by Chef Ákos Sárközi, who took this year’s theme seriously. Even the names of the dishes were built around things that women love: cappuccino, luxury, and flowers, and the presentation did not deviate from the theme. The dessert, named “Flower Garden,” embodied feminine energy in its appearance and the taste was a sensation.
Despite the rain, Friday afternoon already marked a vibrant atmosphere at the 2024 Gourmet Festival. If you can and have the chance to taste some delicious dishes, you still have two more days for that this year. You can find further information about the event here.
