Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1984. július-december (38. évfolyam, 27-48. szám)
1984-12-20 / 48. szám
10. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZÓ Thursday, Dec. 20. 1984. The i Master Chef "Would you tell us something about the chefs Oscar?" "It is similar to the Oscar awards of the cinema. It was founded by a chef dynasty in Miami Beach and just like the Olympic Games, it is held every four years, with the best chefs invited from every part of the world. Although no money goes with the award, winning it ensures all-important international recognition. It is not easy to win the chef's Oscar, not only because there are many contestants, but also because the criteria of judgement are inevitably subjective. Hungary has 12 or 13 chefs who have been awarded this coveted prize. Hungarian cuisine and Hungarian chefs enjoy a good international reputation. There are Hungarian restaurants in almost every part of the world and many Hungarian chefs work outside the country. "I was the first in our family to be ensnared by the art of cooking," says István Lukacs. "I had a lucky start; I became a trainee at the Palace Hotel in Budapest, and it was also here that I learned something I still belive today: there is no bad food only a bad cook. For instance, I hated spinach as a child and developed a liking for it at the Palace..." In Hungary national competitions are held every year for students of numerous trades. István Lukács came in first at one such competition held for trainee cooks. Later, from 1962, he worked as second chef at the Aranyhomok Hotel in Kecskemét, two years later at the Vörös Csillag Hotel in Budapest. He spent a year in the Netherlands as the chef of a Hungarian restaurant. Following his return to Hungary he worked for ten years at Budapest Hotel, where parties and functions both tested his mettle and enriched his art. Later on Lukács was transferred to the Budapest Hilton and, two years' ago, became executive chef at the newly opened A'trium Hyatt. István Lukács now supervises the work of some 45 people in an ultramodern kitchen. Soups, meat, snacks and pastries are all his responsibility. Every day, several hundred hotel guests and non-resident customers have to be catered to - ‘impeccably. Last year, the Atrium Hyatt restaurant earnings topped the 100 million forint mark. "The only disadvantage of this type of work is in its results that fast disappear. Customers eat up their meals in minutes, regardless of their flavor or uniqueness! A good chef is always willing to learn and strives to accomplish more, something new. Culinary art is constantly developing, and eating habits change. A case in point is the vogue for light meals throughout the world. This is obviously a result of the hectic pace of1 our lives. Nowadays people do not spend hours eating meals consisting of innumerable courses. Vegetables, eaten almost raw or slightly steamed, fruit, dairy products, and hearty breakfasts are the "in" thing nowadays..." "You have traveled extensively and worked in many places. Can you recall any unpleasant memories?" "Of course, mishaps are bound to happen. I had a very bad time of it at a banquet when the famous Gundel pancakes were sprinkled with salt." "What's your favorite dish?" "Anything that is well prepared. Still, I have a weakness for poultry: chicken, duck, goose." "Would you give us a recipe, then?" "Naturally. To make stuffed duck you need the following ingredients: I duck, 3 bread rolls soaked in milk, 300 g (10 oz) ground pork, 3 eggs, salt, nutmeg (or ground white pepper), finely chopped parsley, onion, garlic. Combine the ingredients and stuff the seasoned duck with the mixture. Roast in the oven, in a baking dish or earthenware dish for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Baste frequently with 3/4 cup white wine, & with own fat. If your duck is lean, cover it with a thin layer of lard before roasting." Éva Eory (Condensed from Kepes Újság) BUDAPEST DEVELOPED WITH SPLIT > (Cont from p. 9.) PERSONALITY built in the 15th Century for King Matthias, who married Beatrice of Aragon there. A symphony orchestra performs classical and religious works Sunday at 10 a.m. On display in an adjacent museum are medieval stone carvings, dated religious artifacts, and replicas of the Hungarian crown jewels. Visitors can see the real Crown of St. Stephen in Pest. The symbol of Hungarian sovereignty had been handed over to the United States for safekeeping after the war. Only recently was rt returned under the Carter administration as an expression of friendship between the two countries. The Fisherman's Bastion could pass for a medieval monument as well, but the uninformed should not let the fortlike complex of turrets, arches, and terraces fool them. It was built for fun at the beginning of this century as a glorified photo stop, the views of the Danube and the skyline from Fisherman's Bastion are unparalleled. After dark, Fisherman's Bastion is a popular disco. Next door, the modern Hilton has incorporated the ruins of a 13th Century »Dominican church, abbey, and monastery into its design. For those staying elsewhere, it is worth a peek to see the juxtaposition of new and old, as well as a look at the aforementioned Roman milestone and the hotel's main entrance, the baroque facade of a Jesuit college dating to 1688. In 1849, Buda was connected to rival Pest by the first of eight bridges, a suspension bridge called the Chain Bridge. All eight were destroyed during the war, and all have been rebuilt. With regal stone lions at both ends, the Chain Bridge is the most beautiful, particularly when lit at night. From here, a tour of the Pest side begins. Parliament, the Inner City Parish Church (from the 12th Century, the oldest building in Pest), the National Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the gilded Opera House stand out among the historical museums and monuments worth seeing in Pest. But more fun is a look at working Pest. Topping the list is a visit to the city's covered market. Once the city's central marketplace, the cavernous building is now a food and crafts hall, its six floors filled with paprika stalls and other food vendors and small craft booths offering charming gift items and local color. Other shoppers head to Vaci Street, just behind the Duna Inter-Continental, Forum, and Atrium Hyatt hotels. The street is closed to vehicular traffic and is jammed with stores selling furs and low-priced fur hats, jewelry, crystal, folk art and crafts, books and records, clothes, and sporting goods. On Sundays, the consumers are replaced by Hungarian families windowshopping or stopping for an ice-cream cone or piece of strudel. Finally, should visitors be confined indoors because of rain or cold, they might consider a trip to tranquil Margaret Island for a thermal bath and massage. The spa in the Hotel Thermal offers these and other medicinal and beauty services to guests and drop-in traffic. The island, Is miles long and several hundred yards wide, is between Buda and Pest at the foot of Margaret Bridge. Motor traffic is prohibited on the island, and bicycles may be rented from the hotel in better weather.
