Gulasha Day in Sofia
Surely many residents of Sofia remember the Hungarian Rakovski Restaurant, which also had a live orchestra. Well, it has long gone and this kitchen has disappeared from the culinary map of the city. Recently, Hungary knows that the food there is already quite modern and definitely corresponds to the Fusion definition.
Not all is goulash, but still
After nearly 15 years in Japan, where he runs a Hungarian restaurant, in 2022, Chef Victor
Moldovan returns to his native Hungary to take the lead at the most famous Hungarian restaurant – Gundel, and since then, along with one of the owners – Chef Andra Wolf, they have revives emblematic Hungarian dishes such as Gulas, Palotska Soup, CHAPPATE CHAPTA Gundel pancakes.
My personal experience shows that the popularity of the Gulash soup has not decreased for decades. In outdoor events, young people in the country always cook it and consume it with pleasure.
Our experience at the Gundel restaurant is also very positive, we see that our young guests choose our most popular soup to an equally older generation.
« My personal experience shows that the popularity of the Gulash soup has not decreased for decades. In outdoor events, young people in the country always cook and consume it with pleasure, » says the chef in response to Dnevnik questions. His experience in Gundel also shows that young visitors choose the most popular Hungarian soup at least less than the older generation. « I can safely say that everyone loves the Gulash soup when it is rich enough. We do not like goulash with too many broth, but it is lighter than the original Ragu dish, » explains Chief Moldovan.
For Hungarian cuisine outside Hungary
According to the chef, the Hungarian cuisine is not unknown outside its homeland, not only with the goulash, but also with the Palotska soup (with angel – ed.), Chicken paprika, white fish in Carpathian. As well as with iconic desserts such as shomloi galushka or Gundel pancakes.
After 15 years in Japan, he found that there were 2 dishes known there – rifle and goulash. It is remarkable that until recently in Tokyo there are as many as 3 Hungarian restaurants, one of which is now working, as well as one on the island of Hokkaido, which he himself runs but has already closed its doors.
« But we can safely say that in major cities and capitals of Central Europe, such as Berlin, Vienna, London, there are traditional Hungarian restaurants, » Moldovan says.
What do the establishments in Hungary offer
If anyone has visited Budapest with a distance of at least 10 years, he or she has found how the restaurant landscape in the city has changed and how the kitchen was modernized. This is also reported by the chef, stating that on today’s culinary scene in his homeland he rules fusion food. « Modern Hungarian cuisine is unfortunately undergoing many influences, so it has changed a lot, it has been slightly distorted. This is also a reason to consider the Gundel restaurant to represent the Hungarian cuisine -based traditions, » he says.
At the same time, it notes that it is important, along with the conservation of traditions, to go and modernize the end result – to serve the dish attractive.
He believes that what today’s clients of the Hungarian establishments will depend on the occasion for their visit, with the Hungarian dishes competing in the big cities with the world’s proposals.
Expect Chef Moldovan’s recipe in the coming days.
