As rare as it is to see a scathing restaurant review published in English in the local press – restaurants, after all, are primary sources of advertising revenue – it’s rarer still to see a full-bore attack on Hungarian restaurant culture, and one that links the deficiencies of the country’s culinary industry with the Hungarian psyche. So we were intrigued to find, via reader D.M. this scathing essay about the current state of Hungarian dining recently published in the online English pages of Hungarian weekly 168óra (that’s “168 hours,” as in a week), by critic László Kasza. According to Kasza, most Hungarians think that the country’s cuisine is both world-famous, and that this reputation is good. And he thinks they are wrong – big time – and that the reality indicates something much worse than an overcooked piece of meat:
In my opinion, Hungarian cuisine has bad, rather than world acknowledged reputation. And I am afraid that this is not due to the food that we cook, but Hungarian mentality and attitude. Both at home and abroad. The slogan is to get rich soon and with little work. Fair commercial spirit, the love of profession, and demands and standards for ourselves are secondary or little known concepts. If we see the word client, we do not think of the subject of the meaning, whom we try to persuade about our good achievement to make sure he or she comes tomorrow along with friends and family, but instead, a random fellow who can be taken advantage of, and then we won’t see them again. Yes, we fall short of true middle-class virtue, which we cannot confuse with the slogans of any political party.
Having just waded into the pond of restaurant criticism, we’re not going to do anything more than recommend that you read Kasza’s entire piece, and perhaps pass it on to anyone you think might find it as interesting and provocative as we did. And if they get angry and ask where you got it from, feel free to blame it on D.M.
