Best of the land served up – Corinthia Hotel Budapest’s Brasserie & Atrium restaurant awaits its guests with a brand new concept.
Somewhere, at a small farm, where the fertile soil gave good harvest, the grass was wet and green, and the cattle grazed in the meadow, lived a farmer and his wife. They worked hard, their farm was everything to them, and their labour borne fruit. Well-kept animals gave rich and creamy milk, their meet was tender and tasteful, trees produced wondrous, sweet fruits, and the vegetable garden made return for the care month by month. So, they did not live in penury. There were always crispy crust bread, fresh or long-ripened cheese, delicious ham and sausages, heavenly meat, toothsome, home-made jams, fresh and tasty vegetables on the table, in a word, the best of the land.
In the recent months, at the kitchen of Corinthia Hotel Budapest’s Brasseie & Atrium restaurant, everything happened in the spirit of finding these farms out of a tale, to delight their guests with honest dishes made of simple still outstanding ingredients. Behind the scenes works led to the manifesto of a concept that is called Farm to Table, which means that they serve their visitors with a food that is prepared by selecting and using components originated exclusively from inland economies of the highest standards. Obviously, the concept has deeper layers as well. They are not only talking about top-quality ingredients, but also about the reverence of the nature, modern environment management, sustainable development. The results are flawless, seasonal ingredients, tastes beyond comparison and perfect gastronomic experience.
It is widely known, that Balázs Ölvedy, Chef of Brasserie & Atrium is obsessed with quality. He has always put extra emphasis on ingredients, seasonality and sustainability. Consequently, this kind of attitude was a rich soil for the idea that put the country and small-producers into the spotlight. This philosophy roots in practice for Balázs. He was born in Transylvania. At home, from the meet to the fruits, they procured and produced almost everything by themselves. From his childhood, he has been aware of the symbiosis of the seasons and foods, the know-how of farming and the causes of the yield’s quality. We can bravely declare that Farm to Table concept, which already has spread all over the world in respect of local circumstances, was made for him. Balázs and his team started in their own kitchen. They remodelled the previous, Hungarian and international fine-dining menu of Atrium & Brasserie, or in other words, they changed the starting and the end point. From now on, it is not the ingredient that is to be adjusted to the course, but it is the course that is to be adjusted to the ingredients. One point brought the other. If we wish to cook of seasonal materials, we should seek the farmers who are able to produce them in an uncompromising quality. But how did the best of the country get to the heart of the capital to make it possible for their guests to meet the most outstanding cuisine of Budapest?
The concept was born, and the Brasseri & Atrium team literally embarked on a journey. It took a lot of time and thousands of miles to get to every corner of the country and find those free-range farms and small-producing suppliers that matched the idea in all respects. The long research was worth every minute. Today their menu offers unsurpassed gastronomic experience via the truly authentic flavours of the country. The formula is easy: fresh, seasonal, locally available ingredients, simple preparation, passion and expertise.
The philosophy of Farm to Table means a lot for this team. The search phase was a pilgrimage, as all the suppliers are those farmers, who live their lives and get the best out of the land paying attention to the rhythm of the nature. They formed a very personal relationship with them, regularly checking them and the visits are reciprocal. They host their producers on a regular basis, too.
Guests of Brasserie & Atrium can enjoy the real flavours of the country. In February, you can discover the delicious tastes of award-winning trout and salmon from Bajcshal, and the organic mangalica meat produced by András Bari located in Szendrő, near the Aggtelek National Park. Each month during the year, they offer meals built around the products that Hungary’s rich and multifarious lands yield and the farmers bring from the farms to their table.
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