Romania vs. Hungary gourmet face-off: a special dinner night at Babel

Who’s this chef guy from Romania? Kaszás Kornél, Babel & Alex Petricean.

It was originally planned for Wednesday only — but the dinner night sold out so quickly they had to announce an encore for Thursday.

At this year’s Gault&Millau Gala, Kornél Kaszás received the Great Talent of Tomorrow award as head chef of Babel Budapest. Scoring 17 out of 20 points, Babel is one of the country’s top fine dining spots — and Kornél himself is something of an underground star: footballer-style haircut, strong presence, and world-class standards in the kitchen. 

This time, instead of pairing up with an Italian, French or Nordic big name, he’s cooking alongside someone from much closer to home — and that’s what makes it exciting. Alex Petricean is everything this region stands for: raw, bold, and hungry to show something new. Visiting Transylvania always lifts the spirit, and honestly, all of Romania is buzzing with energy, waiting to be discovered.

At one of the country’s best restaurants, a four-hands dinner like this was bound to make noise — and it did. Seats for the Wednesday night were gone in no time, so they simply doubled down and opened a second night.

Alex Petricean may not yet be a household name in Hungary, but in Romania’s dining scene, he’s a true maverick. And now, at Babel, we get a taste of what the neighbor’s experimental cuisine feels like. 

"Hello, Kárpátok!"

Menu: 

NOUA & BABEL — Alex Petricean & Kornél Kaszás

CONSOMMÉ
beef tartare

SMOKED EEL
salmon roe

SARMA
lamb & hazelnut

ZACUSCA
pumpkin & horse sausage 

***

YELLOW BEETROOT
oyster leaves & algae

MBSS
polenta & burduf cheese

THE HOMAGE OF A SIMPLE EGG
aged cheese & textures of yolk

FISH SOUP
baby squid & crab bisque

CIORBA
oyster mushroom & pork lard

VENISON
celeriac & plum 

*** 

FRUIT CHEESE
pear & borscht

TARRAGON
caramel & celery

PETIT FOURS

***

79.000 HUF Tickets here

Photos by @deerphotos and @florencestoiber