Learn to Fry Flawless Lángos Flatbread from a Master Chef
This is not our first exploration of Anantara's exclusive services. We were among the first to test the hotel's White Salon, and interviewed the young chef Dani Bíró. We spent a whole afternoon relaxing at the Spa, and even their all-day fruit brandy extravaganza in Agárd, and yet we're nowhere near the end of what this hotel has to offer.
To go beyond simply enjoying a traditional Hungarian dinner together, then an evening of casual cooking and tasting is a safe bet for a fun night out.
Even as a native Hungarian, I found myself intrigued looking behind the scenes at Séf Asztala, a patently Hungarian bistro led by András Wolf. The location's on Kossuth tér, right beside Parlament, in one of downtown's most beautiful buildings and sporting a spectacular view.
Besides their fantastic pastries, we are offered a range of bistro fare including susage (kolbász), schnitzel, goulash, chicken paprikás, and sweet cottage cheese dumplings. This is a lineup of Hungarian classics, all done in premium quality.
On top of that, the place has a friendly air to it, homely and unpretentious.





A Look Behind the Scenes
This is an exclusive program open for hotel guests, and we had a chance to participate. The reataurant is closed to the public while Richard Hegyi is our mentor for 3 whole hours, initiating us into the secrets of the Chef's Table.
Just getting to ask questions and learn from such a maestro is a singular experience. I'd shy away from the term "cooking class", in acknowledgement of the laid-back mood and spontaneity of this event. You're free to simply hang back and watch events unfold, then tuck in, or go all the way with a hands-on cooking session.
Apéritifs and Spread Starters
Task number one is preparing a dish called körözött, which is a seasoned curd spread. We may of course want to warm up with a glass of wine or a shot of pálinka. Food and drinks are both included in the package, with excellent Hungarian spirits and beverages available.
Körözött is simple to assemble and very rewarding to taste, served with assorted fresh vegetables, Balkan-style zakuska, traditional Jewish egg salad, all accompanied with home-made sourdough bread of course.
About the bread, we learned it was the exact same bread they serve at Anantara, and Séf Asztala happens to be their appointed baker. In return, they take home-made noodles from Anantara, to use for their pasta foods.
Though all of these spreads merit full marks, I nominate the Jewish egg salad, made with goose fat and foie gras, to first place. It lifts egg salad into a whole new dimension.





Lángos is a Must
The most exciting item on the cooking list is lángos, a fried flatbread. A machine is used to mix the dough (unless we opt to hang-kneaqd it ourselves), so the real work is in stretch-and-fold before frying.
After frying the dough, we had a variety of toppings at our disposal. Working up the nerve to a generous helping of garlic is the way to go...







Eat, Eat, then Eat Some More
Despite their relatively small size, the lángos had by this point filled our bellies to a very satisfactory level.
But the tasting was far from over! There's no stopping yet, not with an authentic kolbász sausage to round it all off. It is an essential part of any authentic Hungarian cuisine experience..
And this kolbász... Oh my God!

It is a stroke of grace that everyone, it seems, has a dessert stomach as well. It will have plenty of work ahead, because even as the sausage remains are cleared, there's curd dumplings and sweet nudli ahead.
But even I wasn't prepared for such a profusion of cinammon sugar, poppy seed, hazelnut, custard, and a variety of jams.
Testing all the sauces and sprinkles perked up our table.
Though poppy seeds are a smile killer, they're so essential to Hungarian food that at the end of the day, sprinkling it over your dish is the perfect crime. Home-made cherry preserves are its ideal counterpoint.



It is no simple task to lay bear the essentials of Hungarian cooking, but Séf Asztala and Anantara managed to carry it off flawlessly.
This was an instructive, fun and incredibly tasty introduction. We heartily recommend it to all of our friends, home and abroad.

Photos and text: Adrienn Vass
English translation: Dániel Dányi