Gastronomy

Our chef, István Oláh:
He gave the flavours of Nógrád County the main role in the castle.
Confit duck breast with zucchini, bulgur tabbouleh... Coconut milk, Thai basil Tom Kha Gai, venison, lemonade... A small taste of the compositions that our chef István Oláh has dreamed up for the guests of the Prónay Castle. István is a master of fusing the traditional flavours of Nógrád with the cuisines of other nations. This is also due to the fact that he grew up in the area and has a thousand ties to the region. He used to spend his holidays with his maternal grandparents in a small village called Nógrádsápon, just a few kilometres from Alsópetény. She feels lucky to have had the chance to learn from excellent masters in Hungary, Germany and Italy, but her favourite dish remains duck roasted in its fat and spareribs, as her Palóc grandmother used to make it. We would like to introduce István Oláh, who has been in charge of the castle's gastronomy for four years. He is our versatile chef, whose 30-year career and roots make us very proud. We trust that reading him will answer these questions. Why Nógrád? Why Alsópetény?
 

Why Nógrád? Through the eyes of the chef:
"When the management of the Prónay Castle asked me to build up the gastronomy, the first request was to rely as much as possible on local small producers. This is also very important to me, and I try to seek them out. Few people know, but Nógrád is a 'superpower' in pumpkin seeds and truffles, so they come from local suppliers.

István Oláh, responsible for gastronomy at the castle.
 

I try to put the flavours of Nógrád county in a modern dress for the guests. To serve dödöllé, palócleves, or stew with dumplings a little differently. We will also "take" the flavours of Nógrád to more distant countries, and see how they go with Asian flavours, for example, or Italian dishes... We will also extend the fine-tuning to wine dishes and craft beers. Our beers come from the Rétság brewery, and our wine batches come from the Csendes Dűlő Szőlőbirtok vineyard in Badacsony. The wine dinners, beer tastings and the Prónay wine salon menu are created in collaboration with the sommelier.
"We taste with our eyes first, but it is our nose that awakens our stomach." /Brian Wansink/
 

Personalised care for guests in gastronomy too
"Over the last 10-15 years, I have noticed that more and more guests are living with different food intolerances. We are very attentive to this in the kitchen of the Prónay Castle, I prepare all dishes gluten-free and also typically lactose-free. It is also important to us that our vegetarian and vegan guests are satisfied. We basically serve Hungarian, traditional dishes, and thanks to the technology, gluten- and lactose-free procedures do not change the experience.

István is accompanied by Palóc roots and flavours.

Wherever possible, we try to cater for our guests in a personalised way. When I'm preparing a menu for a corporate event, I like to know in advance who will be attending: for example, we prepare lighter dishes for the ladies, more characterful ones for the gentlemen, and it's different again if the company is coed. If a couple comes to us and wants to get married at the chateau, we invite them to Sunday lunch, a relaxed, intimate Sunday lunch, to get to know their needs and tailor the menu to them." We are very proud of the fact that the Prónay Castle is a popular wedding venue and believe that this is not down to luck, but the result of our joint efforts. I have had the opportunity to grow professionally here since the beginning. I have been able to put together a very good team with whom we inspire each other. I can work in a beautiful environment, in a very well-equipped kitchen, and I can do what I think of, because my hands are not tied and that's what keeps me going. These are very important and very positive things. And they are not common."