Istvan Veres

Coming Up

At Babel Budapest, Istvan Veres works in a kitchen where service is the test and consistency is the metric. The role of head chef there is less about title than about maintaining control across a dining room that expects precision, pace, and discipline. In that frame, his standards are carried plate by plate.

Where They Are Now

After the Michelin-star moment, Istvan Veres said, "It is unbelievable, I haven’t been able to get my head around it." The reaction is plain: recognition can land before it is fully processed. What follows, though, matters just as much. Veres added, "I immediately told the guys that there is no stopping now, we need to go up another 20%." That response is instructive for any kitchen working at a high level. A benchmark is not treated as an endpoint, but as a new operating floor. Veres also put the work in direct terms: "This is a profession that can get monotonous even at this level." The point is clear enough. Distinction does not remove repetition; it raises the requirement to keep sharpening within it.

Signature

Istvan's signature dishes include Egg Galuska and Snow White. As names, they suggest a kitchen that can hold onto familiarity while still pushing presentation and composition into a more refined register. For a menu, that kind of pairing signals a chef with a distinct point of view, one that is deliberate rather than decorative.

In Their Words “I immediately told the guys that there is no stopping now, we need to go up another 20%.” “This is a profession that can get monotonous even at this level.”

Honors

Istvan's honors include Hungarian Bocuse d'Or, winner and Bocuse d'Or Hungary, first prize. In competitive cooking, those results sit in a field where timing, technical control, and composure are judged alongside flavor, and where repeat performance is part of the standard.