Hoover Table 2023 culinary competition

This year, the Hoover Table campaign is being held for the fifth time, and young people from the Zespół Placówek Resocjalizacyjno-Socjoterapeutycznych in Kraków are participating for the second time.

Last year, thanks to the involvement of the MuFo Museum of Photography in Kraków, the boys learned the basics of the art of photography, and their photos taken as part of the "Through Hoover's Eye" contest were displayed in front of the entrance to the Kraków City Council Meeting Hall. Naturally, the winning photographs were awarded, but each participant also received a small gratification. And all this thanks to the generosity of our Donors!

In this year's edition, the boys participated in culinary workshops under the guidance of chefs of six Kraków restaurants: Bianca, Boccanera, Fiorentina and Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre, Saski Krakow i Sheraton Grand Krakow hotels.

 

 

The competition was in reference to the famous Invisible Guest Dinner given by Herbert Hoover in 1920 in New York, during which guests were served only rice, potatoes and cocoa. The contestants were tasked with preparing a three-course meal using these obligatory ingredients.

The finals of the competition took place on 13 November 2023 in the kitchens of the Cookery School Complex No. 2 in Kraków which this year agreed to partner with the Hoover Table project. The jury consisted exclusively of donors: American and Polish companies, which once again showed their support for the Hoover Table campaign. Their task was to evaluate not only the taste and appearance of the dishes themselves, but also their presentation, the way they were served and the involvement of all team members.

The winning team was “Fiorentina”, led by the restaurant’s chef Robert Koczwara. The winning dishes consisted of a starter of baked potato with the bryndza sheep milk cheese and smoked trout, main course - spinach risotto with chanterelles and parmigiano reggiano, and dessert - a chocolate cake with chocolate glaze and hot plums.

The winning team mebers were: Krzysztof Adamczyk, Danyil Diukar, Wiktor Flisiak, Filip Garbacz, Adrian Gibas, Piotr Godek, Szymon Regucki and Filip Skwarczek.

Congratulations to all the boys!

Also deserving of congratulations is the Fiorentina restaurant team, whose commitment led their team to victory. However, all the participants, all the mentors and all the donors can be truly proud of themselves.

And most importantly, thanks to the Hoover Table project, the boys from this very special school have gained another new experience - culinary skills which they can use in their future lives. The unique and wonderful memories of working in the best kitchens in Kraków will stay with them for many years, and maybe they will become an inspiration for choosing a professional path. And who knows, the culinary bug caught during the competition might bring to life a future Michelin Guide star winner.

You can watch coverage of the competition finals on the PlayKraków platform.