The Bocuse d’Or has been the common thread throughout Bence Dalnoki’s career. Yet nothing initially pointed him towards a career in the kitchen. It was during high school, while attending a seminar entitled Introduction to Hospitality, that he discovered his true vocation. After graduating from secondary school, he enrolled at the Taverna Hospitality and Tourism School before beginning his apprenticeship at Fausto’s Ristorante in Budapest. There, a life-changing encounter awaited him: Frigyes Vomberg, coach of the Hungarian team that would go on to win the Bocuse d’Or Europe in 2016.
Through Vomberg, Bence took his first steps into the world of the Bocuse d’Or. He soon joined Tamás Széll’s team as one of his assistant commis chefs. He took part in the Bocuse d’Or Europe 2016, held in Budapest, witnessing Hungary’s historic victory from within the team. Two weeks later, Tamás Széll invited him to join the kitchens of Onyx Restaurant. It was a defining opportunity and the beginning of a relationship built on trust with Tamás Széll and Szabina Szulló, who would become his two greatest mentors over the years.
After spending some time at Kistücsök, the renowned restaurant on the shores of Lake Balaton, Bence reunited with his mentors when they opened Stand25 Bistro, before joining the brigade of Stand Restaurant, now awarded two Michelin stars. He steadily climbed the ranks to become Executive Chef of the Stand Group, playing a key role in the culinary development of the company.
In 2023, Bence wrote his own chapter in Bocuse d’Or history. Representing Hungary at the world final in Lyon, alongside his commis Patrik Nyikos, he won the bronze medal, confirming Hungary’s place among the world’s leading gastronomic nations. The achievement crowned years of dedication alongside Tamás Széll and Szabina Szulló, while establishing Bence as one of the most promising chefs of the new generation in Europe.
Although fine dining is at the heart of his daily life, Bence feels the need to reconnect with nature whenever he can. A keen hiker, he enjoys exploring the forests with his Shiba Inu, Berci, who has become something of a social media celebrity. He has also been a hunter for more than a decade, following a family tradition, and has developed a deep respect for nature and the ingredients it provides. A former competitive kayaker who won a national qualifying event in his youth, he dreams of returning to the Danube one day and taking up the sport again.
His fiancée, now his wife, Dorottya, shares his professional life by managing one of the Stand Group’s bistros. Whenever their schedules allow, they enjoy travelling together, with the French Riviera among their favourite destinations.
The year 2023 will remain unforgettable for Bence. On 28 January, his birthday, he stepped onto the Bocuse d’Or podium in Lyon. A few months later, he married Dorottya. Today, Bence Dalnoki embodies the future of Hungarian gastronomy. He has inherited the high standards and values of Tamás Széll and is already regarded as one of the leading European ambassadors of the Bocuse d’Or.
