Balogh Judit
November 25, 2025
The “Cívis Host of the Year” competition also plays an important role in Debrecen’s gastronomic development
The “CívisHost of the Year” competition has become an open competition for the entire city this year. According to the awardees and the organizers, this can bring not only recognition but also new impetus to the local hospitality industry.
The Cívis Ház Zrt. organized the “Cívis Host of the Year” competition again this year. 21 businesses applied for the competition, but the noble competition also affected those who were now left out. This year Szomszéd Bistro, Jardin Confectionery, Black Sheep Café & Kitchen, Aranytölgy Café, and Annuska Ice Cream Bistro received the prestigious awards.
On the Médiacentrum Debrecen program Evening Close-Up (Esti Közelkép), the organizer of the competition, Edit Erdei, CEO of Cívis Ház Zrt., together with the winners of the Hot Kitchen category of the “Cívis Host of the Year” award—Beáta Gyarmati, owner of Szomszéd Bistro, and Erika Májer, owner of Jardin Confectionery—spoke about the award and the Debrecen hospitality sector.
Previously, the competition focused primarily on service providers on Piac Street, but starting this year, the opportunity to enter has been opened to catering establishments throughout the city.
“The pandemic has brought such profound changes to our lives that have made us rethink, too,” recalled the beginnings of the competition by Edit Erdei, CEO of Cívis Ház Zrt.
In the fall of 2023, they first expressed the idea that it would be a good idea to create a gastronomic competition. After Covid, tenants who are active in gastronomy have become spectacularly stronger in the frequented part of the city center. Today, more than half of the city center tenants work in this field.
As she said, they considered it important that these shops and restaurants receive the attention and recognition that they deserve with their everyday work.
“We thought that these tenants are very important to us. We appreciate them, and we would like them to be in a kind of spotlight with the performance that they can show to the country and the world.”
After starting in 2023, in 2024 they focused exclusively on tenants and linked the competition to the 30th anniversary of Cívis Ház Zrt. Meanwhile, however, the need to expand the competition to the entire city became increasingly apparent. This decision was finally made in the spring of 2025.
“Although Cívis Ház Zrt. was primarily interested in the city center, we believe that this joint discussion, competition, and cooperation will also have an impact on the city center,” she added.
Several of the entrants were very happy to receive the opportunity. For example, participation was particularly important for Szomszéd Bistro.
“It is a special pleasure that we managed to win the professional award. This is very inspiring, great feedback for us,” said Beáta Gyarmati, owner of Szomszéd Bistro. She emphasized that they would like to be active participants in the life of the city and, as Debrecen locals, to be present on the map as well. At Szomszéd Bistro, however, guests can not only dine but are also welcomed with various programs. “We see that there is a demand for this. We not only organize gastronomic events but also combine theater, music, and other cultural experiences. This was our basic idea, which is why the place was named Szomszéd Bistro and Community Space,” pointed out Beáta Gyarmati.
The owner of Jardin Confectionery, Erika Májer, also said that participating in the competition means a lot to them. “It was very important for us to create desserts that are both externally and internally demanding and a place that reflects a high standard and an atmosphere like our desserts. We were happy to have the opportunity to show ourselves and thus become even better known,” she highlighted.
Everything at Jardin is made according to our own recipes, and the range is expanding.“ This is important, because if someone focuses on a single product, it is harder to survive in the competition. We have many plans; we want to develop further in several things that are close to traditional desserts, since there is a demand for this too,” she added.
Edit Erdei also spoke about how all the contestants were able to participate in the award ceremony this year, and it was a special pleasure to see the city’s gastronomic players talking and building relationships. According to her, this is an important step in Debrecen’s gastronomy.
“We are trying to offer guests a quality that is not average, and the city, Debrecen, and the local residents are also increasingly demanding in this respect. That is why we are trying to develop and offer new things,” said the owner of Szomszéd Bistro.
Erika Májer also mentioned that there are many foreigners studying, working, and living in the city, whose needs also need to be paid attention to, since many of them come from countries where gastronomy is more developed.
The CEO of Cívis Ház Zrt. confirmed in the program that the “Cívis Host of the Year” competition will be held again next year.
Source:dehir.hu | Photo credit: Pixabay (illustration)
