In recent months, the Prime Minister’s Facebook page has been filled with pork knuckle, tripe stew, mutton stew, potato pancakes, chicken feet and strapatska. Nothing seems able to steer him away from heavy, greasy, meat-based or deep-fried dishes. Even fasting does not mean vegetables or fish in his case, but rather more oil, eggs and dairy fat – fried mushrooms and omelettes containing more cheese than egg.

Whether consciously or instinctively, Orbán’s campaign is clearly centred on food and eating, with the obvious aim of generating engagement. It follows a well-trodden path: Szilárd Németh spent years provoking loud reactions on Facebook with his cooking and eating posts.

Since he has become less active, Orbán has taken over the role, persistently pushing the theme for months – even if burgers and fish cracklings are less popular than some of his other content.

Looking at these гастро posts as a whole, the series appears carefully constructed. The Prime Minister presents himself as an average Hungarian, constantly hungry from hard work.

He eats what “ordinary people” eat: traditional Hungarian dishes and regional specialities encountered during his travels. The posts even share a consistent label: “On the Road – Snack Van”. Yet on closer inspection, the picture is more complex.

In recent years, the Hungarian government and the Hungarian Tourism Agency have primarily supported fine dining. Even during the pandemic, high-end restaurants received support, with major investments going into the Bocuse d'Or and the domestic edition of the Michelin Guide. However, enthusiasm for fine dining has waned, and this year no new Michelin stars were awarded in Hungary.

Until recently, little was known about what Orbán actually eats, beyond occasional posts featuring sausage, stew or lángos. While he has never openly promoted fine dining, he has often been spotted dining in more upscale settings.

On trips abroad, he has chosen refined restaurants – in Rome, at Lake Como, and even in Michelin-starred establishments. These occasions, however, only become public by chance and are not deliberately shared on his social media.

What is clear, however, is that the Prime Minister appears to disregard virtually all modern dietary recommendations.

According to the Hungarian Dietetic Association, half of our plate should consist of vegetables, while the other half should include lean protein sources and whole grains. Salt, saturated fats and sugar should be reduced. In contrast, Hungarians tend to consume too much meat – especially processed meat – and too few vegetables.

Of course, everyone eats according to their own preferences and relationship with their body. But when a Prime Minister deliberately and systematically showcases what he eats, it carries significant weight and responsibility.

If this example runs counter to all official dietary recommendations, and presents a pattern that many may follow, it can also cause harm. This is particularly relevant given that public catering – such as school canteens – must strictly adhere to nutritional guidelines, with limited salt, fat and sugar, and deep-fried food allowed only once a week.

A glance at Orbán’s posts reveals a clear pattern: pork knuckle, mutton stew, tripe, hot dogs, steak tartare. Vegetables appear only rarely. Almost every dish is heavy, fatty and meat-based. In his captions and videos, he often also normalises overeating and alcohol consumption, suggesting that one should feel ashamed if they cannot eat multiple portions.

The intention is not to demonstrate healthy eating habits, but rather to present himself as “one of the people”, with food serving as a universal point of connection.

The series gained momentum in summer, when he was seen eating spicy fish soup on a hot July day, accompanied by a spritzer. Later, he appeared holding a beer while writing a speech, joking that he would only drink it afterwards to avoid slurring his words. In a country where alcoholism is a serious issue, such messaging is not without significance.

Hungary legalised home distillation of pálinka in 2010 and made it tax-free again in 2021. Orbán himself has previously described pálinka as a basic food item.

Encouraging fish consumption, however, is a positive aspect, as Hungarians eat very little fish. When Orbán later promoted fish cracklings, it highlighted a rarely consumed dish and, despite its richness, still supports a healthier direction overall.

Although he usually focuses on Hungarian cuisine, he has recently incorporated American staples. He ate a hot dog with his daughter, Ráhel Orbán, in Washington, and later praised a hamburger in Vienna – although he noted he did not eat it due to fasting. This suggests that outside Hungarian cuisine, American food is what best fits his public image.

Hungarian cuisine, however, remains central. Even when he stepped outside it – such as eating burek in Subotica with Aleksandar Vučić – the choice still reflected heavy, oily food traditions. Similarly, during a visit in Slovakia, he ate strapatska and potato pancakes, both rich in fat.

One of the most talked-about posts showed Orbán eating chicken feet in Budapest’s Chinatown district. Once a niche destination for food enthusiasts, the area is now popular with wider audiences. Orbán framed the dish as familiar rather than exotic, noting it was also a favourite in his family.

In Karcag, he emphasised that one must eat mutton stew, a traditional but increasingly rare dish. In another post, he declared that a place is only truly serious if it serves tripe.

A visit to the famous Pléh Csárda – known for its enormous fried meats – also generated significant attention, highlighting the appeal of large portions, low prices, and heavily breaded, oil-rich dishes.

Occasionally, coffee appears too – jokingly described as a way to raise blood pressure, despite hypertension affecting nearly half the population in Hungary.

His posts often go beyond showing what he eats, also claiming that each place serves “the best” version of a dish. His recommendations consistently favour simple roadside inns and traditional eateries.

Recently, the pace of food-related content has increased further: doughnuts for Carnival, nostalgic references to his grandmother’s stuffed cabbage, and even a traditional pig slaughter – presented as a cultural ritual, though not suitable for children.

The series culminates in a post about steak tartare, served with decorative butter and garlic, shifting slightly toward French-German culinary influence while still keeping meat at the centre.

Overall, the message is clear: this is a version of Hungarian cuisine that is meat-heavy, fat-rich, deep-fried, and often accompanied by alcohol. While deeply rooted in tradition, such a diet can contribute to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other serious health issues.

For a national leader, setting an example in such a context is not easy. Hungarian culinary traditions are important and worth preserving. At the same time, there is also a lighter, more vegetable-focused side of Hungarian cuisine – one that could connect with people just as effectively, without encouraging excessive consumption of fat-heavy foods.

Original source: telex.hu

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