Healthy & hungry

Chef Gabor Bede has been serving gourmet meals to Smith Mountain Lake residents since some of its first eateries were established. He was the first chef to serve on the Virginia Dare, and his culinary skills have been featured at Chestnut Creek Clubhouse Restaurant, now The Westlake Country Club, and at his own entrepreneurial project, the Anchor House Restaurant, which before closing was located at Bridgewater Plaza.

Spending the past 20 years living and working at SML is a far cry from the kind of life the native of Hungary, born during a time of tremendous political turmoil, expected to live.

Bede said some of his best childhood memoriest revolve around cooking.

"Growing up, I didn't have a father figure so I was in the kitchen all the time with my grandmother, aunts and my mother. I was comfortable there," said Bede.

That familiarity with cooking led him to pursue a culinary career.

"After eighth grade, Hungarian students had three educational routes to choose from. They could go to trade school to learn a trade, go to high school to get a degree or do both. I chose to do both. I received my chef's certification and my high school diploma," said Bede.

In 1974, a 20-year-old Bede took a risk that would dramatically change the course of his life.

"In Hungary, males between the ages of 18 and 23 automatically go into the military. I went into the military and for a reason I still don't know, I was sent home after four days. A friend and I chose to leave the country," said Bede.

"We ended up in a refugee camp in Austria, and asked to be sent to the United States. We were dropped off in New York with water and $5, which we spent on bread, eggs and an English-Hungarian dictionary."

Bede found a job in a small Hungarian restaurant in New York. He followed a series of jobs in food service to California and to Florida, where he met his wife. After nine years in Florida, working in night clubs and at a vacation resort, Bede decided it was time to relocate.

"I opened a map, closed my eyes and pointed to Lynchburg. That's the way we came to a decision where to move. We loaded up a truck with our dogs, cats, kids and a washer and dryer and arrived on Halloween day," said Bede. "My previous employer connected me to the Virginia Dare, and I received an offer from them."

A year later, Bede moved the family to Smith Mountain Lake, where another significant chapter of his life was about to unfold. Just a couple of years into life at SML, Bede received crushing news.

"I used to drink, a lot. I was diagnosed with liver failure at the same time my wife was pregnant with our third child 16 years ago," he said.

The diagnosis meant Bede had to quit the job that was his passion, unable to keep up with the demands of being a chef.

"Once you lose your health, it's very difficult to take care of your family and all responsibilities," said Bede. "We were blessed with a baby, but financially, emotionally, we lost everything. I turned to God, to Christianity."

With the help of his doctor and trips to the University of Virginia Medical Center for treatment, Bede spent the next several years regaining his health. After nearly 16 years away from cooking professionally, members of Bede's church, Halesford Baptist in Wirtz, introduced him to a new way to benefit SML with his culinary skills.

"My church family has helped considerably. Little by little, they dragged me into cooking again. I'd be their personal chef for mission trips or the annual pig roast. It helped me get my confidence back," Bede recalled. "They suggested that since I couldn't open a restaurant, why don't I start some cooking classes? I finally gave in."

Bede's church friends helped him set up a six-week course last fall at Halesford Baptist.

"About 65 people signed up. It was larger than I'd anticipated. It was practice for a more established school," he said.

A more established school called Back 2 Basics Cooking School is scheduled to begin Feb. 23 at Dudley Elementary School in Wirtz.

"I'll teach people how to prepare gourmet food at home, bargain shop, save money and [share] secrets from cooking in a real kitchen," said Bede. "I specialize in holiday meals for large groups, presentations and special occasions. You'll be able to surprise your loved one with a special-occasion meal."

Being back in the kitchen whipping up gourmet meals is one dream Bede is on his way to fulfilling.

"This year, I celebrate 20 years of sobriety. It took me years to not be ashamed. I'm trying to spread the word about the dangers of too much alcohol. It proves how God can make things right from the worst situation, because I'm here to talk about it. I'm grateful," said Bede.

RECIPES FROM GABOR BEDE

CREPES OR PANCAKES HORTOBAGY

• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• 1½ cups semolina flour
• ¾ cup milk or soda water
• Salt (dash to taste)
• ½ cup oil

For very thin crepes, whisk milk or soda water and eggs. Slowly add flour and continue mixing. When the dough is very smooth, add more milk or soda water until a creamlike consistency is obtained. Heat crepe pan or large skillet. Add ½ tsp. oil to pan and swirl to coat the pan. Pour about ½-cup batter into hot pan, swirl and fry over high heat for about 30 seconds, continually shaking pan. Batter should separate from the pan. Fry for 5 seconds longer, then turn and fry other side for about 10 seconds. Makes 9-12.

Veal or chicken porkolt filling

• Veal or chicken, 44 oz. cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups sour cream
• ¹₂ cup butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 tsp. paprika
• Salt and white pepper, to taste
• 1 cup green peppers, chopped
• ¹₂ to ³₄-cup tomatoes, chopped

Fry onions to light yellow color. Reduce heat, add paprika and stir. Add meat and small amount of water or stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover pot and simmer the "porkolt." Stir occasionally. If necessary, add more liquid, but very sparingly. Do not allow to boil. When meat begins to soften, add green peppers and tomatoes and simmer. When meat is tender, remove from the liquid and chop finely. Mix ¹₃ of the sauce with the chopped meat and add ¼ cup of the sour cream. Cook until consistency is pasty. Divide and place on crepes, fold edges over the filling and roll up. Mix the flour and remainder of sour cream into the sauce and bring to a boil. Strain the sauce over filled crepes.

GUNDEL SALAD

• 4½ cups small mushrooms
• 7 Tbsp. salad oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley
• 1 cup very young string beans
• Asparagus tips, about 8
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• Green pepper, whole
• 2 medium fresh tomatoes
• 1 head Boston lettuce
• 1 gherkin pickle
• 4 Tbsp. lemon juice

Cut mushrooms into segments and simmer in oil with salt and pepper and chopped parsley until tender. Cut the string beans into ¾-inch pieces. Cook beans and asparagus tips in salted water with a small amount of sugar. Poach the tomatoes, peel and dice. Saute whole green pepper in skillet until outer skins blister, peel off the skin and remove the core, then dice. Cut ends off pickle, taste to make sure it is not bitter. Peel and thinly slice the pickle; salt. Save a few large leaves of the lettuce and shred the rest. Chill ingredients. Drain beans and asparagus, but not the mushrooms. Mix all together, flavor with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Marinate for one hour in the refrigerator. Serve on lettuce leaves and garnish with sprigs of parsley.

APPLE STRUDEL

• 3¾ lb. fresh apples (use a tart apple such as wine sap)
• 1¹₃ plain bread crumbs
• 1½ cup ground walnuts
• 1¼ cups confectioners sugar
• Ground cinnamon, to taste
• 3¹₃ Tbsp. raisins
• ¼ cup butter (for baking)
• Sugar, to taste
• 5-6 sheets phyllo dough

Peel and grate apples. Lay sheets of phyllo dough on a wet kitchen cloth and butter lightly (or use cooking spray). Layer them and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Add the grated apples, follow with the ground walnuts, raisins, sugar and cinnamon. Roll up tightly and bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Served warm or hot with powdered sugar on top.

For more information on the Back 2 Basics Cooking School, beginning in February, call 721-1559 or e-mail Bede at back2basics@gmail.com.