2026-09-15 09:10
Although the weather tried to play tricks on the participants, even the rain couldn’t dampen the spirits at the John von Neumann University Staff Picnic on September 11, 2026. Once again this year, the event centered on community, cooking, and the start of the academic year, with 15 teams competing in the cooking contest.
Despite the changeable weather, a lively atmosphere prevailed around the cooking stations right from the start of the event. The teams prepared a variety of dishes, and the judges had a difficult time deciding on the final results.
The Office of Foreign Affairs Won the Cooking Contest
The winner of this year’s contest was the team from the Office of Foreign Affairs. The Faculty of Horticulture took second place, while the Rector’s Office team came in third.
The final results:
- Office of Foreign Affairs
- Faculty of Horticulture
- Rector’s Office
In addition to the podium finishes, the jury also awarded three special prizes in the categories of most beautiful presentation, best side dish, and best flavor profile, providing multiple opportunities to recognize the teams’ creativity and culinary achievements.
Teams Receiving Special Awards:
- Most Beautiful Presentation: Office of Academic Affairs
- Best Flavors: School of Economics
- Best Side Dish: Student Government
The PrinceTones Set the Mood
Unfortunately, due to the rainy weather, the planned sports activities could not take place, but the Picnic was not left without entertainment. The newly reformed PrinceTones university band entertained the participants with a fantastic performance and significantly contributed to the event’s great atmosphere with their music.
More than 70 servings of food for the Hungarian Red Cross
This year’s Picnic community experience was complemented by an important social initiative. We asked the cooking teams to donate some of the food they prepared to those in need. The teams were happy to join the initiative, and as a result, we were able to donate more than 70 servings of food to the Hungarian Red Cross at the end of the event. This donation exemplified the community spirit that is one of the most important values of the University Picnic: the event was not only about spending time together, but also about caring for one another and the wider community.
We would like to thank all the teams, performers, contributors, and participants for making this year’s Picnic memorable, despite the rain!
