BOTANIQ Castle of Tura Debuted as the First Krug Ambassade in Central and Eastern Europe with the Krug x Lemon Event
Budapest, June 15, 2023 – BOTANIQ Castle of Tura has become first Krug Ambassade in the Central and Eastern Europe region. Over the years, 184 members have joined the global Ambassade program of Maison Krug, the iconic champagne house, and BOTANIQ Castle of Tura is the latest addition to this worldwide family. Hungary is the first country in Central and Eastern Europe where the champagne house presented the Krug Single Ingredient Program, through a three-day regional event, during which lemon, the ingredient of the year, was introduced through a unique menu. The champagne pairings were presented by Romain Cappelaere representing Maison Krug, and Ted Lelekas, regional brand ambassador of Moët Hennessy.
Maison Krug is connecting with partners from all over the world who share the philosophy and vision of this great champagne house. The community, which now has 184 members, boasts similar values and provides quality services that are outstanding in their respective segment. Thanks to the partnership with Moët Hennessy, BOTANIQ offers a unique Krug selection in the region, with exclusive access to the entire product portfolio. Guests can thus enjoy the world’s finest champagnes in Hungary, too, and Krug’s flagship Grande Cuvée is available by the glass.
In addition to the champagne offering, guests may choose the Krug suite for their stay from among the 19 rooms of the castle. The interior design of the Krug suite was inspired by the identity of the champagne brand. This is another evidence that the Krug Ambassade title is not only associated with the unique champagne range: being a Krug Ambassade goes way beyond that.
„The Krug Ambassade is not an award or a gift” – said Tamás Langó, Executive Sommelier of BDPST Group operating BOTANIQ Castle of Tura, who received the Michelin Guide Sommelier Award in 2022 for his work at BOTANIQ’s restaurant. „A restaurant or hotel may become a Krug Ambassade if it is dedicated to quality, and furthermore, it demonstrates its emotional commitment to quality. Krug is a global brand built on tradition, and the Krug Ambassade title presented to us indicates their belief of sharing a common path, the same values and the principles that make up the brand’s DNA.”
„Krug Ambassade is a network of trusted partners, who embody the Krug spirit, and who are the direct extensions of the Maison on the local markets. The motto of Krug Ambassades is: more than places, they are faces. Meaning that we are not only seeking for partners who share our vision for excellence, but as well for Krug Lovers, who make this collaboration come to life with their heart. The story of Botaniq as a Krug Ambassade has also started with one Krug Lover, who inspired the whole team to follow, and after 2 years of enthusiastic preparation we are proud and happy to welcome them among the Krug Family.” –, commented Nóra Szegedi, Moët Hennessy’s Brand Manager for Central Europe, about the collaboration with BOTANIQ.
The international Single Ingredient event, which has become a tradition since 2015, was organised simultaneously with the official announcement, and this year’s single ingredient, lemon, was also presented in Hungary. Every year, Maison Krug looks for ingredients that are easily available all over the world, yet when added to a dish, they make a difference. This is also a symbol of the unique nature of chefs and countries. The chefs of the Krug Ambassades are requested to create dishes inspired by this single ingredient; dishes that are typical of their own culture, yet unusual, and show perfect harmony with and accentuate the flavours of Krug Grande Cuvée and Krug Rosé. Following rice, potatoe and onion as the chosen single ingredients in the previous years, in 2023 the choice fell on lemon – as the first fruit in this selection -–, representing freshness, crispness and vibrant energy.
For the Krug x Lemon event, György Szűcs, the chef of BOTANIQ Castle of Tura and Richárd Farkas, the creative chef of BDPST Group, joined their creative forces and created a menu based on Hungarian traditions, which can also include lemon. The guests had the opportunity to taste the signature dish of Mr. Szűcs called Trout, black lemon, sorrel, which is also featured Krug’s The Zeist Is Yet To Come cookbook.
Krug collected the recipes created by the chefs in the spectacular album titled The Zeist Is Yet To Come. 112 excellent chefs – who boast a total of 113 Michelin stars – from 25 countries demonstrate the versatility of incorporating the taste, texture, and vibrant energy of lemon. The book was presented for the first time in the region, to champagne fans from several parts of the world. The dishes of the Krug x Lemon menu will be available in BOTANIQ’s restaurant Clarisse, along with the uniquely extensive Krug champagne selection.
The event was organized with the creative cooperation of Fine Brands Company (FBC). As the official distributor of Krug in Hungary, FBC has been working with Moët Hennessy for several years. This is how Krisztián Rozsnyói, FBC’s Associate Director Trade Marketing and Sales commented on the collaboration:
„It was a great pleasure for us to present the results of our joint efforts to international and national journalists as well as to champagne experts at an exclusive KRUG x LEMON event in Hungary. It is a remarkable professional challenge to work with the world’s leading champagne brands and, based on the brand owner’s guidance and inspiration, to define brand-building communication that is relevant to the local market, that captures their essence and takes it to an even higher level, and to develop the corresponding long-term partnerships. The KRUG Single Ingredient event was an excellent opportunity to work in close cooperation with BOTANIQ Castle of Tura to create a truly special experience to comfort all the senses and address our target audience.”
The dream of Joseph Krug, who founded Maison Krug in 1843, was to create the most generous expression of champagne every year, regardless of the characteristics of the vintage. Joseph Krug believed that the essence of champagne is pleasure itself; hence, leapfrogging his contemporaries, he established a completely new category. Therefore, there is no hierarchy of quality within Krug’s champagne range; they all express perfection, but in different ways.
Courtesy of Audi Hungary, international and domestic guests travelled in full comfort.
