In mid-July an international cooking evening was held at Kabul International Airport (KAIA), where the participants had a chance to taste some characteristic flavors of the Hungarian cuisine too.

Considering the local staff working in the camp and the soldiers of nations observing the Ramadan, the six participating nations were not allowed to start preparing their own dishes until the evening. The organizers of the barbecue party-type event asked the Hungarian contingent not to roast anything but rather to use the ingredients they supplied to prepare one of Hungary’s national dishes.

In cooperation with the National Support Element (NSE), the members of the second rotation of the HDF Kabul International Airport Force Protection Contingent (HDF KAIA FPC) used the around 100 kilograms of beef to cook stew (“pörkölt”) and goulash in seven kettles.

With a view to popularizing Hungarian culture and traditions The Hungarian contingent installed a small exhibition in the available area, where it offered around 400 portions of Hungarian-style dishes (coupled with a “titbit bar” where soldiers had opportunity to taste salami, ham and sausage) to those who joined the perhaps longest queue.

Col. Jocelino Rodriges, the Portuguese commander of the Force Protection Group thanked Col. Zoltán Apáti, the commander of the HDF KAIA FPC for the superb organizing work, pointing out that “Hungary can be proud of having soldiers like you, who are now serving here in Afghanistan.”

Around 1500 soldiers of the nations serving at the camp participated in the cooking evening, which provided them with excellent opportunity to further deepen international camaraderie and friendship.

(HDF KAIA FPC-2 PAO)