![School family wins local cooking competition]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1746610732/icsbudapestorg/h0ejjmmjto8lqzbmkrhr/jenn.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1746610732/icsbudapestorg/h0ejjmmjto8lqzbmkrhr/jenn.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1746610732/icsbudapestorg/h0ejjmmjto8lqzbmkrhr/jenn.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1746610732/icsbudapestorg/h0ejjmmjto8lqzbmkrhr/jenn.jpg","width":1167}])
ICSB parents, Cameron and Jenn Phillips, and their team of expats participated in Diósd's May Day cooking competition and won in more ways than one!
The City of Diósd celebrates the national holiday of May 1st with an annual cooking competition. ICSB parents, Cameron and Jenn Phillips, and their team team won this year's May Day cook-off festival in Diósd.
It all started last year, when a group of Diósd-based American tenants, including the Phillips, were invited to join their landlord, married to a Brit, to form a team and enter the competition representing the local international community. They joined forces under the name B.A.D., which stood for "British and Americans living in Diósd." Their team proudly took second place that year and, more importantly, gained a deeper connection to the local community. The event offered a fantastic opportunity to meet fellow residents, celebrate cultural diversity, and participate in a fun, unifying experience.
The B.A.D. group returned to the competition this year with a Tex-Mex-inspired menu featuring chili and cornbread. In the month leading up to the event, they tested out different chili and cornbread recipes with members of their church community in the village of Zsámbok. After adjusting the recipe based on Hungarian and Roma feedback, on May 1st, their efforts paid off—after serving 111 bowls of chili, the team proudly took home first place. Energized by the win, the B.A.D. group is already looking forward to cooking up something new for next year's competition.
For the Phillips the best part of the event is not the food or the trophy.
The highlight for Cameron and I is the opportunity we get to meet more residents in Diósd. Every year we walk away with more than an award, we walk away with names of neighbors we previously did not know prior to the cook off. This is personally the greatest award of the competition.
Ms. Jennifer Phillips
The B.A.D. team's first-place win was more than just a culinary achievement—it was a celebration of community, connection, and service. Their initiative and effort reflect a genuine desire to be part of the wider Diósd community, not only through friendly competition but by building relationships and ministering through shared experiences. This story is a reminder of the value in intentionally connecting with the local community, whether you're an expat or a national. Investing time and heart into life in Hungary beyond the ICSB community can deepen a family's sense of belonging, create lasting stability, and enrich the overall experience of living abroad. As this school year comes to a close and soon another one begins, let us follow the example of Ms. Jenn Phillips and her family. Whether we live in Diósd, Érd, Budapest, or beyond, we can be more intentional about engaging the local community around us. Let's all be a little more B.A.D. to the bone, making this a true home away from home.
