Borbás Marcsi, a well-known figure in Hungary for her work in gastronomy and the promotion of culinary culture, was appointed on Friday as honorary ambassador of Harghita, in order to give greater visibility to the area as the county is set to hold the title of European Region of Gastronomy in 2027.

Borbás Marcsi received the honorary ambassador title from the president of the Harghita County Council, Bíró Barna-Botond, during an event dedicated to horticulture professionals held in the locality of Madaras.

According to a press release issued by the Harghita County Council Press Office, 'the appointment continues the steps initiated last year, an initiative through which the County Council aims to build a network of professionals actively involved in promoting the region in view of 2027.'

The president of the Harghita County Council pointed out at Friday's event that the designation of the county as European Region of Gastronomy in 2027 is the result of nearly ten years of work and cooperation between farmers, the hospitality sector, academia and tourism promoters.

'We wish to show that we will not become a ‘fairy-tale land,' we already are one. It is a matter of mindset: we must not believe that a community which creates value should be ashamed. In the coming period, our task will be to build on those professional partnerships consolidated through the activity of the Association of Szekler Farmers' Organisations, hospitality operators, guesthouse owners, academia and tourism ambassadors. We will have two tourism ambassadors. Two, because we are a community that can rely on the support of two governments. It is important not to focus on negative aspects. It is important that in Bucharest the representatives of the Hungarian community are present, and in difficult times governmental presence is all the more important. At the same time, it is important that Hungary has a national government that thinks in terms of nation, not borders. The nation has no borders and we can rely on the support of both governments,' the president of the Harghita County Council was quoted as saying.

He also stressed that Borbás Marcsi is 'a defining personality of Hungary's gastronomic culture, who loves our community, conveys values and shows how traditions can be presented to the world in the language of the modern age.'

Borbás Marcsi is a TV editor and presenter who brings closer to the public, 'with authenticity and warmth,' the simple values of everyday life: the joy of the garden and gardening, the flavour of cuisine and the charm of the home, the county administration's statement said. Known for her television programmes and projects dedicated to gastronomy, she offers her followers inspiration in everyday life, the quoted source added.

Borbás Marcsi said she was honoured to receive the title of honorary ambassador of Harghita County.

'It is a great honour for me and, since I have received this wonderful invitation to a horticulture conference, I would compare preserving gastronomic heritage to a tree. Half of my heart is in Transylvania. Because when, thirty-three years ago, I began to deal very seriously with collecting Hungarian heritage and travelled through villages, I saw that the place where this heritage still exists, where it is alive and not merely preserved, is Transylvania. So this is truly a ‘fairy-tale land.' I fully agree. You know this, you must know that here a fairy-tale land does not need to be created, only preserved. Here the roots of the trees are still strong,' Borbás Marcsi was quoted in the press release as saying.

She maintained that in Hungary it was much more difficult for her to find people who still preserve authentic knowledge and traditions, managing with difficulty to learn from the last generation who still mastered them. By contrast, in Harghita these values are still alive, not only among the elderly but also among young people and even teenagers.

She also underlined that, in a European context, few places still offer such authentic images of rural life, which elsewhere have become rare or 'exotic.'

The first honorary ambassador of Harghita County was appointed in 2025, tourism marketing specialist Razvan Pascu.

The president of the Harghita County Council underlined that the appointment of honorary ambassadors is one of the steps the institution is taking to support the 2027 Gastronomic Year initiative, as they provide, 'through experience and professionalism,' visibility for Harghita County.

According to the county administration, the European Region of Gastronomy title, to be held by Harghita in 2027, 'promotes a region's achievements and community initiatives, offering international visibility and development opportunities for local operators in tourism and gastronomy.' AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Gina Stefan; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)