Chocolate and walnut pancakes – it sounds mouth-watering, and most people love them. The ‘royal’ dessert, the Gundel pancake, is often served at Sunday or festive meals.

However, anyone with even a modicum of observation might well have wondered who the dessert was named after. Who was Gundel?

Károly Gundel

Károly Gundel, born in Budapest, was a 19th–20th-century restaurateur who stood out from his peers in the Hungarian hospitality industry for his manners, his treatment of guests and his dedication to his profession.

He was born in the capital on 23 September 1883, the son of János Gundel and Anna Katalin Evelin Kommer. His father was also involved in the hospitality industry, as the owner of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel and, later, the Archduke Stephen Hotel. He also made a name for himself through his public activities.

This foundation played a defining role in Gundel’s life. He worked as an apprentice at his father’s hotel, serving as both a bellboy and a bread boy. In 1900, he graduated from the Budapest Academy of Commerce, after which he gained practical experience in the trade whilst working in hotels and restaurants in Switzerland, Germany, England and France.

In 1906, he took a step forward and became the hotel manager at the International Sleeping Car Company’s establishments in Tártalomnic and Csorba Lake. It did not take long; two years later, he took up the post of director.

He met his wife in Tátralomnic. They had 13 children together, who over the years gave them 26 grandchildren, including the actors István Bujtor and Zoltán Latinovits. One of his great-grandchildren is Gábor Gundel Takács, a sports reporter and presenter.

It was 1910 when the family moved to Budapest and Gundel took over the running of the Wampetics restaurant. He soon changed the name of the establishment to Gundel. Over time, several of his 13 children became involved in running the business. From 1920 to 1925, he managed the restaurants at the Royal Hotel, and from 1927 onwards, those at the Gellért Hotel.

Gundel, like his father, was involved in public life. He played a part in founding the Promontoria Wine Purchasing Association and the Restaurateurs’ Procurement Group, and was a member of the presidium of the Tourism Association; and played a role in the running of the Hoteliers’ and Restaurateurs’ Trade Association.

Gundel also wrote books on Hungarian gastronomy and the hospitality industry, and published several cookery books. Some of his works include: A Short Hungarian Cookery Book; The Art of Hospitality; The Development of Hungarian Cuisine.

The Gundel Restaurant

The restaurant stood out from the rest in the capital: it was characterised by excellent business practices, high standards and fantastic cuisine. It soon became one of the favourite haunts of Budapest’s residents.

Károly Gundel put his heart and soul into ensuring his guests felt at home. He employed not only talented chefs, but also musicians and singers. He also offered the opportunity to organise private gatherings, even on a separate terrace.

In his kitchen, 13 chefs were bustling about and 52 waiters were serving. He hired a further 40 staff members solely to ensure the guests’ comfort.

As well as traditional Hungarian and French dishes, the restaurant also offered several specialities: veal ribs Gundel-style, Gundel stew, and the Gellért, Liget and Gundel salads. The crowning glory of it all was the Gundel pancake, served with a filling of sugared orange peel, raisins and cream and walnuts, topped with a chocolate cream sauce. Incidentally, the recipe came from Sándor Márai’s wife, Lola Matzner.

By the 1920s and 1930s, Gundel had become internationally renowned. When King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy visited Hungary in 1937, the government entrusted Károly Gundel with organising the banquet in Székesfehérvár. Two years later, his restaurant also served as the official restaurant for the Hungarian pavilion at the New York World’s Fair.

Unfortunately, the Gundel restaurant was not spared by the Second World War; it was only able to reopen in the spring of 1945, but was nationalised in 1949. Today, Gundel is located in Zugló, at 4 Gundel Károly út.

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