The mere mention of the Gundel restaurant evokes a sense of nostalgia in anyone with an interest in the turn-of-the-century era. It was always more than just a restaurant; in the past, alongside gastronomy, dance and music also played an important role in the experiences enjoyed here. It was announced at a press conference that these traditions are to be revived: the Gundel team is launching a series of evenings of music and dance. Next year, with the aim of establishing a new tradition, they will also be organising a Gundel Ball in the Queen Elizabeth Ballroom, with its Rococo ambience and gold stucco decorations.

In Gundel’s heyday, the restaurant was not merely a place to eat, but a community meeting place and a venue where shared experiences came to life. This included Gypsy music, dancing and balls. The Gundel team has decided to revive dancing this year as one of the traditional „Gundel-style” entertainment options. They are launching a series of events designed to fill a gap in the market, aimed primarily at the over-30s. They are offering an evening of entertainment filled with live music for anyone who cannot find a suitable dance and music programme amongst what Budapest currently has to offer. The evenings not only entice participants to dance, but also provide a cultural experience: ball etiquette, the history of dance, and even the 130-year-old legends of Gundel are brought to life during the evenings. 

Music and dance take centre stage at Gundel’s evening events

Jenő Magyary, Managing Director, said at the press conference that the first evening of music and dance will take place on 23 April, after which these events will continue on the last Wednesday of every month until 24 September. In the event of bad weather, the venue will be the restaurant’s indoor area; in fine weather, however, it will be the beautiful Gundel Garden. 

‘On these evenings, music and dancing take centre stage alongside the cuisine,’ emphasised the director. ‘There won’t be a special menu; every guest can choose whatever they like from the Gundel menu.’ However, there will be a band playing light dance music, a host and plenty of opportunities for couples to dance. And if anyone just wants to watch the hustle and bustle, that’s perfectly fine too. 

To take part in this free programme, it is simply recommended that you book a table, but provided there is space available, Gundel welcomes all walk-in guests, added Jenő Magyary. The programmes are organised with the help of dancer Andrea Keleti, who teaches the basics of a different dance to interested guests on each of these evenings. Meanwhile, presenter Zsolt Lukács will offer an insight into the mysteries of ballroom dancing and the history of dance, all spiced up with legends from Gundel’s history. 

The  Eventrend Group For their part, the founding owners, Gábor Nagy and Zoltán Kőrössy, explained that the evenings also serve as a sort of preparation, as the Gundel Next year, it will launch the first Gundel Ball, where participants in the summer programme will already be able to take to the dance floor with confidence. 

As mentioned, these music and dance evenings form part of the Eventrend Group’s initiatives, as the group has made community building its priority for this year.