„Only that which lacks genuine substance and value can fade away. That which represents value cannot grow old.” An in-depth interview with András Wolf, corporate head chef at Séf Asztala, New York Café and Gundel Restaurant!

You haven’t been involved in fine dining for years. We’ve heard about you through Séf Asztala – inspired by sourdough bread and breaded meat – and, since last year, through Gundel. Don’t you miss the most refined form of gastronomy?

András Wolf: I feel good about what I do; I don’t feel that anything is missing. My own sense of satisfaction is always two-fold: it comes from the positive feedback I receive from guests and from the joy I derive from enjoying what I do every day. I feel fulfilled. The businesses are running smoothly, which, in the wake of the pandemic, is a huge achievement in itself.

What can you tell us about the restaurant currently being set up in the New York Kávéház, housed in the former Salon Étterem building, where we might once again experience your fine dining style of cooking?

That’s still a long way off. For the time being, we’re working on the concept and haven’t yet decided what sort of restaurant it will be. I’m very interested in it; I’m keeping an eye on this part of the restaurant world at the moment, and I’m inspired by numerous chefs who specialise in this type of hospitality, but I have other responsibilities right now. I’m hyperactive; I find it motivating when I have lots of different things to deal with. I’m really enjoying being able to think about several completely different challenges at the moment. At Séf Asztala, everything revolves around sourdough bread – it’s a labour of love for me.
The New York Café is a completely different world; 90 per cent of the customers are undoubtedly from abroad.

I believe our main task here is to show them what Hungary is like through the experience of a coffee house.

If we do our job well, they’ll take home some wonderful, lasting memories. We cater to a wide range of needs across our various restaurants, whilst the group as a whole – and Eventrend in particular – boasts an even more diverse portfolio of hotels and restaurants. Zoli Kőrössy and Gábor Nagy (the owners of Eventrend – ed.) have long been steadfast in their support of me having such a diverse range of responsibilities.

There’s quite a lot of confusion about executive chef its role in the domestic hospitality sector. Is that how you define your work?

I prefer the term ‘corporate chef’. I have a team of key staff members who do a fantastic job and handle the day-to-day operational side of things. At the New York Café, it’s Zsolt Abrudán; at Séf Asztala, it’s Sanyi Kis; and at Gundel, it’s Viktor Moldován.

Gundel reopened to widespread media coverage. It had experienced several unsuccessful attempts over the past few decades. Were you afraid that, following the Kálmán Kalla era, the restaurant might end up on the back burner once again?

We’re right at home at Gundel – in our expertise, our ideas and our ingredients. For months on end, we simply researched, brainstormed together and tried to define the role of the legendary Gundel in today’s world. I believe that, after five months of being open, we can say that the return has been a success, but we are striving to provide even more wonderful experiences and to reach even higher standards, as we clearly see and feel both the beauty of running Gundel and the enormous responsibility that comes with it.

Has it been suggested that the Gundel name and „brand” have become outdated and worn out over the decades?

Only that which lacks genuine substance and value can fade away. That which represents value cannot grow old. There is no future without a past. That is why we consider it so important to breathe new life into traditional Hungarian dishes. Palóc soup, Kárpáthy-style pike-perch and Bakony sirloin, as well as Gundel pancakes and Somlói sponge cake, have all instantly become favourites with our guests.

We must interpret the past in such a way that we can speak to people today in the most personal way possible. We must know how to handle Gundel’s epoch-making legacy.

What has been the most memorable piece of feedback you’ve received since Gundel reopened?

One guest said that at Gundel, they felt as though the restaurant had always been like this. Simple, yet all the more powerful words, which, to me, reflect that we’ve done the restaurant justice.

Many chefs don’t like the term ‘reimagined’; they consider it a cliché. The Gundel menu is also based on reimagined classics. What’s your view on this term?

I don’t like using the term „reimagining” either. At Gundel, we’ve actually given it a lot of deep and thorough thought, aiming to revitalise these dishes using the best technologies and ingredients available today, in a slightly more sophisticated style. I don’t like to say that we aim to create the „best” version of a dish, as taste – by its very nature – is a diverse affair. However, I’d go so far as to say that we at Gundel must serve the best Gundel pancakes in the country. So far, there have been no complaints.