\u201eOnly that which lacks genuine substance and value can fade away. That which represents value cannot grow old.\u201d An in-depth interview with Andr\u00e1s Wolf, corporate head chef at S\u00e9f Asztala, New York Caf\u00e9 and Gundel Restaurant!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You haven\u2019t been involved in fine dining for years. We\u2019ve heard about you through S\u00e9f Asztala \u2013 inspired by sourdough bread and breaded meat \u2013 and, since last year, through Gundel. Don\u2019t you miss the most refined form of gastronomy?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Andr\u00e1s Wolf:<\/strong>\u00a0I feel good about what I do; I don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What can you tell us about the restaurant currently being set up in the New York K\u00e1v\u00e9h\u00e1z, housed in the former Salon \u00c9tterem building, where we might once again experience your fine dining style of cooking?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s still a long way off. For the time being, we\u2019re working on the concept and haven\u2019t yet decided what sort of restaurant it will be. I\u2019m very interested in it; I\u2019m keeping an eye on this part of the restaurant world at the moment, and I\u2019m inspired by numerous chefs who specialise in this type of hospitality, but I have other responsibilities right now. I\u2019m hyperactive; I find it motivating when I have lots of different things to deal with. I\u2019m really enjoying being able to think about several completely different challenges at the moment. At S\u00e9f Asztala, everything revolves around sourdough bread \u2013 it\u2019s a labour of love for me. I believe our main task here is to show them what Hungary is like through the experience of a coffee house.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n If we do our job well, they\u2019ll take home some wonderful, lasting memories. We cater to a wide range of needs across our various restaurants, whilst the group as a whole \u2013 and Eventrend in particular \u2013 boasts an even more diverse portfolio of hotels and restaurants. Zoli K\u0151r\u00f6ssy and G\u00e1bor Nagy (the owners of Eventrend \u2013 ed.) have long been steadfast in their support of me having such a diverse range of responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s quite a lot of confusion about executive chef<\/em> its role in the domestic hospitality sector. Is that how you define your work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I prefer the term \u2018corporate chef\u2019. 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 Caf\u00e9, it\u2019s Zsolt Abrud\u00e1n; at S\u00e9f Asztala, it\u2019s Sanyi Kis; and at Gundel, it\u2019s Viktor Moldov\u00e1n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gundel reopened to widespread media coverage. It had experienced several unsuccessful attempts over the past few decades. Were you afraid that, following the K\u00e1lm\u00e1n Kalla era, the restaurant might end up on the back burner once again?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re right at home at Gundel \u2013 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Has it been suggested that the Gundel name and \u201ebrand\u201d have become outdated and worn out over the decades?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 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. Pal\u00f3c soup, K\u00e1rp\u00e1thy-style pike-perch and Bakony sirloin, as well as Gundel pancakes and Soml\u00f3i sponge cake, have all instantly become favourites with our guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019s epoch-making legacy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n What has been the most memorable piece of feedback you\u2019ve received since Gundel reopened?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019ve done the restaurant justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many chefs don\u2019t like the term \u2018reimagined\u2019; they consider it a clich\u00e9. The Gundel menu is also based on reimagined classics. What\u2019s your view on this term?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t like using the term \u201ereimagining\u201d either. At Gundel, we\u2019ve 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\u2019t like to say that we aim to create the \u201ebest\u201d version of a dish, as taste \u2013 by its very nature \u2013 is a diverse affair. However, I\u2019d 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.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201eOnly that which lacks genuine substance and value can wear out. 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The New York Caf\u00e9 is a completely different world; 90 per cent of the customers are undoubtedly from abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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