The hospitality industry is looking forward to the summer season. The past period has taken its toll on the sector, with many difficulties to overcome. The situation is still not bright, as rising raw material prices and labour shortages continue to give restaurants a hard time. Nevertheless, everyone was looking forward to the summer, when tourism would pick up and revenues could rise. What are the caterers of Lake Balaton experiencing now? We asked them!
A pinch of reed - Siofok
Attila Majoros owner
Photo: Facebook
If we look only at the last few months, the turnover still leaves something to be desired. We should no longer concentrate only on the 2-3 months that make up the so-called season. We are clearly thinking in the longer term, 6-7 months. This means not only for summer bathers, but also for spring and autumn bathers. in season we are also open to tourists. It should be added that Lake Balaton is now very divided. There are the prosperous places, and there are the struggling to make a living. I wouldn't put us in either of those.
Photo: Facebook
High quality first, then everything else
Quality is key, not just in the food and ingredients, but in the service itself. The only way to stand out is to offer a wide range of experiences to your guests. This includes the quality of the food, the service, the environment. Of course, it is also important where the restaurant itself is located. It is very important, especially now, to have a reliable supplier who delivers consistent quality. That is why we work with Matusz-Vad, because we can count on them, the delivery is also pinpoint accurate, which is the basis for our operations.
Bala Bistro - Siofok
Source:Facebook
József Rádai Managing Director
Bala Bistro is open all year round, so we don't just build for the season. Our location is quite special, as we are located on the Silver Coast. There is a lot of construction going on at the moment, which makes it very difficult for us to operate. There are no hotels, only private apartments around us. This is actually both good and bad. You would think that it would create a permanent guest base, but unfortunately it does not, because they are mostly second properties. In other words, they are sometimes used, sometimes not, some of them are rented out, but you can't count on regular guests. So I would say, yes, we are in season, but it is not so noticeable.
Photo: Facebook
Tourism has been transformed
We find that people come and go, look at the menu and then walk on. In the old days, when people came to Lake Balaton on holiday, they calculated that they would go to restaurants for lunch or dinner several times during their stay. Now simply can't afford it, at most once, and then only in fear. We're really exposed to how we've worked so far, what we've achieved, so it's not the season that brings the guest. It's our regulars that keep us going here. Everyone vacillates and thinks five times before going to a restaurant. And the people who can afford it without a problem are here, they sit down and they don't count. The cuts that we have now got on our backs again, I think, are another huge slap in the face to the hospitality sector.
From the best in materials
We are working for survival. Not to complain - because we are happy to be working. The rise in raw material prices is disastrous, and the workers' issue even more so. There is simply no labour. MATUS-Vad is a great help to us, as the prepared raw materials make the work easier, especially as there is no meaningful subsidy. Like everyone else, we have had to raise prices and I am not prepared to let poor quality ingredients into the kitchen. We are thinking of having less but giving quality.
Tölgyfa Restaurant, Balcsi Snack Bar - Zamárdi
Photo by Pixabay
Barbara Végh owner
Fortunately, our units are working perfectly well. We opened the Oak Tree Restaurant in 2019, which is a long seasonal business. This means that we operate from March until November. In addition, we have a „winter” location in Zamárdi, which we opened in 2020, next to the road 7. So we work in Tölgyfa in the summer and in Balcsi Falatozó in the winter. We cannot open in parallel, but the two can complement each other to the full extent. As a result, we have not laid off any staff, and I am proud to say that we have been able to work with a stable team for years. We are thinking long-term, but I think that is the only way to do it now. Looking at this season, we can mainly rely on our regulars, which we have worked hard for over the years. The presence of foreigners is quite minimal, they are mostly Germans who have been coming back for years.
We have the solution
We are also doing well in terms of domestic tourism in Balaton. This is mainly due to the fact that we accept SZÉP cards and we also offer discounts with the szállás.hu voucher. The fact that we put a lot of marketing effort into our operations makes a big difference. We have a completely different guest base than, say, Siofok. Fortunately, we have a lot of returning guests. People who come to us consciously, and we have events all the time. What is definitely worth mentioning is that we are oriented towards quality hospitality.
We have red tuna steak, but we also have tomahawk steak and egg noodles on the menu. We also update the menu with daily seasonal specials. Of course, we had to raise our prices, but we tried to find a price that was still reasonable and acceptable. I have to say that we did not raise prices as much as the economic calculations would have dictated. It is more important to us to provide quality catering, tasty, good food, than to provide poor quality in the hope of more guests.
Rádpuszta Gastronomic Experience Farm - Balatonlelle
Photo: Facebook
László Nótár Consulting Chef
After 34 years of experience in the shadow of the pandemic, I can say that there is a serious downturn in the Balaton hospitality industry. If we take 2019 as a base year, we are talking about 30-40%. We can calculate our expenditure, but the income is rather in the lutri category. The 2021 season was an outstanding year with perfect weather. It is an interesting fact that restaurants have not stopped offering menus, as domestic guests are looking for cheap options. Now everyone is counting, everyone is saving, especially in the current climate. I am satisfied with the supply of raw materials, stable suppliers make a difference. That said, I've had to raise prices three times since March, because that's simply the only way to run a catering business profitably. I think the problem now is in the heads. We are simply living in a world to which we are not accustomed. If a tiler can put down a square metre for five thousand, why should good professionals in the catering industry not expect to be paid? Today, it is no longer expensive to have a waiter, a chef - whatever you charge, if you earn your money, you have to understand that. In today's world, it is important for an owner, a chef, to be a good host, but also to have a serious knowledge of people and sociology.
Photo: Facebook
You have to grow up
You have to grow up with this situation, the labour shortage, the price rises, the decline in tourism. I am already in the fourth era of Balaton. The first was the Kádár era, with goulash soup and greasy bread. Then came the privatisation era, when everyone became „masek”. After that came buliturism, which left a very serious scar on the hospitality industry, and that was the low point. Now we are in the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic era. Each had its own methods and solutions - we still have them, even if they are painful.
All in all, I would say it is the season, but it is not yet the season. Nowadays you have to put together a menu that can serve at least four generations. It has to be managed to satisfy both guests and employees. If you want to work and want to work, there is a place for you on Lake Balaton. And guests who want to relax, have a good time and eat well can find what they are looking for.
