The Debrecen Leroy is an excellent example of how to serve familiar dishes in new and exciting ways, while maximising the taste experience. The chefs and kitchen team are not secretive; sharing their passion and expertise is as important to them as the quality of the food. The philosophy behind the restaurant concept places great emphasis not only on the art of food preparation, but also on the guest experience.
It is less and less surprising when a a female leader at the helm of the kitchen, and so it is in Leroy's Debrecen unit. Enikő Bökönyi joined the team nearly a decade ago to head the steward's office, and soon had the opportunity to prove herself as head chef. Her family was no stranger to catering, as her mother had already given her an insight into the the world of commercial kitchens. Later on, her experience as a worker was an advantage: “I don't remember ever being a woman being a disadvantage. Fortunately, I have always had supervisors and colleagues who never thought of treating me differently because of that. It is true that this requires a confident manner and a basic ability to stand up for yourself. But as a leader, I feel that I have the advantage of being able to share my attention and find common ground with colleagues. If necessary, I can also quickly relieve pressure at work,” says Enikő.
Turning disadvantage into advantage
Like many restaurants, Leroy has tried to make practical use of the forced closures during Covid. The kitchen has been modernised and the dining area has a completely new look. The former exclusive, somewhat sterile look has been tamed into a friendly one, which has definitely lived up to expectations, and the re-launch has allowed them to appeal to a wider audience. This has naturally had an impact on the menu, with guests arriving for dates and business dinners being joined by families and young people too. “Among many other things, that's why I still like working here after many years, because we have so many different needs to meet and there's always room for renewal.” Contrary to current trends, the menu here is quite long, but as Enikő says, there is a demand for it, precisely for the reasons mentioned above. You still can't go wrong with a dish that jerked or stuffed. Or more and more vega and vegan a guest who is also taken into account when preparing our menu. Besides, Debrecen is a university town, so there are many guests of different nationalities, among whom dishes less known to Hungarians, such as jambalaya or Malay noodles, are very popular. Nevertheless, I have noticed that the Hungarian guests are also becoming more interested and open to new things.”
“If the quality drops, guests will notice immediately”
Thanks to industrialisation, the city of Debrecen is also becoming more and more attractive to consumers, with a growing number of service providers and restaurants. While many people see this as a negative, Enikő sees the positive side of the situation. “I don't see other restaurants as competitors, but as inspiration. We have to maintain quality and diversity, because if the quality drops, customers will notice immediately and if there are plenty of alternatives, there is no question where they will go back to next time - and where they won't. But I think this kind of healthy competition is rather useful. It pushes everyone involved to be better and better, to from waiters to the kitchen staff.”
A good supplier that not only helps you, but also makes your work easier
Nearly 90% of Leroy Debrecen's stock is Matusz-Vad's, and the steaks are exclusively supplied by their company. “Brazilian, Argentinian and Angus steaks are all popular with us, so we can't compromise on quality. In many cases, you can tell just by looking at the animal if it's grain-fed or if it's just written on the packaging to make it more expensive. In addition to the wide choice, it is also very good that everything arrives at the right temperature, and because it arrives every two days, I don't have to stockpile anything, nor do I have to worry about something sticking to my neck. The meats are nicely cleaned, which from an economic point of view is particularly important, as the fewer the falls, the fewer the losses. And perhaps the biggest help is the dessert selection. Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to have our own confectionery or to avoid cross-contamination of free-from cakes. It's great that we can source both the paleolithic plum dessert and the raw vegan flodni from the same place if we need it.”
