The newest jewel on the gastronomic map of Győr, Tioman Lifestyle Kitchen promises a true culinary experience for those who are not satisfied with the average. Inspired by traditional recipes from around the world, the restaurant is the perfect place to discover culinary innovations and taste experiments.
While Győr is undoubtedly a beautiful city, let's face it, it is not a gastronomic hotspot. The owner and chef of the recently opened Tioman, Attila Szabó and his wife Annamária, would like to change this palette, which has few surprises. The pair have travelled together to the United States and Monaco, but have also cooked in Belgium and France. Over the years, they have run hotels and golf clubs, they also have their own restaurant in Munich, but they wanted to do something at home that they could see themselves doing. “We wanted to give something that didn't exist yet. Since my other big passion is philosophy, the idea was to create a restaurant where the two meet, which is how the idea of holistic hospitality came about. When you walk in, you're practically in our living room and you can completely forget about the outside world. We pay great attention to every detail, from the smallest accessories to the food to the service.” - says Attila.
Food from around the world
The Tioman Lifestyle Kitchen is not only a nice addition to the local restaurant scene, but breaks away from the “fried-everything-better” approach and is mainly vegetarian, vegan and fish dishes. But that's not the only innovation. Influenced by their years of experience in the Far East and overseas, their cuisine is full of exotic spices, bold combinations and an explosion of flavours. “Unfortunately my experience is that people have forgotten to eat, everyone is just filling their bellies. We cook with fresh ingredients for the most part. And we do this with techniques that allow the most nutrients to prevail and are easiest for digestion.”
“We need to show people that there is another way”
When they were looking for the perfect location, they considered several places in the country, but finally chose Győr because of the logistics. “Since we wanted to have a presence in our Munich restaurant, it was important to make the commute easy. If anything happens, we can get there quickly by plane or car, so that's why we chose this city. But we deliberately didn't want to open in the centre. I like the fact that it's a bit tucked away, you have to be targeted, so we can filter out any inconvenience of guests dropping in.” The restaurant can seat 40 people and they don't want to overcrowd the terrace. As they say, the aim was not primarily to make a profit. They wanted to create an environment where guests could slow down, talk and stay as long as they wanted.
I must admit, I naively thought that the opening was preceded by some kind of market research or needs assessment, as it takes a lot of courage to open a restaurant where the dishes on the menu can be a question even for people who know about gastronomy, not to mention meat-free. But there was no such thing, and the Attillas reported a sensational reception. “There was no market research, we just knew we were coming and it was going to be good,” says Annamária with a laugh. “In the past decades we have cooked for the biggest and the best. With so much experience behind us, we felt there would definitely be a demand for what we had to offer. We didn't even spend any money on marketing, yet we filled up with guests almost immediately.”
“The need for something comes when you create the opportunity to show it.” - Attila takes over. “You have to show people that there is a different way to eat than what we Hungarians are used to.” And what better illustrates their success is that they have noticed that restaurants that have been operating for many years, seeing their success, have started to add similar dishes to their offer. True, with varying degrees of success, but they don't mind. “Anyone who has been eating gypsy steak and pacalt in a bakery, it's useless to start thinking about vegan food overnight. You won't be able to cook it well if you don't put your heart into it.”
Michelin-star theme nights
As they have spent the last 30 years abroad, are not familiar with domestic suppliers and are only open 4 times a week, they source most of their fresh vegetables from Germany. A fresh fish and the shrimp is provided by Matusz-Vad. And in keeping with the holistic approach, great emphasis is placed on sustainability. “All the appliances in the kitchen are electric, the CO2 levels are kept virtually to a minimum and we make almost everything ourselves. We believe that only by using the right ingredients in the right way can a kitchen be truly sustainable.” In addition to this attention to detail, they also pay attention to quality entertainment, with a series of themed programmes for their guests over 8 weeks. Of these, one has already taken place, Michelin star was an undivided success. “Unfortunately, the 45-50 age group doesn't have a lot of recreational opportunities that have to do with aesthetics, so we want to change that.”
Based on these facts, it is worth following - and being inspired by - the success of the Szabó couple, because, after all, who doesn't dare, doesn't win...
Address: 9021 Győr, Amadé László u. 2
