For almost a thousand years, Tihany has been a holy place around Lake Balaton, famous for its monks' mission, the first written record in Hungarian, its excellent wines, lavender-covered hillsides, herb cultivation and, of course, its great gastronomy. The restaurant Fűszerkert, whose chef, Gergő Kiss, says that it is the place to be todayhe only skill needed to be a chef. “You need knowledge of the ingredients in your head, routine in your hands and love in your heart.“
Photo: Spice Garden Restaurant
- How did you end up in the restaurant of the Echo Residence Hotel Spice Garden?
- Basically I worked at Fausto's, a fantastic restaurant. It's unique and unpretentious, free of unnecessary parade, yet still of a terribly high quality. In between came the Spice Garden restaurant, where I worked for a couple of seasons at first, but I'm now fully here as executive chef.
Photo: Spice Garden Restaurant
- What is the concept of the restaurant?
- As it's a hotel and a restaurant, there's plenty to do. There is no need to introduce Tihany to anyone, as the surroundings are beautiful and our terrace undoubtedly has one of the best views of Lake Balaton. And the fact that the place is not in the middle of the hustle and bustle is a definite advantage, making it a real relaxation for everyone. The restaurant also serves half board, we present the breakfast, but we also serve a candlelit gourmet dinner. There are many dishes on the menu at the moment that come from me and are such a hit that we can't take them off. We strive to put local suppliers first. Our ham is local, our cheese, which is fantastic, comes from the Tekeres Valley. And of course, as the name of the restaurant implies, the spices are freshly picked from our own spice garden.
- What kitchen do you take to the Spice garden in restaurant?
- If you want to call it something, it's a bistro kitchen. Since we also have breakfast and it's a hotel, let's say it's much more, let alone the gourmet food presented at dinner. We have Mediterranean-inspired dishes, but also classic dishes, as we have to cater for a very wide range of tastes.
- How were you affected by the pandemic and what has happened since then?
- Basically, we are going through a difficult period. I don't think anyone in the profession needs to be told what the last year and a half has meant. Once we were able to reopen, we gave it our best, but there is no doubt that we missed our foreign guests. But I think that Lake Balaton is not only open for the season anymore, and it is good to see that the Hungarian public has rediscovered its treasures. That said, it can't be said that we played like we did before the pandemic, but we have a much stronger domestic audience. Two things were difficult for me as a chef. The first was the fluctuating supply of raw materials and the second was the labour shortage, which was reaching unimaginable depths. In the kitchen, the chef is under constant physical and mental strain, and even the chef, who has to cope without a workforce with almost professional skills. Nowadays, every able-bodied worker is worth a fortune, and it is even better if he or she knows his or her trade. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
- How was the season on Lake Balaton and what is the situation now?
- I think the season went quite well, considering the situation. What was stronger, obviously, were the weekends. The lack of foreigners was noticeable, but basically we can't complain. Typically, the home crowd has a thinner wallet, but those who came to Tihany knew for the most part what they could fit in and what kind of place they were coming to. We are not the kind of place where you just drop in off the street. Let's just say that people come to us consciously.
Photo by Pixabay
On the one hand, the Fűszerkert restaurant is in a special position because of the hotel, but on the other hand, our prices are still good for the quality and the conditions on Lake Balaton. Therefore, you can dine here for 4-5 thousand HUF with a carefully prepared meal and quality service. For us it is important that, although the guest enjoys a higher level of gastronomy, with a standard of service, we must admit that we remain affordable in a beautiful environment. Of course this is not easy with the current prices of ingredients, but we are building for the long term. If we look at the current situation, thank God, we have quite a nice booking. There are typical events and happenings, so I don't think the word „season” is as sharply defined as it was years ago.
Photo by Pixabay
- You also mentioned the difficulty of sourcing raw materials. What about that?
- I can honestly say that for those who are in the countryside and don't have a so-called centre nearby, it's not easy. Obviously we try to source locally, and we do have a number of suppliers in the area, but they are quite volatile. I would say the range of suppliers in the countryside is narrow. Unfortunately it has to be said that few can present consistent quality on a regular basis.
The only companies we can safely rely on are those that know this. That is why it is important for us, for example MATUSZ-VAD, because they are the ones who, if I order it, will deliver it. Any problems, they compensate and we can count on them. What we use, just to give you a few examples, is Argentine Premium Angus sirloin, fresh fattened duck liver, duck legs, and for half board, pre-chilled loin. What I find particularly good from them is the pork, which is always good quality, and duck, liba different parts of the city are also excellent.
Photo: Spice Garden Restaurant
- How do you see the future in your area?
- What I see clearly is that if you can produce quality and deliver it to a standard, you don't have to worry. This is exactly why the Spice Garden Restaurant has persevered - despite all the difficulties - because the guest experience is the most important thing. This applies to the service and high quality of the restaurant. Of course, traditional dishes are necessary, such as our cottage cheese dumplings, which have brought many people back, but these must be accompanied by items of a higher culinary standard on the menu. I think that if we continue along this path, Lake Balaton and with it the Echo Residence Hotel can also expect to have a meaningful guest base beyond the stable season. Obviously a lot of work, but it is the way to go.
Source: Airchef / Tamás Budafoki
Photo : Spice Garden Restaurant
It's time to get your goose dishes!
https://blog.matusz-vad.hu/etyeken-van-jovoje-a-vendeglatasnak-interju-rokusfalvy-pallal/
