King of 2008

Bock Bisztró, owned by Lajos Bíró finished in first place on the top list compiled by Dining Guide in 2009. Lajos Bíró has also been elected “restaurant owner of the year” recently. – How does it feel to be the best chef in Hungary? – That’s an exaggeration… I’m sure that Erik Schröter and Miguel Rocha Vieira are better. Let’s say I am one of the top ten. – What are the qualities required to achieve such recognition? – I think unconditional consistency, some perfectionism and continuous learning is required. We should never accept failure. – At sixty, are you looking forward to retirement? – I have serious business plans for the future, like opening a meat processing plant and a meat store. – You have won the sympathy of the Dining Guide jury by the reinterpretation of traditional Hungarian dishes. Is this the secret of your success? – Yes, partly. Experimenting with creative ideas is a good thing. –Experimenting is not cheap… – Results, the quality of a dish is more important for me than efficiency. Profit should come second to quality. Unfortunately, this is not generally accepted in the business. – How far do you think we are behind the West? – The whole system of catering should be reformed, including relevant regulations, which for example prohibit buying from farmers directly. – With 400 dishes a year, aren’t you planning to publish a cook book? – I would need a publisher willing to invest HUF 10-15 million. – Which side are you on in the dispute between the two professional alliances? –I think progress is represented by MGE, with Tamás Molnár B.