Rudolf Semsei: “Those guests are also regulars who come to us just once a year”

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2025/6-7.

– In 2025 you are getting ready for a big project: combining gastronomy with entertainment.

– Yes, and not only with entertainment but also with Hungarian folklore. We are building a revue theatre in the city centre, with a seating capacity of more than 200 people, where guests can enjoy a modern yet traditional show while having dinner.

– What has decided whether a catering establishment is still working or not? COVID has changed everything…

– COVID was like a heart attack for restaurant owners: part of our heart died and some survived but some didn’t. Those restaurants could continue that managed to keep the workforce. We were focusing on making the guest want to come back in the long term. I believe in good HR and quality ingredients – but most of all in knowing my own guests, my regulars.

Rudolf Semsei told Szilvia Krizsó how much attention he has to pay at work beyond his wife and four children

– How do you do that?

– I simply ask questions. Last year we launched a regular guest programme where we even ask them which wine they like the best. We also use AI: we have software that analyses Google, Facebook and TripAdvisor reviews. It tells us where the problems are in the kitchen, how restaurants are performing and even makes suggestions for a response. This allows us to respond quickly and accurately – something our guests appreciate.

– For this you also need a team with shared values.

– It is my job as a manager to define a path for colleagues and a mission that they can believe in. For me it isn’t only about professionalism, but also about human relations. We are trying to build a family atmosphere characterised by trust.

Under the Varjú Gazda scheme, small-scale domestic producers are being sought who can deliver stable quality, with standard quantities and quality all year round

– What are your tools for this?

– We don’t necessarily give the biggest pay to workers, but we try to give them something extra that they don’t get elsewhere. We have a motto for each year and we break it down into quarterly programmes. Last year’s motto was progress. The first quarter was about relationships, especially at home. The second focused on health: we offered free lab tests and launched a “quit smoking” and a “who is losing more weight” competition. The third quarter was about professional development and the fourth concentrated on “me time”. This year’s motto is kindness.

– Robots and AI are also becoming more common in catering. How much are these technologies transforming the guest experience?

– I have realised: AI can communicate attentively and if this is the case, then humans can be taught to do the same. This is our job: not just to serve food, but to offer an experience, which includes being attentive and kind.