My life is a beautiful story!

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2026/02-03

– How did your career start?

– I wanted to be a restaurateur ever since I was a child. I started my career in 1964 and I have been passionate about this business since then. In 1990 I founded Gottwald Kft. and in 1992 we opened the Gottwald Hotel and Restaurant.

Sándor Gottwald has been working in the profession for more than six decades

– What do professional accolades mean to you?

– In addition to the Hungarian Gold Cross of Merit, I have been honoured with the Restaurateur of the Year award and international gastronomic prizes. The Gundel Károly Award is particularly important to me because it is specifically about the hospitality profession.

– How is the Gottwald brand structured?

– Gottwald is a multifaceted, family-based brand that I am building with my two sons, Zoltán and Szilárd, and my wife, Julika. Our own winery, pastry shop, agricultural land, livestock, organic orchard and vegetable garden serve the purpose of ensuring that our dishes are made from the best possible ingredients.

– Who do you respect in the Hungarian hospitality industry?

– The late László Fábián was my role model, he was a true professional genius. I hold János Garaczi from Tanyacsárda in Lajosmizse in high regard, just like Ferenc Punk from Tihany. The late Ernő Bergmann, founder of the Bergmann confectionery in Füred, is particularly important to me: he passed on his knowledge in an exemplary fashion.

– What advice would you give to a beginner restaurateur?

This career doesn’t mean working eight hours a day, but rather ten to fourteen, often twenty hours. Hobbies must be put aside: if you want to be a restaurateur, the guest comes first.

– What are your plans for the coming years?

– I would like to see the results of the new hotel expansion. My two sons are already taking over the hard work; I consider involving my grandchildren to be my most important task