New horizons

László Tusán, the owner of the highly successful Mokka and Dió restaurants has caused quite a surprise by selling the two units. – Why would you sell a restaurant which you have made one of the best within a short time? – I loved Mokka, and Dió has also fulfilled its function. However, I received an offer I could not refuse. – How long did you take to make up your mind? – The agreement has been signed within two weeks of meeting the buyer. In February, I was still preparing for the year. – Have indirect business considerations played any part in your decision? – There had been some signs of a recession coming. I am definitely not going to work in the restaurant business in the next two years. II don’t think that I would be able to repeat my success with Mokka today. – Has purchasing power dropped, or have competitors become stronger than before? – Both are true, but these were not the reasons behind my decision. However, cost efficiency could have been improved, without taking anything away from guests. – How do you see the future? – Special conditions would be required for me to enter the restaurant business again now. At the moment, I am trying to find clues to what people will want in a few years’ time – Why then is the restaurant business regarded by Ukrainian investors as having a potential? – The investors we are talking about have long term plans. The real estate prices in Hungary are still much lower than in Western Europe. – What are you involved in at present? – I am focusing on real estate and it is not my sole intention to get the highest possible rents. I would prefer tenants that enhance the standard of the downtown area, like quality cafes. – Have you visited Mokka in recent months? – Of course. I go there quite often. If you have really loved something, you will always love it, no matter what happens.