„Deep split between restaurants”

We asked István Pető, chairman of the Hungarian Gastronomic Association about the present situation in the restaurant business.
– When and for what purposes was the Association established?
– Our legal successor was established in 1968, but many similar organisations had existed before. We have been using our present name since 1992. We are a purely trade organisation, with objectives like preserving traditions, training new talent, participation in domestic and international competitions, providing help in preparing for such competitions etc. We also participate in working out proposed legislation for our profession.
– How many members do you have?
– Over two thousand. This includes small to medium enterprises, large companies and at least ten self-governments.
– How do you see the present position of the restaurant business?
– Two factors determine our position: foreign tourism and domestic purchasing power. The first one is developing, though it is limited to popular destinations. Domestic consumption is not developing. Consumers are generally deeply indebted and will stay that way for a long time. There is also a lot uncertainty in the economy and our tax system is deformed.
– What are the most important features of the trade?
– A deep split exists between luxury services where the only problem is purchasing the constantly highest quality materials, and the restaurant business in the rest of the country, where mere survival is the priority.
– Is everything needed in a restaurant available in Hungary?
– Regarding materials, opinions are quite diverse. First class materials are hard to come by, as these are usually exported. Some materials are purchased in Austria. We would need to co-operate more closely with agricultural producers.
– What things does the industry need most? For example, regarding legislation.
– Unfortunately, we have not been able to meet with the officials of the Ministry of Agriculture to discuss our ideas. In most EU countries, EU directives are executed far less strictly and local gastronomic values receive more protection. The burden of administration on us should be reduced to allow more focus on professional work.