Creativity and innovation in hospitality

Marton Vajda (‘03) is the owner/co-owner of many successful and well-known restaurants in Budapest. His creativity always brings something new, fresh and unique to the hospitality industry. In this interview, Marton reflects on his experiences at AISB and in his career.

You said that your years at AISB were one of the best times in your life. How was it different from the other schools you attended?

I came to AISB from a traditional, local school, so the atmosphere and attitudes at AISB were completely new to me. The cultural diversity of the school was something I appreciated throughout my years, and I made friends who are still–and probably forever will be–part of my life, though we don’t even live on the same continents anymore. I enjoyed AISB very much.

What is the most important decision you made in your early years after high school?

That’s a difficult question to answer. From a career point of view, I guess it was the decision not to attend university right away, but rather to become an intern at an advertising agency. The fact that I never stopped working at different jobs, even during my university years, made me an experienced young adult by the time I completed my studies. No one ever asked me what grades I had, but they could definitely sense the work experience I had.

Tell me about your career path.

At a very young age, I started competing at an international level in karate, and that earned me a scholarship at a British university. The dedication required to be on a national team is something I still benefit from. Especially since that dedication lasted over 25 years!

At 14, I began working as a cashier in the Jewish district of Budapest. I spent my summers there for the next four years, organizing and leading guided tours.

After high school, I took a year off to gain work experience and spent a year as an intern at the Young and Rubicam Agency. It was a very good and useful experience.

When I returned from university, I worked on a few interesting things at the same time. I organized The Jewish Summer Festival and subsequently became the Owner and Managing Director of the Festival. I also worked as a producer for TV shows aired on TV2 and was very much involved in the tourism development of the Jewish district.

In 2014, one of my old classmates from AISB, Rozina Wossala, asked if I’d be interested in a gastronomy project and connected me with the Mazel Tov restaurant owners. That is how my gastro path took off. Since then we became involved in quite a few exciting projects, which I can proudly say reshaped the nightlife and restaurant scene of Budapest. The ones I am most proud of are Mazel Tov, Tereza, Pontoon, Raqpart, Divino, Majomhoz, Normafa Síház, Fröccsterasz, and our latest, Badhanna.

What inspires you?

It inspires me to create and develop new things. I believe that through our projects we create new values and use tools – as simple as restaurants or bars – to communicate important ideas.

You were described in a Forbes interview as the coolest gastro-guy in Hungary. What makes you different from others in your field?

This title caught me by surprise, as I have no idea what makes a person cool in this field. In fact, I know many much cooler guys. But from the journalist’s angle, I suppose, he saw a relatively young guy enjoying life, riding a motorcycle and having a good relationship with his employees. I guess he was used to doing interviews with people in elegant outfits, in fancy offices. I just had a good chat with him in a wonderful restaurant, Badhanna . That made me extra cool. :)

Are there any missed opportunities you wish you had leveraged?

To be honest, no, I don’t think so. I think the evolution of the company I’m building is good as it is. I’m happy with what I have accomplished so far. I have the most beautiful and loving family and a job I enjoy doing. I don’t think I missed out on anything.

How do you discover talents in others?

Great question, but I truly believe that there is talent in everyone. The real question is whether you can match the talent of a person with the job you require of them. We work with over 600 people, so managing talent and HR is quite a task for us. However, at a management level, we are quite strict about our expectations. For example, we can only address problems if the person raising the issue prepares hands-on solutions to tackle them as well. If there are no solutions, that given person is not right for that job.

What character traits do you look for in the people you hire and work with?

Most importantly, I am looking for self-sufficient, creative and fun people.

How do you generate new ideas?

New ideas are everywhere. However, in order to develop new projects, I need to distance myself from the projects I work on. I spend quality time with my kids and my dogs, and I am a hardcore mountain biker. In order to stay creative, it is vital for me to clear my head regularly.

One of our key values is well-being; how do you maintain a sense of well-being in your life?

I think the key to feeling well is understanding your own personal needs and the factors that create balance in your life. This is something that can only be learned through experience and honest self-reflection. You need to go over your limits every once in a while to see your personal boundaries. For me, my well-being is closely related to satisfying my physical, mental, and emotional needs–and making sure none of the above is pushed too far. My work is a great mental training tool. Mountain biking and BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Ed.) are where I let off excess stress and energy. My family is where I find my emotional balance.

In this time of crisis, what is an example of resilience in the restaurant business?

I think that every challenge in life - and also in business - can be addressed by a certain level of resilience. Imagine a wooden stick without any resilience! It would break immediately under the slightest pressure. The same is true for addressing personal challenges. We need to find new and unique solutions at times like these. As humans, we are the only species on the planet capable of planning and preparing scenarios based on past experiences. It is absolutely vital to plan possible scenarios for our near future, but it is also essential that these plans be resilient and therefore adjustable to the specific challenge we are facing. The restaurant business is the same in this regard. Prepare for the worst but always expect the best!

What’s your personal manifesto for balancing life and work?

Balance is very subjective. It depends on who you ask. And as I’ve said before, it’s something we need to create for ourselves. Aim for a certain balance you’re happy with, but accept the fact that sometimes it will not be perfect. But aim for the best.

What skills would you like to see schools build?

I think that most curriculums overlook the importance of generating experience and building self-confidence. I meet lots of people with a great education but with no experience whatsoever. I truly believe that almost any problem can be solved with the right attitude and solution-focused mentality, but this is not something schools typically address in the right way. I am also involved in training dogs (I know it sounds funny) and our training method is based on teaching through conflict. At every single training, we put the dogs and their owners into a certain level of conflict, just challenging enough to be solvable. Through the process, they are able to grow and understand each other better. I believe this is something current education should focus a lot more on. We need to expose this generation to more conflicts, let them find solutions, and let them grow. Teach them how to think and not what to think.

You have achieved a lot in your career. What have been some of the proudest moments in your life so far?

Thank you for that compliment. I don’t necessarily see it as a lot, but yes, there are some accomplishments I am very proud of. I am proud of all my projects. Mazel Tov, Tereza, Pontoon, Jewish Art Days, Badhanna, A Majomhoz, Divino, Normafa Síház, etc Each and every one of those projects has been a cornerstone in my career.

What is your life motto?

I have quite a few actually. One that I use a lot: if a problem can be solved with money, it’s not a problem. It’s an expense. Another: the only real mistake you can ever make is not correcting your mistakes.

What’s your favorite dish?

Potato Paprikas.

WORDS BY MARC LAVOIE, STUDENT LIFE COORDIANTOR