May newsletter Corinthia Hotel Budapest

your CORINTHIA CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST corinthia.com INTRO

INTERVIEW

PROGRAMS

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awards we are proud of, a photo what we love and a prominent guest whom we have hosted long time ago.

interview with andrea horváth senior Conference and Events sales Manager on past and upcoming events.

Plan your programs with us! We have listed a great number of events for you to enjoy. also, our 10th anniversary is coming up!

Corinthia hotel budapest sets example by supporting ill children in cooperation with the Magic Lamp foundation.

Welcome FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER > May has always been

one of my favorite months. it is a delightful time of transition from spring to summer and in hungary it includes such important celebrations as Mother’s day and Children’s day. our themed sunday brunches continue in May giving us the opportunity to truly celebrate these two important events. fish dishes and musical instruments also receive leading roles in May; in fact, these are two such unusual topics that guarantee plenty of surprises. this month also provides an opportunity to sample fine wines compliments of the excellent bolyki and Gál vineyards, while in the middle of the month the ’guest of honour’ at Le bar for one whole week will be the strawberry. tasty fruit cocktails and cakes will be served for all to enjoy. if you are looking for genuine hungarian culinary specialities, the Gourmet festival on the final weekend of the month promises to be a feast of artisan delicacies. the spring buzz continues in the royal spa where we have several revitalizing and regenerating creams and regimes to recommend for your use at home. in addition to the many and varied programs that budapest has to offer we would like to draw your attention to our exhibition (lower lobby) that covers the more than 100 years of history of our hotel. i trust that you find our journal interesting and you find our programs to meet your demands and interests.

thomas M. fischer | GEnEraL ManaGEr

Guestbook

ELLa fitzGEraLd

thE aMEriCan QuEEn of Jazz

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

> the elegant rickshaw restaurant provides an unforgettable experience for asian cuisine lovers.

Exhibition opens in Corinthia hotel budapest

> to mark the 10th anniversary of the

reopening of Corinthia hotel budapest, an exhibition opens in the corridor adjacent to the main entrance of the hotel. the display not only presents the key events of the past decade, but it also takes us on a journey going back in time more than 100 years to reveal the history of the building. the hungarian Museum of trade and tourism compiled the exhibition, partly from its own material and partly from documents donated by former and current employees of the hotel and which are now in the public domain.

best of budapest award > based on its performance in 2012, Corinthia hotel budapest received best of budapest & hungary prizes in the following categories: best 5-star hotels, best conference facilities, best sunday brunch and best East asian restaurant. Every year, best of budapest & hungary awards in several categories are presented to the most outstanding restaurant, hotel and other service providers of the past year, recognizing their quality activities.

about Corinthia hotEL budaPEst > Corinthia hotel budapest is an award-winning member

of the Corinthia hotels brand. the hotel originally opened as the Grand hotel royal in 1896 and was entirely renovated and, in parts, rebuilt in 2003, following its acquisition by Corinthia hotels. among its many attributes, the hotel features a majestic Grand ballroom and the ‘royal spa’- itself an extensive renovation of an original 19th century spa which adjoined the original hotel - that has once again regained its rightful place as budapest’s most luxurious spa.

10th anniVErsary GaLa dinnEr

> alfred Pisani, founder and Group Chairman of Corinthia hotels

your CORINTHIA CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST corinthia.com

the Grand story of Corinthia hotEL budaPEst

BY TIBOR MESKÁL, MANAGER ON DUTY

The beginning - Chapter 4 > the official opening of thE Grand hotEL royaL took place on april 30 1896, the first menu dates from april 28 when the GLÜCK brothers hosted the hotel’s inauguration dinner. daily when i stand in the middle of the new lobby, i close my eyes for a moment and i try to visualize how the hotel looked in those glorious days... the hotel was a hospitality wonder world of 350 rooms, with 450 beds, 100 offered the luxury of a private bathroom. all rooms were furnished with the finest mahogany, while the bathrooms boasted the latest English fittings. the rooms were lit by 300 electric light bulbs. ’rising rooms’ operated between the floors, powered by steam engines. the elevators were exotically decorated and a wagon of tropical fruits and palm trees had arrived from Cannes. on the ground floor there were offices, a barber, a huge meeting saloon, a fully serviced telephone exchange with numerous telephone booths and ’urban’ telephone connections on every floor. the lounge was covered by a huge bright glass-roof. the restaurant and the coffee house offered elegant terraces, also covered by glass. Various well-located reading rooms offered all the major European daily and periodic newspapers. Presentation and meeting rooms for travelers wanting to either present their goods or hold a meeting in privacy had, like all rooms, electric light and gas heating. two large french courts (cours d’honneurs) were located between the three wings, one of them decorated as a ’Palm Court’. the hotel’s huge state-of-the-art kitchen was located on the other side of the hotel, on hársfa street. there the true sensation of the hotel was hidden as well: on the first floor was a marvelous, artistic ballroom with lovely carnival scenes, murals painted by zsigmond Vajda. over 200 employees looked after the needs and well-being of almost 400 guests. specially employed interpreters accompanied foreigners on their city tours. Within no time the Grand hotel royal became the epicenter of social action on the northern shores of the duna, the river danube. the beau monde of Pest met here every day at five o’clock for high tea. it was hungary’s first afternoon tea, a brand new institution – very fashionable. Later in the afternoon, from May 10, 1896, Eugene dupont hungarian representative of the Lumiere brothers, showed new movie programs in the parlor of the hotel every week. the 50 denier (a french coin, equal to one twelfth of sou) entrance fee was quite a large sum at the time, but not enough to discourage the citizens of Pest to rush to the event. the royal forged a reputation in the first year of its existence as the venue of ’moving pictures’. the great interest generated by the daily movie performances at the royal laid the foundations for hungary’s national movie industry, which progressed faster in budapest than in other European cities. the ’french miracle’ - as Lumiere’s moving pictures were nicknamed - ran until april 5, 1897, almost one year, over 300 days. it brought over 10.000 people to the hotel. the hotel was quickly and affectionately nicknamed ’royal’. a group of staff even formed an association called the ’royalists’. hungarian artists, journalists and writers soon discovered the splendid conveniences of living in a hotel. some even moved in for good. aristocrats left their castles and country homes – which were expensive to maintain over the winter months – and rented entire suites at the hotel for the cold season. Winter was the period of exciting cultural life in the city, while summers were exclusively reserved for their country homes. artists who did not have permanent homes tried to establish their ’nest’ at the hotel where they could meet in the evening to discuss common concerns. actors and their audiences, as well as hungary’s leading artists, painters, sculptors and writers, chose the coffee house of the royal. they founded the royal artists’ Club, a veritable institution with its very own table rules. if an ordinary guest wanted to sit at a table next to the ’royalists’ (royalisták), he had to come up with a ’donation’. this was paid into a sort of pension fund, and should a member of the club run low or out money he received a support from this fund. an interesting rule of the royal arists’ Club was that disputes between artists were only accepted as dialogues. no more than two members of the club could be engaged in an argument at the same time. this exchange of diverging or opposite views was also held in public, with the guests at the coffee house as an audience. this year the restored and rebuilt Grand hotel royal celebrates the 10th anniversary of its reopening on april 30, 2003 as Corinthia hotel. several historical periods and chapters will be presented to the readers in the coming issues to commemorate this magnificent hotel.

To be continued…

WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THE DREAMS OF SICK CHILDREN COME TRUE

suPPortinG ChiLdrEn

> Corinthia hotel budapest believes that as well as guaranteeing maximum guest satisfaction, it is

equally important to act as a role model in the area of corporate social responsibility. at the end of 2012 we finalized a strategic cooperation agreement with the Csodalámpa (Magic Lamp) Wish fulfilling foundation, now in its 10th year of operation. We have a common purpose: to help people in need. the Magic Lamp Wish fulfilling foundation makes the wishes and hopes of children who suffer from life-threatening diseases come true, giving them unforgettable experiences and breaking the dull routine of hospital treatment. the foundation – acting together with generous, supportive individuals and companies – has been fulfilling wishes since november 2003, in which time it has made the dreams of around 2,000 seriously ill children come true. it is our intention to contribute to this worthy cause and brighten up the lives of needy children in 2013.

MEEt thE staff INTERVIEW WITH

Andrea Horváth, SENIOR CONFERENCE AND EVENTS SALES MANAGER How long have you worked at the hotel? Where did you work before? i worked here even before the reopening of the hotel; i joined the staff on september 16, 2002. at that time, almost all of the staff worked in temporary offices set up in the basement, where the storerooms are now.

Prior to this i had never worked in a hotel and because of this i came across plenty of problems at the beginning. aside from a two-year break, i have always worked as the event organizer at the hotel.

The profession event organization covers a great deal. Which areas are you in charge of? i have always dealt with event organization, it is the area i really know and love. the profession of event organization is extremely diverse; i am responsible for the local market. this means handle the sort of events where accommodation is not dominant, but rather the event itself: domestic conferences, press briefings, business breakfasts, balls, Christmas parties, and of course, very many beautiful, but challenging, weddings.

In all your years spent in the hotel, which was the event you have the fondest memories of, and why? it would be difficult to pick just one because we have hosted interesting events. there are so many that i remember with pleasure, events that have become close to me over the years. one such event is the story gala

organized each year. during this event virtually every hungarian celebrity is to be found circulating in the hotel. the conference in which tony blair, then prime minister of the united Kingdom, participated was important and interesting, and the us presidential election parties have been a great challenge, too.

I am sure that as an event organizer you are approached by guests with very unusual requests. Could you tell us about the most interesting? i’ve worked in the profession for many years and come across very many interesting and strange questions, requests, but still perhaps the most surprising are when i am asked whether the hotel has a kitchen, a restaurant or furniture.

This year the hotel celebrates the 10th anniversary of its reopening. What sort of events are there related to this in 2013?

We will hold the 10th birthday party of the reopening of the hotel at the end of april, and to mark the occasion we will host Mr alfred Pisani, founder and Chairman of Corinthia hotels international, and the Maltese tourism minister. furthermore, the hotel’s premium partners, prominent figures from the hospitality profession and public life will also take part.

We have advertised an open day for the general public on May 26, when guests can see the hotel from a slightly different angle.

Corinthia hotel st George’s bay > Positioned in the heart of the Mediterranean, on the archipelago of Malta, known to the ancient Greeks as Melita or Land of honey, is a world-class resort. Perfectly located at the entrance to st George’s bay and offering magnificent panoramic views of the sparkling blue Mediterranean, the Corinthia hotel st George’s bay personifies the majesty and grace of a country that while small in size, is large of heart and history.

With a choice of exhilarating water-sports and a tempting array of Mediterranean-focused restaurants, the hotel makes the most of its waterside setting. this is a resort for business, relaxation and sport. the apollo spa is a tranquil haven, while the water-sport facilities include jetskis, parasailing and self-drive speedboats. Within the hotel, every guestroom has a large private balcony or terrace and the Executive rooms provide access to the businesslike Executive Club lounge. as for dining, the choices range from casual to smart and from american to italian. it is easily possible to stay a week and dine at a different restaurant each evening. Monday might be french. tuesday could be seafood. for late-night entertainment, our bars and cocktail lounges offer a sophisticated alternative to the throng of nearby nightclubs and entertainment spots. it is also home to extensive conference facilities. the 14 meeting rooms range from boardrooms for 8 delegates to conference rooms for 550 delegates. Most meeting rooms have direct access to sun-terraces with garden or sea views. the Corinthia hotel st George’s bay is truly a destination that dreams are made of.

your CORINTHIA CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST corinthia.com

recipe of the Month thE ChEf rECoMMEnds

our offErs - sunday brunCh brasserie & atrium restaurant • every sunday from 12:00 until 16:00 hours Cost of thE sunday brunCh: aduLts huf 8900 children up to the age of 14 years get 50% discount; free for children under the age of 6.

> Joel Khalil, Executive chef of Corinthia hotel budapest joined the

MothErs’ day brunCh May 5. 12:00-16:00 > Mother’s day is the time to celebrate the hardest working member of the family! to mark the day, we have put together seasonal dishes, a fantastic juice bar, live Gypsy music and a children’s choir. it’s the perfect way to say thank you!

hotel having already established himself as a highly skilled professional on a number of continents. his last appointment was the position of the Executive chef of sofitel Macau in asia and prior to that he was working in dublin, switzerland, tel aviv, London, brunei and hong Kong. his international career experiences have inspired him to create some exciting, easy-to-make recipes. We invite you to cook with us and try Joel's favorites.

fishErMan’s brunCh May 12. 12:00-16:00 > ahoy, there me hearties! the tang of the ocean reaches budapest today: whole salmon, smoked fish, prawns and mussels. the mezzanine bridge is transformed into a pirate ship, an an ideal place to sip a rum-laden Captain Cook Punch.

Joel Khalil | Executive Chef

fEst of MusiC brunCh May 19. 12:00-16:00 > if music be the food of love, play on. it’s all about music today: an exhibition, instrumental lessons (guitar, clarinet, saxophone, drums) plus live jazz, soul and salon melodies. We’ve also put together some intriguing ’musical’ cakes (opera, dobos, Mozartkugel).

ChiLdrEn’s day brunCh May 26. 12:00-16:00 > all kids love cooking and we’ll look after them as they make pastas and pizzas and get all sticky at the chocolate fountain. there are some great homemade lemonades (banana, elderflower, strawberry, original) and a brilliant clown who makes balloon animals and excells in storytelling.

GourMEt fEstiVaL • May 25-26. 10.00-18.00 • atrium ii.

BEEF & ASPARAGUS TAGLIATA rECiPE for 2 PErsons PrEParation tiME: CooKinG tiME:

> if you want to learn about and sample many of the very finest delicacies created in hungary, the Gourmet festival is the place to be. Everything from handmade chocolates to cheeses, from bakery products to bio wines, and much more besides is on offer. there are also two cooking shows on both days (saturday: chocolate and far Eastern cuisine; sunday: indian cuisine and spirit of Corinthia), where top chefs let you onto a few trade secrets!

20 min 10 min

inGrEdiEnts • • • • • • • • •

200 gr fresh and tender beef sirloin (other beef cuts can be substituted) 6pcs Green asparagus 20 gr Parmesan shavings 40 gr arugula leaves 5 gr Pine nuts 10 gr Extra virgin olive oil 1 stem fresh rosemary 30 gr oyster mushroom (optional) salt & pepper to taste

MystEry of royaL • May 30. 18:30-22:00 • brasserie restaurant > Who’s the man smoking a pipe and wearing a heavy raincoat? none other than Chief inspector Maigret, in town to investigate the Mystery of royal. be prepared for some subtle questioning, but solving a crime cannot be achieved without enjoying a three course menu and range of carefully selected wines. now, who saw the royal last? boLyKi and GáL WinE dinnEr • May 31. 18:30-22:00 • brasserie restaurant food: five courses menu • beverage: wines from Eger > the last day of May is reserved for a stylish evening of fine dining and fine wines. selected reds and whites from two of Eger’s top vineyards, bolyki and Gál, complement to perfection a five course culinary experience created by Corinthia hotel budapest’s top chef.

PrEParation • Clean and peel the asparagus. Cook in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes. feep the asparagus crunchy, and cool in ice water to preserve the green color.

• slightly roast the pine nuts to get a golden brown color.

• Place a non-stick pan over high heat. When hot, add a little olive oil and the rosemary to flavor the oil. season the meat with salt and pepper on both sides, and then place it in the pan and sear for two minutes per side keeping the meat rare.

• remove the meat from the pan and place it in a warm place; let it rest for about 5-10 minutes. this allows the meat to become more tender.

• Pan-fry the oyster mushrooms in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

• Place the meat on a chopping board and cut it in slices of 2 cm thick.

• serve on a bed of arugula, oyster mushroom and the cooked asparagus, then sprinkle with the pine nuts and parmesan shavings.

royaL sPa rEJuVEnatE your sKin at hoME > is your skin looking dull and lifeless? are you looking for ways to restore its natural glow? there are numerous ways to rejuvenate your skin at home, one of them being the use of skin care products. this will make your skin look brighter and softer. rejuvenating skin involves cleaning, exfoliating and moisturizing it. Choose the perfect home care product for your skin type and get 20 % discount on each Germaine de Capuccini or Phytomer product in May.

LE bar straWbErry fiELds May 13-19. > strawberry fields forever... (copyright: the beatles). the true, freshly-picked flavour of this inimitable summer fruit can be tried in cocktails and cookies at Le bar, open until 1 am.

riCKshaW WaGyu at thE riCKshaW rEstaurant May 21-25. 18:00-23:00 > the rickshaw restaurant showcases wagyu beef, renowned for its fine flavour and succulence, in a week of high gourmet drama from the orient. diners are offered a selection of fine sake liquors and a great hungarian wine, bock royal Cuvee, to accompany the 4-course meal. naturally, the milieu has been designed to reflect the Japanese theme. Every guest also receives a menu scroll outlining the history and origin of wagyu beef.

tabLE rEsErVation and furthEr inforMation: +36 1 479-4800 or cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com facebook.com/corinthiahotelbudapest

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ProGraMs in May

rEsErVations: +36 309 48 64 48 www.orfeumclub.hu www. facebook.com/orfeum

RECOMMENDED BY THE

Corinthia hotEL budaPEst CONCIERGE TEAM

Located next to the hotel with direct entrance from the hotel Lobby.

Admission is free for our hotel guests.

thE Last Month of sPrinG ProMisEs an ornatE ranGE of ProGraMs… tamás ungár Chief Concierge

For further information and reservations, please contact the Concierge.

fEstiVaL

ORFEUM PROGRAM OFFER - MAY 3rd 4th 7th 9th

> on May 11-12, floralia -

the traditional roman spring festival with theater performances and gladiator shows - will be hosted by the Museum of aquincum.

Colorful kids’ programs, arts and crafts make this a popular event suitable for the whole family. > falk art forum, the antique and Modern art festival will be held

on May 11 on falk Miksa street, the antique row of budapest. the street is turned into a pedestrian precinct during this lively event. organized by more than 50 local galleries, falk art forum features special exhibitions, stage performances and culinary delicacies. > Elisabeth square will host the budapest Pálinka festival on May 16-19. the huge selection of pálinka is widened by the star of this year's festival, a limited edition distillate made from a selection of premium sour cherry pálinka. this spirit is not for the faint hearted and is best accompanied by some hungarian delicacies, like sausage, cheese and chocolate.

10th 11th 14th 17th 18th 21st 22nd 24th 28th 29th 30th

Music and Passion - jazz, funk & soul live with Vera tóth, the voice of 2004. Guest star: Gabi tóth a diva’s night - jazz, funk and pop classics live with cabaret diva Kati rácz neoton swing – best hungarian disco hits of the neoton band in swing simply swing! - a musical journey in a genuine swing show, featuring the biggest hits from the 30’s to the present Let’s go to life - best of jazz, soul and today’s popular classics with tibor Kocsis, winner of x-factor 2011 CoCo – fashion Party Las Vegas divas - best of Las Vegas from aretha to barbra, Celine to Cher. Gabi berkes in concert sinatra & friends - timeless and always fashionable american jazz standards in a lively program Luxfunk funky Party & Concert - the best of funky from the ’70s and today’s hottest soul and r’n’b hits full house - Popular melodies, favorite dance hits and authentic adele and Lady Gaga renditions by beatrix Gyurki, a unique talent of the Voice 2012 Liza & Me - a dazzling music-hall-theater evening & a musical tribute to legendary performer Liza Minnelli swing & boogie - the greatest hits of the big band Era with Group’n’swing, hungary’s most popular swing band booM booM rooM - popular and sweet melodies in soul with Linda Király Whitney – Exceptional hungarian artists perform the greatest hits of the incomparable Whitney houston night & day – best of Cole porter in a musical-theater evening

> the Jazz spring festival at the Palace of arts on May 17-18 will fea-

ture internationally acclaimed jazz performers. this year's concert series is called 'Woman on the horizon' celebrating outstanding female jazz musicians, like the anat Cohen Quartet, Eliane Elias, Mrs. Columbo and terri Lyne Carrington. > More than 100 museums come together on the May 19-20 in the

beautiful garden of the hungarian national Museum to celebrate the festival of Museums. the numerous museums and galleries of budapest offer visitors virtual tours filled with cultural discoveries. the unique event is completed by plenty of entertainment.

MusiCaL PErforManCEs > the hungarian state opera house presents Madame butterfly,

tosca, arabella, and the abduction from the seraglio and premiers ariadne auf naxos in May. the last week of the month is dedicated to Verdi, showcasing Macbeth, i vespri siciliani and simon boccanegra. the Erkel theatre presents hunyadi László and the taming of the shrew.

MADÁCH THEATRE

only 2 minutes walk from Corinthia

hotel budapest

CATS BY T. S. ELIOT AND ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER > the festival theatre has some specialties in store for dance fans.

on May 7 Pécsi ballet premiers simple relationships–sweet delicacies in budapest. on May 16, duna art Ensemble performs the hungarian anzix. the hungarian contemporary circus series, recirquel: Circus in the night continues on May 24, with fairytale and mythical elements.

May 19 and 20 > the musical first opened in the Madách theatre in 1983. it was directed by tamás szirtes and choreographed

by László seregi. seregi’s legendary choreography left an indelible imprint on the 30-year history of the musical. the freshness of the production performed about 1400 times hasn’t faded one bit since its debut. though both the musical and the stage have entertained generations of theater goers, fresh scenery and newly designed costumes unique lighting and sound effects vibrant colors and movements enchant the public even today.

> superstars will also color the program selection of the last spring

from the best professional groups – hungarian state folk Ensemble, danube folk Ensemble and hungária folk Ensemble & orchestra - almost every day at the danube Palace and at the budai Vigadó. > the repertoire of the bartók béla national Concert hall is more than impressive. on May 8, Concerto budapest promises an extraordinary treat featuring Gidon Kremer on violin. the national Philharmonic orchestra awaits the audience with a special russian night on May 9, while on May 19 ‘a nation in song 2013’ with the national united Choir and the dohnányi orchestra budafok will provide a memorable musical experience.

> budapest houses

the World dog show 2013 on May 16-19 at the hungExpo. the biggest dog event of the year is not only about beauty, but health and appropriate behavior, which are the principles of serious breeding work. in addition to the beauty exhibition, dog sports programs like obedience World Cup, World Cup frisbee, guarding, agility, dog dancing will entertain dogs as well as dog lovers.

> Growing into the top design event in budapest, –

awaiting the fashion crazed on May 5, 12 and 19 WaMP design market relocated itself to a more authentic and frequented downtown spot, Váci utca 1.

tabLE rEsErVation and furthEr inforMation: +36 1 479-4800 or cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com facebook.com/corinthiahotelbudapest

Dávid Harangozó, Bertalan Székely, Tamás Rajna

> the folk-dance scene is finally complete, offering programs

Exhibitions and fairs

photos by

month. on May 8, Eros ramazzotti stages the Papp László sports arena within the framework of his new world tour ‘noi’. the eagerly awaited depeche Mode world tour stops at budapest Puskás ferenc stadium on May 21.