Corinthia Budapest News April

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 not long ago.

interview with péter bolyki executive sous chef on his fond memories of cooking together with gérard depardieu.

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 > in april, corinthia hotel budapest is filled with the invigorating spirit of spring, a time of awakening and renewal.

This year is of particular significance in the life of our hotel. as general manager of corinthia hotel budapest, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of its reopening in 2013, i would be pleased if you too discovered more about the history of the hotel on this jubilee occasion. we have put together a special exhibition to present our long and distinguished past, where a fascinating series of photographs allows you to glimpse some of the major events of years gone by. The exhibition formally opens on april 25. on april 26, also within the framework of our 10th anniversary series, we have arranged an evening banquet at which our guest of honour will be mr alfred pisani, founder and owner of the corinthia hotel chain. Then, on may 5, we plan a very special open day for everyone interested in a behind-the-scenes tour of the hotel. we continue our themed sunday brunches throughout april. every week the highly popular sunday programme commemorates topical events and anniversaries. our 10th anniversary brunch on april 28 has, naturally, particular importance, and accordingly we have a few surprises in store for guests. spring renewal is also evident in the royal spa – the special rejuvenation treatment is particularly recommended. in addition to the numerous programs offered by the hotel, we would also like to inform you about the many opportunities available in wonderful, historical budapest. i sincerely trust that you enjoy the april edition of our newsletter and find a program to meet your particular needs and interests.

Thomas m. fischer | general manager

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.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

> The splendid ballroom is a monument to the rich history of the hotel, and also budapest.

corinthia hotel receives european finest hotels award > we proudly announce that corinthia hotel

budapest has been awarded as one of the best hotels in europe by the european finest hotels organization (efh). The award is commendation for the hotel’s unique and exceptional qualities and high level of offers and services. out of nearly 230 000 hotels in europe, only 70 are being presented this award by efh. european finest hotels is the first and only platform incorporating a fine selection of the best hotels in europe. This collection has been drawn up by an independent body and refined over the past two years after numerous consultations, site visits, data collection and information from travellers’reviews, tourism offices and embassies in europe.

‘The european finest hotel award is truly a global representation of genuine quality and corinthia hotel budapest is extremely proud to have been selected for this title,’ said Thomas m fischer, general manager of the hotel.

guestbook french acTress caTherine deneuve

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The grand story of corinThia hoTel budapesT

BY TIBOR MESKÁL, MANAGER ON DUTY

The beginning - Chapter 3 > look back in time to the glorious and glamourous days of the grand hotel

royal opening in 1896 when hungary celebrated the anniversary of the countrys „land-taking” by Árpád in the year 895. after a year delay finally the millennium has been celebrated and interesting historical buildings, monuments and bridges have been restored and created, amongst them the grand hotel royal. during this time and age the elizabeth boulevard grew at an astonishing speed and became the most elegant thorough fare in the city of budapest. with all its bright new buildings this street looked fantastic. There were new theatres, restaurants, apartment blocks and even a spa. in 1886 the architect vilmos freund had built a luxurious ’bathing institution’ almost at the corner of Király street and the splendid elizabeth boulevard. The pool of that new institution , equipped with a machine generating waves, was the sensation of the town. it’s ’treatment rooms’ contained steam and electric baths, a pneumatic chamber and a medical room with cold – water treatment. This spa was the meeting place for a select group of distinguished businessmen. like a coffehouse, it was an ideal place to discuss important matters in privacy. next to this spa was a large plot of land , still empty and unused. in 1894 a handful of hungarian entrepreneurs realised that a social centre the magnitude of the spa called for a nearby luxurious hotel. That same year a group of hoteliers established the „royal nagyszálloda részvénytársaság,” the royal grand hotel company’, with a registered capital of 1.2 million forint. The chairman of this group of eminent gentlemen was frigyes glück, while members of the board included his brother Károly and rezsô ray, the swiss-born hungarian architect. in no time at all the grand hotel royal limited company bought the vast plot of land next to the ’bathing institution’, the spa at erzsébet ring. The three lots of land carried the topographical numbers 4769, 4770 and 4771. Together these sites made up the biggest building site - 31,500 square meters - on the entire boulevard, stretching from erzsébet ring to hársfa street, an area housing an old hospital and the former poorhouse of the budapest Trade association. both these buildings absorbed into the construction plans. according to the old master plan a theatre was to have been built on this ground. The newly formed company had a different thing in mind. They would build a monumental hotel and blocks of flats, following the drafts of their fellow board member, the architect rezsô ray. They had just one request: the hotel must be completed one day before the opening ceremony of the grand millennium exhibition, on april 30, 1896.

meeT The sTaff INTERVIEW WITH

Péter Bolyki, EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF You have worked as Executive Sous Chef at Corinthia Hotel Budapest since October 2008.

Before coming here, where did you work, and what influenced you the most over the years? i have been a chef since 1986, and i spent 15 years working in austria. i have worked on cruise ships on a number of occasions, but i have also worked in restaurants, a mansion hotel and at a catering company, yet the greatest impact on me was during those years in austria. here, creativity was given a prominent role, and enabled me to show guests the true art of cuisine. i also have happy memories of my time spent onboard a cruise liner, where we prepared meals for 1200 people in four different restaurants. i headed the ethno kitchen, where we were able to showcase the cuisines of the countries we were visiting. i travelled in south america, where i became familiarized with many basic ingredients, fruits and vegetables that are unknown in europe.

You were back in Austria again recently, on a special gastronomy tour. i spent two weeks at salzburg’s restaurant ikarus in hangar-7 thanks to the assistance of the red bull hungary office. This remarkable place surprises its guests with a very unusual concept. each month, chefs from the world’s leading restaurants are invited to cook their

trademark prestige dishes for a whole month. when i was there, the guest was enrique olvera, chef of the pujol restaurant in mexico city. his marvellous 8-course menu and the house menu of the ikarus restaurant were totally stunning. i tried such special delicacies as tortilla and fresh turbot, celery and scallop ceviche and bean tamales with sour cream espuma. as well as aquiring at the wealth of new ideas, my main aim was to learn as much as i could from the chefs of the ikarus, picking up their serving skills and acquiring the science of the compilation of dishes.

What was the event in the life of the hotel in 2012 that you look back on with the fondest memory?

The actor gérard depardieu stayed with us for quite a while. it was a fantastic experience for me to meet him and to welcome him into the hotel’s kitchen to prepare one of his favorite dishes.

This year the hotel celebrates the 10th anniversary of its reopening. How have you prepared for this auspicious occasion? we have put together a uniquely special menu, a compilation of courses through which guests are guided all the way from the reopening to the present day. however, i don’t want to reveal any more for the time being.

everything went according to plan. in 1895 the five-floor building was missing only the roof. meanwhile, the development of the surrounding city advanced at an astonishing speed. The number of inhabitants in the elizabeth city (seventh district) increased from 62,417 to 158,980 around the turn of the century. The urbanisation of the city and the exodus of people from rural areas into the capital accounted for this rise.

The grand hotel royal was the largest hotel in central europe. behind the neighbouring facade was the 1886 spa, which would be one day connected to the hotel.

This year the restored and rebuilt grand hotel royal celebrates the 10th anniversary of its reopening on the 30th of april, 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…

corinthia hotel st petersburg

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 lifethreatening 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.

> The five-star corinthia hotel st petersburg is the result of the renovation of historic 19th century buildings in the heart of st. petersburg on the city's main boulevard, nevsky prospect. retaining the classic facades, the interior was completely rebuilt offering a fine blend of art deco and modern business facilities. all of the major historical sites including the hermitage and the winter palace, the alexander nevsky monastery, st.isaac's cathedral, and the admiralty are nearby and easily accessible from the hotel, as are the major business districts. The hotel has everything you would wish for in a five-star hotel. 388 comfortable and elegant rooms, including 107 executive rooms created within the framework of the hotel extension project. all rooms are equipped with central air-conditioning and heating, sprinkler and smoke detector system, safe, mini-bar, hairdryer and wi-fi, direct-dialing telephone with voice mail and satellite television. The restaurants are universally recognized as being among the city’s finest. The stylish, bright & spacious imperial restaurant overlooks nevsky prospect, while café vienna offers for coffee, pastries, desserts and light snacks in the best viennese traditions. nevsky bar & lounge, offering a wide range of drinks and snacks, is the best place to unwind and relax after a busy day. The lobby bar serves tea, coffee, and an excellent choice of drinks and light snacks. The hotel has an extensive range of conference and banqueting facilities that can accommodate a wide range of events. The centerpiece of the hotel conference center is the grand ballroom, seating close to 500, which is the largest meeting space of its kind in any five-star hotel in the city of st petersburg.

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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 7900 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

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.

fools daY brunch daTe: apr. 7. 12:00-16:00, brasserie restaurant > we’ve turned things around a little bit for the fools day brunch. in fact, we’ve turned everything on its head! Your meal is cooked by chefs dressed as waiters and is served by waiters dressed as chefs, a jester pops up throughout the hotel, and just wait till you see what we’ve done to the cocktails, and the muffins, and the exploding candies... crazy! but you’d be nuts to miss it!!

Joel Khalil | Executive Chef big ben brunch

MACARON FILLED WITH SALTED BUTTER CARAMEL INGREDIENTS FOR THE SALTED BUTTER CARAMEL (100 macarons) • liquid cream 35% 110g • butter 135g • sugar 195g • salt 2g • glucose 30g • milk chocolate 20g

preparaTion for macaron daugh • heat the butter and cream and salt in a small pot • in a separate pot cook the sugar and glucose until it becomes a caramel slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the caramel to make a nice creamy caramel, then add the chocolate chopped into small pieces and mix well.

• leave to cool and mix well with a whisk to make it slightly fluffy.

ingredienTs for macaron pasTe (200 pieces) • sugar 125g • water 30g • egg whites beaten 50g • icing sugar 125g • almond powder 125g • egg whites 45g • egg white powder 2g • optional coloring 1g

daTe: apr. 14. 12:00-16:00, brasserie restaurant > Ye olde england in ye modern budapest? strange but true! There’s a double-decker bus parked outside the hotel entrance, big ben (well, a chocolate copy), great pub ales and refreshing g&T, jacket potatoes and other fine english fare, plus the inimitable beatles tribute band, the blackbirds. come and wave the union Jack on april 14 .

earTh daY brunch daTe: apr. 21. 12:00-16:00, brasserie restaurant > we are going organic in a big way to celebrate earth day. live light and eat healthy is the motto today: there’s a fantastic fruit ’n veg (celery, carrot, cucumber, banana, berries) smoothie bar in the brasserie, a display of bags, baskets and jewellery made from recycled paper, a brilliant segway track for kids in the harsfa room and plenty more going on. get a taste for sustainable living at our earth day brunch.

10Th anniversarY brunch daTe: apr. 28. 12:00-16:00, brasserie restaurant > as we celebrate our 10th anniversary as corinthia hotel budapest we also look back in time to the days when this was the grand hotel royal, inaugurated in 1896. The hotel is being thrown open to tours, there is a fascinating exhibition on the history of the house, and nostalgia for those long gone days is evident in such specials as a unique royale cocktail, a menu from 100 years ago and a couple dancing the waltz in full ballroom costume. come and witness history through the corinthia’s lens!

garamvÁri wine dinner daTe: apr. 19. 18:00-22:00, brasserie restaurant > This evening of entertainment combines three superlative ’artists’: music from the hugely popular saxophonist st. martin, a luxury five course meal prepared by corinthia hotel budapest’s award-winning chefs, crowned by fine reds, whites and sparkling wines from the distinguished garamvári winery in budapest and at lake balaton.

roYal cocKTail > acquaint yourself with the hotel’s very latest cocktail, into which we have poured out heart and soul.

This unique creation, the nobly named royal cocktail, is being served in le bar. The recipe is attached to this unique drink and you can try making your own royal at home!

preparaTion for macaron daugh • heat the oven to 165c • whisk the egg whites untill fluffy and hard, and at the same time, cook the sugar and the water until 117c and pour into the egg whites, • mix well the icing sugar and almond powder with the raw egg whites and egg whites powder • add this mixture to the beaten egg whites and mix slowly and delecatly with a spatula (macaroner in french) do not use a whisk for this mixture only a spatula.

• if you wish, add a coloring to the mixture at this time.

• place the mixture in a piping bag and pipe onto a silpat mat, or pastry paper drops in the shape of macarons, and leave at room temperature for about 20 minutes to allow macarons to become slightly crusty.

• place the tray in the over and cook for 10-12 minutes • leave to cool on the tray before removing.

filling The macaron • place the salted caramel in a piping bag and fill one side of a macaron with the filling and cover with another side.

roYal spa Let’s celebrate spring! geT Your bodY readY for The firsT hinT of a sunshine > from revolutionary anti-aging facials to anticellulite body wraps and massages, we can help you tone and glowing from top to toe, just in time for summer. book any 60 minute or longer facial or body treatment and we treat you to a skin-renewing brown sugar full body exfoliation: a natural sugar exfoliant and the unrivaled treatment for supremely soft skin after just one use. product contains real brown sugar crystals that prevent moisture loss while gently buffing away dry skin cells.

Table reservaTion and furTher informaTion: +36 1 479-4800 or cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com facebook.com/corinthiahotelbudapest

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programs in march RECOMMENDED BY THE

corinThia hoTel budapesT CONCIERGE TEAM

SZAMOS MARCIPÁN ROYAL CAFÉ, CHOCOLATE SHOP szamos chocolaTier welcomes guesTs wiTh TradiTional hungarian caKes and pasTries. > The confectionery is a great place to meet in a busy part of the city, offering a tranquil and elegant environment for meetings of friends and business partners, get-togethers for families and colleagues, and for everyone attending concert, theater and opera productions. corinThia hoTel budapesT 1073 budapest, erzsébet krt. 43-49.

Telephone: +36 1 413 7968 www.szamosmarcipan.hu

april brings ‘spring fever’, encourages The world To rise up renewed wiTh showers of programs.

Tamás ungár Chief Concierge

For further information and reservations, please contact the Concierge.

fesTival The last week of the Budapest Spring Festival has the most unique programs in store. > The program entitled ‘circus in the night’ will

premier in the festival Theatre on april 5-6, the pioneer show of the local contemporary circus company, recirquel contains fairytale and mythical elements, portraying a group of acrobats trying to find a circus that has disappeared.

performances in april 2013 18 Thursday 7 pm 19 friday 7 pm 20 saturday 3 pm 20 saturday 7 pm 21 sunday 3 pm 21 sunday 7 pm

> april 6 is dedicated to giuseppe verdi at

budapest’s opera house, part of the bicentennial celebrations of his birth with a grand verdi marathon.

The spirit of the composer will be evoked with a concert of choruses and arias to introduce an exceptionally rich and colorful operatic oeuvre.

MADÁCH THEATRE

only 2 minutes walk from corinthia > ‘budapest 100’, held on april 6-7, is an annual

celebration of 100-year old buildings in the city. more than fifty buildings - a mixture of residential houses, schools, museums and offices - will open to the public. The program offers the opportunity for these hidden values to be discovered. > passion, rites, raging emotions, mysticism, humor

hotel budapest

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAM COAT BY TIM RICE AND ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER > This wonderful musical is based on the story of Joseph, one of the most beautiful, dramatic and eventful stories

of the bible, and also one of Thomas mann’s famous tetralogy. it debuted at the madách Theatre in 2008. since the hungarian premiere, the musical has run more than 150 times. The spectacular and extremely high dynamic performance has become one of the public’s favorites. its witty, humorous and creative lyrics, fresh, multi-styled scenes combined with webber’s melodious tunes ensure an excellent, entertaining, ironic, and at the same time, inspired and cathartic experience for the public.

and respect – are just some of the experiences that the budapest dance festival will offer on april 19-29. masterpieces will be brought to life in the national dance Theatre and in the festival Theatre through performances by renowned hungarian and international dance troupes. world dance day, on april 29, will be celebrated with a gala evening dedicated to the hungarian dance profession.

> classical music admirers should purchase tickets for the performance of the national festival orchestra – conductor: iván fischer - at the national concert hall on april 18-20. The budapest congress center houses the mozart concert series starring the Kossuth prize-winning violinist, miklós szenthelyi on april 20.

> april favors jazz-lovers with the Jazz workshop – nigun & don byron (usa) on april 8 in the festival Theatre.

> The joint performance of

> Yamato group - The drummers of Japan - celebrates its 20th anniversary with a new world tour ‘rojhoy - The beat on the road.’

The performances will be staged at the budapest congress center on april 12-14.

exhibiTions > The museum of fine arts stages a photography exhibition this spring, opening on april 4. The show will feature around 250 shots by one of the icons of fashion and advertising photography, the german-australian helmut newton (1920-2004), reflecting his most significant creative periods from the photo albums ‘private property’, ‘illustrated’ and ‘gunforhire.’ > growing into the top design event in budapest, –

awaiting the fashion crazed every sunday in april wamp design market has relocated to a more authentic and frequented downtown spot, váci utca 1. This is the place where design meets those, hungry for something different and stylish.

daniel Kahn & The painted bird and oi va voi promises a ‘Klezmer revolution’ on april 13. The venue is the national concert hall of budapest’s palace of arts.

> The world famous belgian band vaya con dios puts an end to its incredible, 27 years of carrier with a farewell concert from the hungarian audience, at the budapest arena on april 6. last call to listen to neh na na na, live.

Table reservaTion and furTher informaTion: +36 1 479-4800 or cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com facebook.com/corinthiahotelbudapest

photos by

uránia, puskin, Örökmozgó) on april 5-13 – is the biggest international film festival in hungary. The most outstanding and innovative movie of the festival is rewarded with the ‘breaking waves award’.

The night of baths will be held on april 6. be part of a party filled evening in one of budapest's famous thermal baths. five of the city's most popular baths széchenyi, gellért, lukács, rudas and Király, participate in the midnight extravaganza. concerts, dJs, music and dance are on the program, which starts at 10 pm and goes on until 3 am.

Balázs Danyi, Budapest Dance Festival, Helmut Newton Estate, MüPa, Danny Willems, Hiroshi Seo

> The Titanic filmfest – held in art cinemas (Toldi,