Hungary Man: Footballer-Turned-Restauranteur Sandor Nagy of Budapest

Former striker for Qingdao’s Hailifeng football club, Hungarian Sandor Nagy has become a Beijing-based ambassador for his native Hungarian food and culture. He tells Agenda about what to expect at his restaurant, Budapest – the only Eastern European eatery in town.

Where in Hungary are you from originally?
I grew up in the north-east of Hungary, in a small village in the countryside named Radostyán. When I was growing up, Hungary was a communist country, like China is now.

Why did you come to China, how long have you been here, and what have you done here?
When I was ten I started playing football, which was one of the best decisions of my life. Since, as a professional striker, I’ve had the opportunity to come to China. I played in Qingdao with the Hailifeng team for four years. During my stay in Qingdao I learnt a lot about China – the Chinese mentality, traditions and culture. After I finished my professional football career I decided to come back to China and start my own business.

When did you decide to open a restaurant?
Since the Hungarian cuisine is a unique one, and there is no other Hungarian restaurant in Beijing, it seemed like a good opportunity introduce Hungarian cuisine to all Beijingers. As my career as a striker was coming to an end, I started to think about what to do next. There aren’t really any eastern European restaurants so I decided it would be an interesting direction to go in. There are fewer rules here in China than there are back in the EU, so it seemed a sensible idea, as a newcomer to the industry, to start here. My mother cooked a lot of great food when I was growing up, but I don’t really cook. I have a fantastic Hungarian chef and of course I taste everything before it goes on the menu to make sure it’s perfect, but for me Budapest is more a business venture.

What’s your favorite thing about living in Beijing?
There is such a diverse range of people here that wherever you go you can make interesting new friends. It’s the land of opportunity, you can live the dream! I do really miss the beautiful Hungarian countryside though.

What are some of your favorite places to go and things to do?
I really like to take walks in the parks, and I love to cycle around Beijing. Of course, I have some favorite bars and clubs to go out with my friends, but most of my time is spent in the Budapest restaurant, as it is the most important place in my life at this moment.

How do you compare Beijing and Qingdao?
I must admit, I think I prefer Qingdao; I think that’s because I grew up in the countryside so the Beijing air is not something I enjoy! I like them both; they offer different things. Qingdao is a small seaside resort town and life there is very relaxed. I love the sea and the Laoshan Mountain and the many friends I made during my years there. But Beijing offers many more opportunities in terms of business and networking. So I decided to start here, but hope one day to be able to open a Hungarian restaurant in Qingdao as well.

What makes Hungarian food special?
What are the staples? We like meat! Hungarian cuisine has of course been influenced by neighboring eastern European countries. It is good, hearty, rich food, with interesting combinations of spices, and lots of paprika.

What’s your favorite Hungarian meal?
My mother made an incredible chicken paprika; that’s the taste of home.

What are the menu’s can’t-miss dishes?
Of course you need to start with the Goulash, and the paprika chicken and pork stew are great. We do a taster plate for two which is great if you haven’t eaten Hungarian food before. We also have Hungarian wines and spirits – the Tokaji is a nice desert wine, and a shot of Balinka is an authentic accompaniment to your meal.

What is the feel of the restaurant?
Budapest is relaxed and cozy. We serve fresh, home-style, hardy portions
of good food, all accompanied by a Hungarian pianist to add to the atmosphere. We are opening a terrace
in July to allow diners to enjoy the summer weather, and of course we have free Wi-Fi, so it’s not just a place to come for dinner. I can’t explain the table hanging upside down from the ceiling though, there’s no reason behind it other than a bit of fun!

What do your Chinese customers make of Hungarian food?
Paprika – a spice which is used a lot in Hungarian foods – was actually brought over from Mongolia, which I find interesting. However, I don’t think that’s the reason locals enjoy it – everyone can appreciate how delicious it is!

What are your hobbies?
I don’t really have time for hobbies just now! I still love to play some football in the park with my friends, but other than that traveling back home to Hungary to see my family and friends is one of my favorite things to do.

Who are the most famous Hungarians in history, and how are they honored by the menu at Budapest? And of them all, which is your favorite and why?
I believe most football fans know Puskás Öcsi, the most famous Hungarian football player. We have a dinner set named after him and we hope that would inspire people to try it out.

If you could welcome anybody to eat at Budapest, who would it be and why?
I am lucky enough to have welcomed several ambassadors and even the Hungarian president to eat at Budapest. As a child, my idol was Rivaldo, so of course serving him would be a dream. There is an interesting story about a Chinese man who lived in Hungary thirty years ago, who loved Budapest so much he named his sons Buda and Pest! One is now quite a famous actor here in China; it would be great to serve him some hearty Hungarian food!

Do you have any plans to open more restaurants?
No definite plans at the moment, but I would love to open another Hungarian restaurant in Shanghai, and the idea of going back to Qingdao and opening a restaurant is something I think about quite frequently. We are always thinking of exciting new things to introduce at Budapest too; at the moment I’m considering country-themed weeks, with special menus featuring dishes from various eastern European countries.

Budapest Hungarian Restaurant Daily 11am-11pm. 2/F, Bldg 6, China View, Gongti Donglu, Chaoyang District. (8587 1270)朝阳区工体东路中国红阶大厦6号楼202室