In 2006, Roy was so captivated by the Hyatt boutique hotel milieu and the world of boutique hotels in Miami that he dreamed big and thought a big milestone in the family business' development could be the opening of a hotel in Budapest.
In January 2013, the opportunity arrived - the group was already working on opening ÉS Bistro.
The former tenants handed over the lease of the building formerly used as the State Printing House on the corner of Országház Street and Nándor Street, and the apartment building next to it. The unfinished building proved to be the perfect location for an 11-room boutique hotel and a cool restaurant, and the project could be completed within a relatively tight deadline.
Imagination took off and in the summer of 2013, the winged elephant in Buda Castle took flight: the Baltazár Grill & Hotel opened.
Roy says Baltazár is not a hotel with a restaurant, but a cool restaurant with a cool 11-room boutique hotel.
Zsolt Litauszki was personally responsible for the culinary concept and experience at the gastronomic liqueur centre. The highest quality, simplest dishes were on the menu. The charcoal grill was the centrepiece of the kitchen, serving serious meats, fresh fish and some of the best burgers in town.
Before opening, Roy and Zsolt travelled to Barcelona, visiting dozens of restaurants where Josper's charcoal grill was the basis of the cuisine.
Roy recalls. We learnt a lot during those few days and Zsolt was a fantastic partner in my gastronomic lubrication."
This is how Zsolt Litauszki remembers his time at Baltazar:
"I count Baltazar among the most exciting times of my life so far, it was very influential and inspiring for me.
I have always loved to create and here the task was serious and very rewarding: to build a world that didn't exist, to create something new - and thinking together with Roy was a great help. We did a lot of tasting, talking, analysing during the concept building - teaching and developing each other. When we chose Josper and travelled to Barcelona to get to know him, that's when the initial Baltazar menu and gastronomic concept came together for me. It was an incredible experience. Baltazar has become a playground that delights both the guests and the team every day."
