Nóra Tegyei, Former Restaurant Manager, Émile Restaurant

  • 10 Nov 2018 3:51 PM
Nóra Tegyei, Former Restaurant Manager, Émile Restaurant
When I was 16, I got a student job in Sziget Fesztival as a bartender to pour beer to „tipsy” people.

Now I am 32 and am still in love with the hospitality industry. I love the long hours, lovely customers, and the fact that a whole vibe in a restaurant can be changed in one minute when we get flooded with people. 

I love to work under pressure. I believe that hospitality is a lifestyle. Very hard to find the balance within work and private life, but I think I did - cannot wait to say it out loud the magic words „ I do” in May 2019.  
 

1. Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Budapest.

2. If you could be an expat anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
2 years ago I would have said Singapore, but now I definitely would not choose anything but Budapest.

3. What would you miss most if you moved away from Hungary?
I used to live in the UK for almost 8 years, and besides my family and friends, I really missed the Hungarian language itself.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
Definitely eat at Émile.Go for a walk in Budapest when it is lighten up at nights, walk through the Margaret Bridge, but stay still for a moment at the middle of it, and take a look … magnificent.

5. What is your favourite food?
Sushi

6. What is your favourite sport / form of exercise?
Swimming, skiing.

7. What is your favourite place in Hungary?
The middle of Margaret’s bridge or the Tata Lake.

8. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Kindergarten teacher

9. What’s a job you would definitely never want?
Accountant.

10. Where did you spend your last vacation?
I was in Thailand and will definitely go back

11. Where do you hope to spend your next one?
My biggest dream is to see the Grand Canyon, so I hope I will be able to do that next year

12. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Band: Backstreet boys
Film: I am Sam (still a favourite)
Hobby: skiing (still)

13. Apart of temptation what can’t you resist?
Sushi

14. Red wine or white?
Gin and Tonic.

15. Book or movie?
Movie

16. Morning person or night person?
Night one.

17. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?
The difference between the salary in Hungary (for example: teachers’ vs workingmans’)

18. Buda or Pest side?
Pest

19. Which achievement in your life are you most pleased about?
I was the restaurant manager at Marriott, and now Émile….what else could I ask for more?

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
I have two:

“When the man does not know which harbour he is making for, no wind is the right wind” (Seneca)

“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles” (Audrey Hepburn)

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