Café Gerbeaud

The Café Gerbeaud on Vörösmarty tér 7 in Budapest, Hungary, is one of the largest and most traditional coffeehouses in Europe. The company was a k.u.k. Purveyor.

Today, it remains in the style of the period, with its stucco, the chandeliers, made ​​of exotic wood paneling and furniture.

History

The coffee house began its ascent to the third offspring of a confectioner dynasty, Henrik Kugler. His knowledge and experience suitable to this primarily during his apprenticeship and journeyman years in eleven European metropolises, including Paris. Then he opened his pastry shop in 1858 on the József - Nador Square, which quickly became one of the best in Pest. Special features were the Chinese and Russian teas, ice creams, which were praised by the people of Budapest as the "best ice cream of plague ".

To be closer to the center of the city, Kugler moved his business in 1870 to the then Old Theatre Course ( Régi Színház tér, since 1926: Vörösmarty tér ). Were particularly popular with his customers in that time, his coffee, his spirits and his sugar candy. But the Kugler Pies and Mignons found strong sales, perhaps because it was the first time at Kugler possible, these packed on a paper tray to be able to take home. Guests have included Franz Kugler's pastry Deák and Franz Liszt.

1882 Henrik Kugler met on a trip to Paris for the first time on Emil Gerbeaud and immediately recognized Gerbeaud talent and enterprise. Emil Gerbeaud, who also came from a pastry family, was born in Geneva and gained his experience in countries such as Germany, France and England. 1884 Kugler finally invited him to Budapest in order to make Gerbeaud to his business partner. This later took Kugler business piece by piece, but kept the original name, the café. Numerous changes were associated with the business entry Emil Gerbeaud. With new products, such as butter creams, creams Paris, hundreds of varieties of biscuits, confectionery, sweets most diverse, he widened the range considerably. In order to offer its customers this wide range of products, he focused mainly in the sale and service a large number of new employees. So he already had about 150 employees, many of which only came to Budapest to learn and work at Gerbeaud to the end of 1899. Gerbeaud had a very good business sense, and prepared his bakery gradually with modern machines in order to meet the rising demand. So the name Gerbeaud soon became synonymous with quality and art of baking. As already introduced by Henrik Kugler, elaborate paper boxes for cakes delivered outside the home were very popular with his clientele, Gerbeaud continued this tradition and began to make this even yourself.

Internationally Gerbeaud was viewed. He was invited as a jury member of both the Brussels (1897 ) and the Paris World's Fair (1900 ), where he was awarded in Paris with membership in the French Legion of Honour. But numerous national and international awards have been bestowed on him.

After the death of Henrik Kugler Gerbeaud founded in 1908 under the name Kugler's successor Gerbeaud AG is a stock company with which the transactions were continued. With great attention Gerbeaud followed the technical development, and so he put the visitors of his cafes in 1909 parking spaces for automobiles in addition to those for carriages available.

The interior design of his pastry shop to Gerbeaud was advised in 1910 by Henrik Darilek comprises largely of marble, fine wood and bronze were used. The stucco on the ceiling was in the Rococo style of Louis XV. made. In the chandeliers one was inspired by Maria Theresa style. For guests both French tables and secessionist tables were provided, the Gerbaud had come from the World Exhibition in Paris.

Although the First World War was also the home Gerbeaud not unscathed, but Gerbeaud managed to lead its business through these difficult years with success. On November 8, 1919 Emil Gerbeaud died and bequeathed the business to his wife Esther, who led it until 1940.

The name remained the café until today, except for the period between 1950 to March 1984, when it was called the time between Vörösmarty. 1995 acquired the German businessman Erwin Franz Müller confectionery Gerbeaud and had them renovated extensively, so that the traces of the past 50 years are no longer visible. Today, the Café will return to its original, planned by Emil Gerbeaud style.

In 2009, the confectionery Gerbeaud was opened in Tokyo.