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A few simple rules for enjoying luxury, or: restaurant etiquette you ought to know

 There comes a time in most people’s lives when they need to attend an elegant venue. It might be for a festive occasion or a business meeting, or perhaps someone simply wants to treat themselves to a luxurious dinner, for example in the company of their partner. In more upmarket restaurants, however, the table settings are more elaborate, and the variety of items on the table can cause confusion and make you feel a bit uncomfortable. And we haven’t even got to the table yet. We’ve only just arrived.
To avoid any inconvenience, we just need to bear in mind a few basic rules, and this will make everything run much more smoothly – turning luxury into a pleasure rather than a nightmare.  

Do ladies have priority?

He was granted only 42 years of life, yet masterpieces emerged from his hands. He worked tirelessly and, although he too joined the ranks of the regulars at coffee houses – including, amongst others, the New York Café – idling was the furthest thing from his mind. He mainly worked and worked, and whatever he understood of the events unfolding around him, he rendered with astonishing artistry.

Ordering dishes

New York Művész Páholy – the café’s famous figures

Consumption

New York Művész Páholy – Sándor Márai – the eternal rebel

Cutlery etiquette

New York Művész Páholy – Gyula Krúdy – between extremes

Payment of the invoice

Handling money in an elegant restaurant is one of the most discreet of tasks. As the waiters are keeping an eye on what is happening at the table – including when we have finished our meal and are preparing to leave – they will be watching for our signals. That is precisely why we can ask for the bill without any trouble, simply with a nod or a slight gesture. It is customary for one person to settle the bill; if the bill needs to be split amongst the guests afterwards, it is best to leave this to be dealt with once you are outside the door.

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The success of the New York Művész Páholy lies, on the one hand, in the fact that the organisers put their heart and soul into organising their events every month, driven by a commitment to culture. The audience is always presented with a topical message, ensuring that each evening has a clear character and atmosphere, conveying the diversity and values of knowledge, culture and the arts to the audience in a down-to-earth and direct manner. This directness is one of the defining features of the programmes. An event of this scale could not take place if the management of the Café, or its managing director, Csaba Szabó, did not take the event to heart. However, the enthusiasm remains undiminished. Just like that of the hostess, Anna Juhász, who presents the programmes with authenticity, not only through her knowledge and preparation, but because literature runs through her veins: she herself is the daughter of a contemporary poetic giant. Nor can we overlook the now entirely unusual approach to guest communication. One of the driving forces behind the event, Diana Józsa, the marketing manager, personally coordinates and responds to participants’ registrations and enquiries. This form of communication plays a major role in fostering a friendly, direct rapport, and this is clearly reflected in the guests’ reactions. The enthusiastic team at the New York Művész Páholy, working alongside Anna, is thus able to create a highly guest-centred and successful series of literary events.
Continuing the series we have begun, our aim year on year is for art and our country’s most acclaimed artists to find a home at the Café through these high-quality, enriching evenings, so that there may be a place where like-minded people, committed to art, culture can meet, where, in a „New York-style” atmosphere, culture takes centre stage one evening a month. The New York Művész Páholy evenings have become so popular that places sell out within 1–2 hours of registration opening. This means that sometimes more than 500 guests attend a single evening in the series.

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