Website: www.cheflaszlo.com
Bio: Born in Siofok, a pastoral town in Southern Lake Balaton in Hungary, Cheflaszlo was raised in an environment of quality cuisine. He grew up around his parents’ restaurant, and by the time he was fourteen, he knew he wanted to be a chef. His journey began at the famous Patko Restaurant in Szantod, where he spent three years studying from Gyula Ohlmann Master Chef and under the greatest chefs in Hungary, receiving his certified chef’s diploma from the Hungarian Chef’s committee. His next position was at the famed Menes Csarda. He was quickly promoted to executive banquet chef when he was only 22, making him the youngest person in restaurant hundred-year history to hold such a prominent position. The post put him charge of all the ballrooms and off-premises catering, further highlighting his impressive culinary skills.
He was only 23 when he started to run his father restaurant. The Black Bridge Inn, “Fekete Híd Fogadó” the famous rustic family restaurant registered and approved by the “Federation Mondial des Societies de Cuisiniers”: continental cuisine with a dominant French influence. 85 persons served a la carte, “in-sight” cooking (all the dishes are prepared right before the eyes of our guests).
After five years in the Black Bridge, he moved to Budapest and started at the Gundel Restaurant a five-star Restaurant with one of the most respected gourmet restaurants in Europe, where he spent a year studying from Kalman Kalla Master Chef. It was there that Cheflaszlo quickly began to gain a formidable reputation as an accomplished chef. Beside the Gundel he visited famous restaurants in Budapest for two weeks training. He worked and study at the Belcanto, Hotel Hilton Budapest, Vadaszkert, Nancsineni, Sermaul Restaurant, Csardas Restaurant with Master Chef Balint Toth.
After several years in Budapest, he realized his dream of becoming a renowned chef in the United States when he accepted an offer for the management-training program at Plumed Horse a luxurious five-star restaurant in Saratoga, California. Under Executive Chef Patric Farjas, (a French Master Chef) he learned everything about fine dining, truffle mushrooms and French cooking.
Now, Patric is the Executive Chef at the Olympic Country Club, Lakeside. After two years in the Plumed Horse he was the Sous Chef at the famous Le Mouton Noir and at the Left Bank, in Menlo Park.
After four years in California, Cheflaszlo decided to head for New York, home to celebrities from all over the world. He took a position as chef at the Cinquanta, Italian Restaurant, a restaurant famous for its fusion of Italian and classical French cuisine.
Today, Cheflaszlo devotes most of his time to his Personal Chef business, developing new projects, making new recipes, promoting and selling his famous home made Foie Gras Pate.