Critiquing MY OWN MICHELIN STAR Restaurant - 42 Restaurant
Today, I am a guest at the 1 Michelin star restaurant I co-own - Restaurant 42.
I will sit down for a meal, try to be objective and, of course, tell you what I think.
Address:
Hungary, 2500, Esztergom,
Széchenyi tér 23.
www.42restaurant.hu
+36204424242
Check out my restaurant:
/ 42restaurant
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Follow my journey on instagram: / alexandertheguest
My name is Alexander. I’m the co-owner of a ONE Michelin star restaurant, and I’m on a mission - to find inspiration in gastronomy. I love fine dining, good wine and sharing what I know with other people.
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YOU CAN ALSO FIND ME HERE:
Instagram - / alexandertheguest
Email - hello@alexandertheguest.com
You can really hear the pride and confidence that he has in his restaurant - a true critic, he doesn't shy away from what he sees can be improved. It serves as fuel to aspire to greater things and be ever looking for that elusive perfection.
Did he mention anything which could be improved in this review, other than the missing cheese board? I may have missed it.
@@5h5hzone of the dishes needed more acidity according to him
HE should of had a random person review his place. Not himself !
@@whataboutrick Disagreed. He's well versed at fine dining at this point. I can't think of anyone better. He started this series to improve his restaurant.
@TheRaptman this was more like a ad for his place vs his normal videos imo. Why do you think restaurants hire "mystery shoppers" to see how things really are on a normal basis.
The food totally blew me away and thank you for the honest critique of your own restaurant. It shows that you will only improve and get better!
The rock search is literally the most creative thing I've ever seen in a restaurant
The absolute madlad finally did it! Congrats on hitting 100k, you're probably one of the fastest growing food youtubers I've seen and it's well deserved. I literally click on your videos the moment I see them on my feed.
I mean indeed madlad, but fastest growing food KZheadr king is still uncle Roger
@@levisiem4145 unlike that racist asshole this guy actually knows something about food
Me too!
he’s at 140k now almost 150 (I just found this channel)
Just went to a 1 michelin star restaurant in france last night and this looks 10x better than what I had! You guys deserve more recognition 👏🏻
1 star in France is like restaurant any other...simply nothing special
Yeah, in France the Michelin stars are very inflated, once a restaurant gets its stars its in the most cases quite hard to loose them again, at least for one and two star restaurants. And even in Germany i start to see such a development :-/
@@Stefan3690 guys is a hell of a work to get from 0 to 1, keeping it and scaling higher. There's "inflation" because restaurants keep on opening more and more...
@@ornellapesentiobviously the numbers of starred restaurants will increase if the number of restaurants increases, but (I don’t know how large of an issue it is) the other person thinks some places perhaps should be removed and/or downgraded because they don’t deserve it. I would say that Michelin only has a limited amount of resources and time, and some ratings that may need to be adjusted simply are not because they go unnoticed/forgotten
It's very easy to get a Michelin star in France. Just add 250g of butter on everything and there you go!
It was an honor to meet both you and Adam recently in Budapest and have a chat. I love your passion on this channel and this episode is no exception. As told that time: I can’t wait to visit 42, especially after this preview. Thank you for showing us your experiences.
wr
The vegetarian and juice options are a life saver for me. Good business move and I greatly appreciate it. I’ll pay a visit one day “Alexander The Host”
I want to say after just discovering your channel yesterday that you are one of the most composed and well-presented creators I've seen on youtube. After stumbling across this video I have a deep respect for how you present these restaurants and cultures. This video, in particular, really shows the deep passion you have for food along with the work and dedication that goes into truly bringing fresh ingredients and compassionate chefs into the spotlight. I really appreciate the honestly you have with your own restaurant - and as an aspiring home chef I cannot help but hope to emulate the way you revere a fantastic dining experience. Channels like these really inspire and show the way that a restaurant is more than just a place to eat. Thank you for producing such fantastic videos!
Gentleman, you've said perfectly what I wish I could be able to say, but my english does'nt allow me. So, here, have my upvote and a short reply of gratitude from Brazil.
@@marendur Sorry to see this so late but I am very glad I was able to resonate with you! From one aspiring chef to another, I wish you the best!
the production quality skyrocketed in these videos, absolutely amazing
What an amazing episode, definitely your team & you should be very proud of this one. The story of the food and history was impeccable.
I also think the goats cheese is a genius idea, I feel like cheese trolleys are a standard dining experience. I thought it was clever that you reinvented it into something a bit more playful & exciting.
130 Euros is a steal for this place!! Need to come visit before you guys get your second star LOL Great review and massive respect for you reviewing your own restaurant. Felt authentic and you added your personal "proud" moments of owning this restaurant which was a nice touch to your usual amazing reviews. I never had the pleasure of going to Hungary yet but this restaurant is in my top 3 reasons to visit. Hopefully very soon
130 is fine
@@Humanprototype-wh8qr 230 would've also been fine!
wr
i think he was being sarcastic about the price =/= quality. And yes it should more expensive for a nice place like that!
Here I am sitting mindblown realizing that I have eaten at your restaurant once when I was visiting Esztergom. Beautiful city, and amazing culinary experience indeed, both at your place and in more "traditional" Hungarian restaurants in town. A true honor.
Hey dude, that cheese lollipop you guys came up with honestly seems way more interesting than a cheese cart. 10/10.
wrr
No it doesn’t, it’s stupid. Great meal though.
Unlike some of the restaurants you've featured, this is in the realm of affordable as a capstone of a wonderful vacation for those who don't earn 6 or 7 figures a year. Two people could dine and have decent wine and still be well below 1000 euros. That's a far cry from places where the wine pairing costs more than that per person.
I mean no 1 star in the world (except maybe super expensive country like Australia/Switzerland or Singapore) reach 1000 euros or dollars for two people, that a crazy amount that you only see in 3 stars or top level 2 stars
@@shyeluk9463 Yeah, even the 3 star restaurants he visit dont go above 1000 Euros for 2 people if you don't need the wine pairing
How detached from reality are you that you think people earning below 6 figures are gonna spend 1000 euros for a meal for 2 lol
@@onlycasual1 People also treat themselves and go on vacations, it sounds more detached that you think middle income people just suck it up and never go for this kind of experience.
Hitchikers guide to the galaxy is my favorite book/series of all time. Im so happy you decided to name the restaurant after a piece of the book.
Hi, @austinkiklinski6354. Never thought I'd see the day when The Hitchiker's Guide made it to The Michelin Guide 😂
I love everything about this. Fantastic production values, lots of history and backstory, a passion for local products. And even a critical eye for your own restaurant. Great stuff! Love this channel and I look forward to the next chapters of your journey. Thanks for sharing your videos!
What a tremendous guide you are to Hungary. I can sense how eating at your restaurant would immerse me in your culture and cuisine, providing an unforgettable memory. Kudos on your restaurant, your videos, and your pride in hosting your guests. World class.
no such thing as unforx or etc
This channel should hit 1 million in no time. Superb video quality and properly knowledgeable reviews.
I'm coming to Hungary primarily to stay in Esztergom and dine at 42. The food looks phenomenal, and your selection of wines is a testament to the excellent viticulture in Hungary and Slovakia. 42 is a true ambassador of world-class local food and wine.
Named after Hitchhiker's Guide? Eating here is definitely on my bucket list now
This is the only channel for which I’ll switch from 2x speed back to normal. Bravo!
Man building up a restaurant in 2020 was ballsy congrats on the success!
The fact that you're Hungarian was a massive, jaw dropping surprise for me. I've been an avid fan of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy since I was a child, when I saw the "42" in the title i was holding my breath and hoping it would be related. Your introduction to the restaurant was absolutely amazing, as always. I already had a vacation booked for next year to Balaton. I just finished talking with my fiance and we scrapped all the plans we made. Instead of visiting family and Balaton, we're going to Esztergom! Expect us somewhere at the end of June 2024
That Cheese cart ingenious! The way your team put a twist on a cheese cart brings a new age feel to a simple aspect of dinning.
Innovative
Alexander, as a owner it is awe inspiring to see you critiquing your own restaurant. It shows integrity and by no means you were biased towards your own creation. Having worked in the industry, I would often be shut down and reprehended for offering my opinion on a dish. I hope 42 gets its second Michelin Star soon. If I am ever visiting Hungary I will definitely stop by. AMAZING video as always
wr
Just awesome men, just awesome. Please never stop this channel ❤
I love that you named it after hitch hikers guide to the galaxy. Such an amazing story
Same. Hitch Hiker's Guide is now in The Michelin Guide! Defo not The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe 😂.
This review felt like a gift itself. Your honesty, hard work and love towards giving the best experience possible are amazing! You could have chosen to provide us a very marketed review, but you chose to be honest and show us in a very personal way how you felt this experience. That's exactly what founded your well-deserved success. I wish I could dine there with my girl, but that's far away considering I'm in Chile hehehe All the best to you!
After just hitting 100k, you're already 1/4th the way there to 200k. 1million gang soon! And we're all here for it 🎉
That integration of the bouquet to being part of the next dish and the vase ‘water’ being the sauce - I’m falling in love 🤩
Your restaurant looks absolutely stunning. I hope 42 gets it's 2nd and 3rd Michelin star soon.
wr
Easily the best fine dining channel around. Loved getting to see your restaurant - it’s clear from the thought and effort you’ve put into every part of the experience that your star was well earned! Wishing you nothing but success!
Congrats on passing 120k subscribers!! I've honestly been addicted to your channel and this is another great video! Keep up the amazing work !
i can see your enthusiasm and excitement in this video where you share your pride and joy to us all, its different from all other video and it is quite nice and enjoyable
130 euros is crazily good value compared to the 3 star places you usually visit. Very hard for the vast majority to justify (let alone afford) a nigh on 400 euro menu but at this price it's actually something a lot of people could budget for. And the food looks fantastic. It's also never occured to me that a cheese trolley is such a big investment! Interesting insight there.
funny, or actually sad is that here in Stockholm u can eat for that same amount of money and is not even in comparison to this!! this is just amazing!
@@korvolga Here in Stockholm that would give you 3 glasses of average wine.
Especially when this food looks far more appetizing than some of the 3 star restaurants he's reviewed on this channel. Even the plating is nicer than some of those.
Sosem találtam volna ki, hogy magyar vagy. Remek ötlet volt angolul csinálni a csatornát, simán lesz év végére 1 millió feliratkozó. Így tovább, mert a content nagyon király!
Én is nagyon meglepődtem, nem volt ezer feliratkozója sem a csatornának amikor elkezdtem nézni, határ a csillagos ég! Mostmár muszály lesz elmennem ebbe a 42-es étterembe.
Azert az akcentus eleg jellegzetes es eros... Ezzel a tempoval es minoseggel 1 even belul siman meg lehet az 500000 felratkozo. Hajra, csak igy tovabb!
Az első videó után az akcentust hallva egyből elkezdtem gondolkozni, hogy vajon magyar vagy finn származású lehet Alexander. Pár kattintás után kellemes meglepetés volt felfedezni hogy magyar!
@@Pharizerя об этом сразу подумал 🤣🤣
Nekem gyanús volt az akcentusod, volt is, hogy próbáltam utánad nézni interneten, mert gondoltam, hogy magyar vagy. Egyébként nem is számít sokkal inkább az, hogy valaki kishazánkban képes letenni a minőséget szó szerint az asztalra és nem félmunkát végez.
Wow I have to say this looks gorgeous, I worked at a 1 Michelin Star restaurant myself and have to admit this looks even more beautiful then our dishes, when you continue that way I am sure th second star will not take to long, my best wishes from Germany and good luck
After watching this and looking at this establishment, I am 100% certain in your expertise in giving your critique on other restaurants.
Food looks great at reasonable price. Respect for the honest review of your own restaurant.
You can tell he will not stop until the team gets the third star. You can feel the passion.
Aside from a more studio like presentation, I like that you didn't treat your own restaurant any different than any others - you highlight the food, the setting, and the service exceptionally well and do a great job of showcasing what each place has to offer if you're in the mood for a fine meal.
When I first heard that the name of your restaurant was 42, I didn't dare believe it would be related to the Hitchhiker's Guide. That's been one of my favorite series for years now, and between the namesake and the food, I truly hope that one day I'll be able to come to your restaurant and get to try the food for myself. It's been amazing watching your journey and seeing the channel grow. Congrats on reaching 100k!
That painting by Attila Szücs is top notch! Congrats on the 100K. Seriously thinking about planning a trip to Hungary to visit your restaurant, which would mean in the spirit of Michelin that you have in fact a 3-star restaurant ;)
This genuinely looks like a great dining experience. Absolutely love the wine selection, Hungarian Wines are probably the most underrated in the world, there are definitely true wonders there!
Loved to see a glimpse into the story of you and your restaurant. Amazing presentation in this video again and could see the culinary expertise in your menu. It's rare to see such insight into a Michelin star restaurant from its owner.
I like that you are brutally honest for your own restaurant, that's what people respect! I thought that you will say only praises but you are to real, and because of that you get a LIKE and even bigger respect! Keep the good work! All the best from you neighbor from Serbia!
This is the best advertisement I've ever seen. :D Jokes aside, love your content and exciting to finally see your restaurant. Keep it up! :)
I have very fond memories of the food and drinks during my stay in Hungary. We were simply trying random restaurants and went from good surprise to good surprise.
It's very impressive how honest you can be about your own restaurant, and without being nit-picky. Just a very professional critique.
The menu and town look beautiful. In particular, the summer cabbage dish looked like a work of art! The colours and complexity of the patterns (e.g. at 8:44) really pop. I think €130 is an incredibly reasonable price for the creativity and variety. OK, that is still vastly more than I typically spend on a meal out (e.g. tonight I spent £45, of which £17 was on food, although I only tend to eat at restaurants maybe once or maybe twice a month), but I tend to go to what I consider to be 'middle tier' type restaurants. They're not "family-friendly" restaurants, and might be part of chains, yet will have good food for reasonable prices. Maybe in the grand scheme of things, these are still 'lower end' because they're not that expensive, but I also don't know that any restaurants in my area that are vastly more expensive. I also appreciate that it must be difficult to say that a dish "needs improvement" in your own restaurant. On one hand, the business is your baby and you love it, so it is hard to criticise in such an open forum, but when you're trying to be objective in a review you have to be honest. On the other hand, anyone who thinks their product is perfect is deluded.
wrr
Best start planning for 1 million subs--this channel is absolutely superb and arguably the best food-related content on KZhead!
This is by far the most authentic and playful experience I've seen. Congrats on 100K! Here's to 1 MIL!!!
Phenomenal achievement ! Proud to have restaurant 42 as a Charles Heidsieck Ambassade! Congrats 👏
The realization, when the Zak Bagans of Luxury dining is actually Hungarian ... Keep the good work up,our country needs more people like you .Authentic, honest and real.
I had a suspicion the name 42 came from Hitchhiker. My favorite number for the same reason!
I'm Romanian and I cannot tell you how badly I want this concept in my own country 😢! We have similar culinary history, ingredients and flavours, yet the creativity over the border is outstanding. Well done Alexander 👏. I really hope you get the 3 starts your restaurant deserves. You are a inspiration for people who want to push boundaries and create something special. Well done Hungary 🇭🇺 for nurturing creativity and hard work. Shame for on us for wasting potential, exquisite ingredients and talent...
That is truly a sincere review. Presented with pride and positivity. Props to Alexander
I hope you will get the 2nd star soon! You deserve guys! Csak így tovább! 👏👏👏
Just, the quality of these videos. And the humility in the narration, of every other video. The tone, always just and elegant.
wow, it was really great to watch. I do appreciate so much you being so loud and clear about the room of improvement and the pride you take in your own heritage. Bravo Alexander once again. Bravo to the chef too, the dishes do look spot on. I really do hope the best for this 42 journey. and how beautiful the petit four wooden cube was, really classy
Soha nem jöttem volna rá hogy magyar vagy, azt hittem egy külföldi ételkritikus vagy hasonló. Nagyon király a content amit gyártasz mindig álmodozva nézem a helyeket ahol eszel így tovább❤
Translation: I would never have realised that you are Hungarian, I thought you were a foreign food critic or similar. The content you produce is really great, I always dream of looking at the places where you eat, keep it up ❤
Amazing as always Alex! Not only did i appreciate the honest review of your wonderful place but got a good intro to Hungary. Will be adding this to my triplist for sure!
Your restaurant may be the beautiful restaurant you’ve visited on this channel. Kudos to all the hard work
Lovely. Absolutely the best of wishes to get your second and third stars! Unbelievably pretty presentation, great crisp white plating, just a visual feast. And great personal passion on display. Great!
Gratula az étteremhez, jó látni hogy egy csillag mellett is mennyire őrzitek a magyar jegyeket a menüben. És hatalmas meglepetés volt, hogy magyar vagy, meg sem mondtam volna. Valószínüleg a gyártási minőség és nyelvtudás rejtette el.
I have never been at the very beginning of a channel with the first video and will stay here to the last. Great content, you deserve much more!
Looks like Hungary and 42 have to be put on the travel agenda.. Looking good! 🍾
This is the best execution of any new KZhead channel I have ever seen. Absolutely addicting videos. Alexander the Guest needs to be on the food network.
The presentation on all these dishes is absolutely stunning. I cant get over the amuse bouche with the stones from the river. Amazing
Bro. I've eaten a few stars, with Osteria Francescana and Guy Savoy being my main events. But I DESPERATTELY want to visit Hungary and Restaurant 42 now. Looks so fun and refined, with great options like a juice pairing for those of us that have cut back on alcohol. well done, what an ambassador for your country!
That cheese trolley dish seems amazing. Three star dish I think, taking a disadvantage and turning it into an advantage.
The IWC Portuguese chronograph is a great watch! It shows us that you’re a person who understands the finer intricacies of everything you do and not just food. Anyone can just throw on a Rolex or an AP but IWC is for people of intelligence and sophistication.
Let me guess, you are wearing an IWC Portugieser? :-)))
@@EGO0808 Not yet. But I appreciate it quite a bit. I most recently picked up a Zenith Rainbow Flyback which is an underrated watch that's definitely worth checking out if you’re into watches or a collector.
Such a beautiful restaurant. The setting is calming and allows a lot of light in.
Wow , what a great and totally honest review. Was nice to see that you disagreed with some of chefs dishes and provided constructive feedback. Pricing was really good considering what was actually on the plates. The main course was knockout.... WOW. I think the sorbet/ granita would be better replaced by an actual dessert, maybe a mini one. Wine selection was superb and the non alcoholic pairing well priced. The local wine flight was affordable to all.... Great stuff. And would I make the journey to eat there ? ABSOLUTELY 👍🏻 ❤
Having a non alcoholic beverage pairing and a vegetarian menu is very important and I highly appreciate it
When I was a young choirboy we toured Hungary and sang one of Frank Liszt’s masses in the Basilica at Esztergom. The basilica has a 9 second echo and the mass was written with that in mind.
Now this the one we have been waiting for lmao. Amazing content keep it up:) regards from Switzerland
The cheese trolley was so cool to me. Very innovative!
Great video! I'm hooked on your critique videos, and you seem like a very humble person - a credit to the food industry. I wish your restaurant all the best 😊 love from the UK!
Congratulations on the 100k subscribers! Well deserved, and your channel and restaurant are just scratching the surface. That cheese trolley is inspired!
Sharing the history of Hungary was a great idea and I appreciate your honesty with your own. I look forward to experiencing your country and restaurant soon.
Very beautifully done. If you could please slow down the intro. Such a beautiful country. Very thoughtful and desirable menu. Very well done . Wishing you and your team much success. Alexander the Host
So nice to see how fast your channel is growing now! Three days ago the 100k sub video, now already at 126k. Can't wait to see where your channel will go! Loving the content so far. Truly well made videos with excellent production, and super informative.
Congrats on the rapid growth! Also, although there are amazing cheeses out there and I love a good cheese course, your cheese course looks more fun than most out there. There is a lot of fun within your menu and think it is well placed. Thanks for showing us your place!
This looks like an amazing experience! I will definitly make sure to visit your restaurant as soon as possible! Amazing job. Hats off
@9:10 If noone else is going to say it, then I will. I have NEVER seen anything so mindblowingly colourful, beautiful and artistic on a plate. Stunning! .....
Yet another great video, productoin values are amazing and your restaurant looks fantastic! I do think the music is a bit loud in this one though, it's difficult to hear you talking sometimes!
Hi Alex! I’m from Venezuela, it made me very happy to see our chocolate so far away in such a high level restaurant
Well, adding this to the bucket list asap! Always a fan of these videos and I eagerly look forward to every one of them!🎉
fine dining is something mesmerizing to see for people like me and i would love to save up and visit these places and have that experience myself, Your videos are truly inspiring and makes people appreciate the skill, craftsmanship, partnerships, and history behind these dishes.
Succes is a work in progress ! Keep up the good work … love to visit your restaurant some time! ❤🤙🏻😍
Complimenti, molto bello. It is also very good that you guys are pushing local and national products as the great magyar wines. Keep up the good work!
Looks gorgeous. Love the place, the decora, tables, colour palette The wines all sound very interesting. Hopefully one day we get to visit it. Thanks for the content!
Wonderful review! Long awaited, instantly enjoyed, and I'm still appreciating the long, luscious aftertaste! I can only think of one downside: from now on, it's gonna be flippin' impossible to get a table!
it's nice hearing you talk about your own restaurant, the area around and 42 itself look amazing!
i love you videos man. as someone who works in fine dining and enjoy food immensely, i appreciate your passion and acuity
the quality of your videos gets better and better. this is the best video yet. cinematic! your storytelling is also great! Congratulations for the channel!
Looks absolutely gorgeous. Your chef's plating skills are superb.
Excited for this one Alexander! Congrats on one of many youtube landmarks!
Wow, this truly unlocks flavours of Hungary I never knew existed, your cuisine is not really widely known imo but the stone dish is really creative. A great head chef and the decor of your restaurant is very unique to other michelin star restaurants - it doesn't look like it feels too initimate or uncomfortable to sit in, michelin star should never mean a "stuffy" experience. There's nothing worse when you feel excited for the food after seeing the menu but the service and decor don't make you feel comfortable; a touch of class is not but too much and it becomes pretentious. Even briefly in the video it seems your staff have great professional, but friendly personalities, something that makes the guest feel truly welcome.