Losing your job overnight after twelve years in the restaurant business hardly sounds like the ideal start to a new venture. Yet that is exactly how Nógrád County’s first home-style restaurant came to life in Salgótarján, where homemade food is served with a generous helping of warm hospitality.
It all began when the restaurant where Erzsike had worked for years was sold. Her younger daughter suggested that she should open a place of her own. And for good reason. Customers loved her cooking, and she had built up plenty of experience in the restaurant business over the years. Around this time, she discovered an EU-funded employment programme run by the Nógrád County Government Office. Designed to help people return to work, including by starting their own businesses, the programme gave her just the boost she needed to get started.
The nationwide programme, which also operated in Nógrád County, aimed to improve people’s chances of finding employment. Jobseekers received support through wage subsidies and training courses tailored to the needs of the labour market. Those with a promising business idea and a solid business plan could also receive help to set up their own businesses.
Erzsike’s story has all the makings of a fairy tale. These days, customers are constantly coming through the door of her little restaurant. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves!
At first, all she had was an old garage. With the financial support she received to start her business, she transformed it into a small but welcoming space where she could cook and serve meals. She fitted it out with kitchen appliances, equipment, a counter and furniture. But getting a business off the ground takes more than just the right tools. As part of the programme, Erzsike also completed several months of training, learning the basics of running a business, from market research to administration and taxes. A network of mentors was there to help her deal with any questions or challenges that came up along the way.
In less than two years, the restaurant has built up a loyal following among local residents. Some customers even travel from far away, drawn by the growing reputation of Erzsike’s cooking. And that is how we found ourselves in Salgótarján, ready to capture her success story on film.
We spent a day with Erzsike, chatting as she prepared a delicious pot of Székely cabbage, a traditional Hungarian dish made with sauerkraut, meat and sour cream. We also had the chance to taste her own special take on túrógombóc, a traditional Hungarian cottage cheese dumpling dessert. Her version is made with semolina pudding, shaped into dumplings and served with toasted cinnamon breadcrumbs and a light lemon and sour cream topping.
You won’t find a menu as thick as a book here. Instead, Erzsike offers a weekly selection of hearty, home-cooked dishes full of familiar flavours. And, of course, everything comes with a generous helping of love.
The development was implemented from EU funding in the project TOP_PLUSZ-3.1.1-21-NG1-2022-00001 under the Territorial and Settlement Development Operational Programme Plus.
Find out more about the project in the Project Finder: Details
