The Gay Hussar

The Gay Hussar
The Gay Hussar in 2013
Restaurant information
Established 1953
Closed 2018
Food type Hungarian cuisine
Street address 2 Greek Street
City London
Postal/ZIP Code W1D 4NB
Country United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°30′54″N 0°07′53″W / 51.5149°N 0.1313°W / 51.5149; -0.1313
Reservations +44 (0)20 7437 0973
Website www.gayhussar.co.uk

The Gay Hussar was a celebrated Hungarian restaurant located at 2 Greek Street, Soho, central London, England.

Foundation

Victor Sassie[1] was the founder of The Gay Hussar restaurant in 1953. Sassie was sent to Budapest in Hungary by the British Hotel and Restaurant Association when he was seventeen. He served his apprenticeship at the Gundel restaurant in Budapest. On his return to London in 1940, he established first the Budapest restaurant and then The Gay Hussar, which was to become popular with left wing politicians.[2] Diners included T.S. Eliot, Mortimer Wheeler, Aneurin Bevan, Barbara Castle, Ian Mikardo and Michael Foot.[3]

The restaurant is named in honour of the elite Hussars of the Hungarian army.[1] The name is also associated with the name of a popular Hungarian operetta, The Gay Hussars, by Emmerich Kálmán.

In October 2013 it was made known that Corus Hotels would put the Gay Hussar up for sale.[4] A group of journalists, politicians and lawyers formed the "Goulash Co-operative Ltd" to raise money to secure the eight-year lease,[5] but its bid was rejected by Corus.[6] The restaurant closed in June 2018.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Victor Sassie, Restaurateur 1915–1999 Archived 3 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine..
  2. ↑ Daniel Farson, Soho in the Fifties.
  3. ↑ The Gay Hussar, 1953 – Present Archived 3 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine..
  4. ↑ "Boom turns to bust for Gay Hussar – Coffee House". 25 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "'Goulash co-operative' in last ditch bid to save Soho's Gay Hussar".
  6. ↑ "The Xtra Diary: 'Goulash Co-op' plan to dish up menu changes at the Gay Hussar – West End Extra". archive.westendextra.com.
  7. ↑ Prynn, Jonathan. "The legendary Gay Hussar finally closes its doors for the last time". Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 July 2018.

Coordinates: 51°30′54″N 0°07′53″W / 51.5149°N 0.1313°W / 51.5149; -0.1313

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