Harmati Gábor: Utasellátó 60 (Budapest, 2009)

right to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix event. High standards of catering had to be done for three day, which was quite challenging, regarding that about 350,000 visitors, press representatives and protocol guests were to be served in the summer heat at tents and stalls set up on the hillside... The catering was praised in both the Hungarian and in the international press. Catering for big events became a more important part of the business profile of the company. Catering Company did catering for the following Formula 1 Grand Prix events, HUNGEXPO and events at Budapest Sportcsarnok. High standard catering brought the company more and more requests to cater for top protocol events. To top it all, the company started to have requests to cater for receptions held at the Parliament. It is worth saying a few words about dinner service and cutlery used by Catering Company at events. The socalled orange „Apponyi pattern" dinner service was commonly used at protocol events, meals were generally served to Hungarian and foreign statesmen in such fine dinner services. The Apponyi pattern is one of the most popular Herend porcelain patterns. It was named after Hungarian statesman Count Albert Apponyi because a dinner service decorated with this pattern was made for him in the early 1930's. It is not known why preference was given to Apponyi pattern dinner service at representative events (and it is better not to go deep into the question where full sets disappeared in the company's last decaying period). The plain people were, of course, offered meal on less prestigious plates. At first simple dinner services were used that featured only the company name but changes happened in the porcelain factory, too and beauty ousted the enforced puritanism of the Rákosi Era. Blue colour became prevalent as the colour of decoration but it was sometimes combined with gilding, too - and usually this decoration was typical in restaurant cars. The wellknown vases, ashtrays and plates with blue rim and with the company's logo are hunted now by collectors. Changes after 1990 affected not only the corporate structure, ownership and management but tableware, too. Objects were to feature the new logo and blue as the basic colour was replaced with purple. 101. The most beautiful dinner service: from Herend manufactory