George Lang (restaurateur)

George Lang
Born	György Deutsch Template:Birth date Székesfehérvár, Hungary
Died	July 5, 2011(2011-07-05) (aged 86) Manhattan, New York, United States
Occupation(s)	Restaurateur, author, food and travel journalist
Years active	1946–2011
Known for	Founder of George Lang Corporation; owner of Café des Artistes; revival of Gundel restaurant
Notable work	Nobody Knows the Truffles I've Seen (memoir), The Cuisine of Hungary

George Lang (originally named György Deutsch; July 13, 1924 – July 5, 2011) was a Hungarian-born American entrepreneur in the restaurant sector, as well as an author and critic specializing in food and travel journalism.

Life

Lang was the sole offspring of Simon Deutsch, a tailor by profession, and Ilona Láng. He grew up in a humble Jewish household located in Székesfehérvár, Hungary. Despite enduring the hardships of World War II—including forced labor camp imprisonment and coerced affiliation with the pro-Nazi Arrow Cross Party—he survived while his parents perished at Auschwitz. After being cleared of any war crime accusations, he adopted a new name and relocated to the United States in 1946, establishing his life in New York.

Beginning his career in hospitality as a chef and banquet coordinator, Lang progressed to becoming a project developer at Restaurant Associates, an organization recognized for innovative establishments such as The Four Seasons Restaurant. In 1955, he commenced work at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where he orchestrated prominent fundraising events benefiting Hungarian causes, attracting distinguished figures like Edward G. Robinson.

Lang held the position of director at The Four Seasons for three years before launching the George Lang Corporation in 1970, positioning himself as a trailblazer in restaurant consultancy. He received the Hotelman of the Year Award in 1975 and took ownership of the notable Café des Artistes, a creative community hotspot that remained operational until its closure during the 2009 Great Recession due to financial difficulties and labor disputes. In 1992, he collaborated with Hungarian-American entrepreneur Ronald S. Lauder to revive Budapest’s renowned establishment, Gundel.

His memoir, Nobody Knows the Truffles I've Seen, was released in 1998. Lang also produced various culinary and travel publications, including The Cuisine of Hungary (1982), which was later reissued as George Lang's Cuisine of Hungary (1994), and contributed articles to Travel + Leisure magazine.

Lang entered into three marriages and fathered four children. At his passing from complications associated with Alzheimer's disease at age 86 in Manhattan, he was survived by his third spouse Jenifer Harvey Lang, his son Brian Lang—a professional concert violinist—and two additional children.

Sources

• Matt DeLucia, "George Lang - His Amazing Journey to Café Des Artistes," Restaurant Insider, March 2007.