By the time Tunde Pecsvari moved to Italy in 1996, aged just 19, she had already been running her own store in Balatonalmádi, Hungary. When she arrived in Rome, Tunde transitioned into a new industry, founding a small digital agency creating online advertising campaigns with Antonio Scognamiglio. The duo’s effective business partnership has led to the launch of their most successful project to date: a series of healthy Japanese food outlets that deliver on quality as well as offering a unique dining experience.

Falstaff: What attracted you to the food and drink industry?

Tunde Pecsvari: Since I was a teen, I have worked occasionally in restaurants and bars, as many do, as a waitress or barista, so I had some experience in that field. Back in 2004, when our digital agency got bigger but the online advertising field got weaker and more unstable, we decided to buy a Japanese restaurant, with the intent of diversifying our interests. It was a good decision because shortly after the online advertising scenario in Italy changed completely, so we closed our agency and focused entirely on the restaurant business.

When did you see the gap in the market for Macha?

In 2015, we already had two classic fine dining restaurants and a sushi corner in the very centre of Milan, along with two kiosks at Expo. We had enough experience at that time, managing so many different types of venues in different locations, to see the space for a trendy, fast-casual format with an international aspect. We immediately knew that starting a new project, we would think immediately of a chain, not a single store. So, every single choice from the very beginning was with that perspective.

Why do you think Japanese food appeals to Italians who already have their own strong culture in gastronomy?

Having this strong culture of gastronomy also means being open to different cultures, and this is exactly the case in Italy. We do have places and restaurants serving specialties from all over the world, but Japanese food, in particular, has a popularity beyond imagination. We took note of this phenomenon and ran with it. It was easier for us because we have been working with Japanese food since 2004, when it was less popular.

What are the bestsellers in your eateries and why?

The absolute number one is pokè [diced raw fish]; mainly the build your own version. It is so popular because lately people are obsessed with customisation and they really want to create their own dish. They can choose among so many different ingredients that we once calculated it is possible to create more than four million different combinations; so when we say every pokè is unique, express yourself and create yours, we mean it. The most popular ingredient our customers use in their combination is salmon and avocado, by far. Starting from the preferences of our clients, we created a dish called Best of Pokè that reunites all the most popular single ingredients.

How do you choose the menu?

Every choice we make has the goal to satisfy our clients. So, we choose new ingredients and new recipes based on what our team refers to us as the client's preference, based on data (bestsellers) and, of course, based on new trends. We have 40 stores and we are constantly in contact with every single person that works in Macha because teamwork and feedback is crucial for us. Stores are managed by District Managers, they are responsible for three or four different stores in the same area, and Operation Managers who manage one or more regions. Our Kitchen Manager, who supervises every operation, has been working with us since Macha first launched. Also, our marketing area is very important for product development; they constantly monitor Italian and international trends.

Speaking about trends: how do you choose your locations?

The best way for our business development is to open stores in shopping malls. They are the most popular and best performing stores and we mainly choose big shopping malls in northern Italy. However, we are very proud of our urban locations: we have six stores in Milan and one store in the centre of Turin. We are even more creative in urban stores, having more space and opportunity to make particular design choices, for instance.

What makes Macha different from other sushi/pokè spaces in Italy/Milan?

We were the first brand in Milan to prepare pokè, but when we started, we already had more than ten years of experience with Japanese food. So, the quality of ingredients and preparation was always, and always will be, a must for us that we guarantee to our clients. What I think really makes us different is the relationship we have with our “Macha people”. Macha is a lifestyle brand, so we aim to create well-designed stores with a cosy atmosphere and nice and engaging communication. The experience of our clients has to be positive in every aspect.

Do you think that’s why Italy’s biggest influencer Chiara Ferragni visited?

When we planned Macha, we tried to picture our ideal client and she was actually one of them. We were surprised when one Sunday morning after we opened, Chiara actually visited with her friends. We hadn’t contacted her prior to this. She ordered and paid for her meal and then she posted a selfie. Around 30 minutes later we had a queue of people outside wanting to take their own selfie eating the same dish at the same table. She’s since visited us several other times and other influencers have also followed.

What's next?

We have 36 outlets in Italy and are currently working on the project of three new stores, two in Tuscany and one in a big, innovative shopping mall in Milan. We constantly monitor our results and work on improving our stores and our products. The marketing team is always out in the field, visiting stores, talking with our clients, monitoring the market and working on new products and new styles of communication. Every single member of our team is engaged in the process and literally everybody has the ambition to improve every single day. This is our main strength that brings together and moves forward the whole company.