Maximilian Bozzo-Rath
HLT 2012

Company: LEKA

Position: Founder/Managing Partner

Dear Max, how did you become what you are now? What were your most important career milestones?

Before I answer the first question, I would like to thank you very much. It is a great honour for me to be able to share my story here in the Wellingtonia.

 

The development certainly began in my earliest days. As a first-born inn boy. Always around people, preferably at the regulars’ table.

It was clear from an early age that I wanted to attend the Bad Gleichenberg tourism schools. When I started boarding school, I had no idea what to expect apart from a sound, practical education. I think back to the countless experiences, the great people, some of whom became friends for life, and all the formative experiences I had, especially during the holiday internships.

 

After my A-levels, I went to Zurich for a few months and then, after a short stopover at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, to Lech. More precisely, to Zug.

I worked for Joschi Walch– one of the great personalities in our industry – in the ‘Rote Wand’ and there Gerhard Sallmutter became my mentor.  As a graduate of the HFS JG he is also one of us.

A host, a sir. Old school with modern elegance. A great guy and a close friend ever since.

This is where I met my wife.

Just like in a movie script: Elisa worked at the reception and I worked at the bar.

It was love at first sight only for me and it wasn’t mutual at all – but it was a cold winter and, as we all know, Zug is not a metropolis.

We spent the following summer in Tuscany, in Siena (where my lovely wife comes from), where I studied at a language school.

We decided to live together in Salzburg, where I got a job at the Ikarus gourmet restaurant in Hangar-7.

My original plan to spend a year in the Michelin-starred gastronomy turned into seven years working in this fantastic restaurant.

The unique guest chef concept, a close-knit team and the best products from all over the world, which I was able to work with, certainly made this station one of the most important lessons of my life.

After successful years as a host, you took the plunge into self-employment and founded LEKA, can you tell us something about your business project? What is it about and how did it come about?

At Ikarus, a guest invited me to visit his meatloaf production.

Spoilt by vintage champagne, Imperial caviar and Alba truffles, I didn’t take this invitation as seriously as I should have. After this guest extended his invitation again on subsequent visits and I still hadn’t honoured it, the guest threatened to withdraw it.

It was then that I realised the seriousness of the situation.

In the production hall, dressed in a full-body hygiene suit, overwhelmed by the passion, uncompromising quality standards and holistic philosophy with which this company produces Leberkäse, I made the decision to found LEKA.

LEKA creates ready-made combinations of Leberkäse (meatloaf), in (ALWAYS) fresh, crispy, even hot rolls.

LEKA can be found at major events, company celebrations and trade fairs.

In the first summer of our existence, we had the honour of accompanying Formula 1 and Moto GP, among others, or the Electric Love Festival, where we offered LEKA CHILI-CHEESE with sweet mustard, gherkins and horseradish or LEKA truffle porcini mushroom with homemade sour cream while dancing to hardstyle basses.

What are your 3 most important to-dos?

Conceptualisation of the brand

Acquisition of assignments

LEKA roll replenishment

What do you love most about your work?

The moment when I watch customers take their first bite of a LEKA roll. The crispy, warm bread roll (according to LEKA standards, our bread rolls have to be in the customer’s hands within 12 minutes of baking) makes all the difference and gets people excited.

Founding a company means a big change. What was and is the most exciting and challenging part of founding a company for you?

I would never have believed what an emotional topic Leberkäse is for us Austrians and for our dear neighbours from Bavaria. The LEKA combinations often trigger critical scepticism. After all, EVERYONE here, from primary school children to great-grandmothers, knows how they prefer their “Leberkäsesemmerl”.

What qualities and skills are the most important for you as an entrepreneur and what basics have you learnt from your time in Gleichenberg that have been particularly helpful for you?

Discipline – respect – perseverance and a big goal.

Today, a few years after my time in Bad Gleichenberg, I have to admit that I wasn’t always the most disciplined. Unfortunately. If I could turn back time, I would do things differently. But as we all know, you have to gain experience. You don’t get that from a school textbook.

However, respect was already important when I was at school. I like it when people meet at eye level. On all levels.

I still appreciate the respect that we students were taught about food and all other products, especially in practical lessons.

The way in which our dear and highly esteemed FOL Anton Hirtz (I think of him very, very often when I tell my friends and colleagues stories from cookery lessons) taught us students how to cut meat, for example – I’m talking about the love of the craft here – was formative.

What visions do you have for LEKA, where should the journey be heading in the future?

I see LEKA as an ambassador for a classic of Alpine cuisine.

The “Leberkässemmerl” (meat loaf) of the very highest quality deserves to experience the enthusiasm in the big, wide world that people from our region take for granted.

LEKA has worked to strict standards right from the start. Every work step and all work processes are documented and are constantly adapted and improved.

This know-how documentation makes scaling possible.

LEKA has the advantage that familiar, well-established working methods do not have to be changed in long, laborious processes. We created manuals right from the start in order to develop a franchise concept as a young company. We are currently working on this concept with the help of great partners.

As we all know, the best way to learn is from the mistakes and successes of others.

Do you have an example of your personal career do’s and don’ts for our TSBG family?

I don’t agree with this statement to 100%.

Because of the way our society in Austria deals with mistakes, nobody really likes to talk about their own mistakes. That’s why it’s difficult to learn from the mistakes of others.

I learn best from my own mistakes.

I dare say that it is important, even essential, to make as many mistakes as possible, but in the very best case only once.

The more mistakes a person makes, the more they try, and in my opinion, trying is better than not trying.

 

So, it is a matter close to my heart to tell the students the following:

Go in search of a subject that excites you. If you are passionate about it, try to get into action as soon as possible. There will be many extremely intelligent people who will be able to give you countless reasons why your goals are not achievable.

But they are your goals, not theirs. Try it out! Make mistakes and correct them! Always do your very best and never, never, never give up. The future belongs to you!

Have fun realising it!