Interview with the first Russian restaurateur, a well-known entrepreneur. Is loneliness cool? There are different points of view on whether special offers are needed for holidays, for example, Halloween, on the menu

I love to cook since childhood. I was not satisfied with the education I received, but I listened to the opinion of my father, who was convinced that a man should be an engineer. After graduating from the university, by agreement with him, I received a year to do my own thing.

At that time, my friends were filming a video magazine for the Afisha website, making an issue with Isaac Correa. Having learned about my desire to work in a restaurant, they called him - and the next day I went for an interview. I was taken to new project- Corner Burger on Bolshaya Gruzinskaya - two months before its opening. There I learned how everything is done from scratch.

At first he was in the wings: bring, clean, remove and bring again. I caught everything on the fly: I got professional skills, learned all the dishes and how to cook them. I was very lucky: I got to work on the menu, I saw how to make a calculation, how to draw up a technical map. The team was very strong: in addition to foreign brand chefs and a French confectioner, it included Russian chefs who had previously worked at the Moscow Ritz-Carlton.

A few months later, I became the head chef - assistant sous chef and chef. A year later, I was convinced that you couldn’t live on a cook’s salary (at that time I received 20 thousand rubles a month) and it was time to work in the specialty I had received. I decided to help my father in family business. A year later, he moved to an engineering company that deals with systems fire safety in shopping malls.

“To the question of Isaac Correa why I want to work as a cook, I replied that I really like to cook”

What shaped your gastronomic taste?

I was born and lived in Kazakhstan until the age of 13 - I grew up on horse meat, lamb, traditional Kazakh dishes. Parents are very tasty cook, pampered and European cuisine. When the opportunity to travel appeared, I always tried new dishes with interest, creating my own rating. fell in love mediterranean cuisine- Greek, Spanish, Italian.

« I appreciate the simple understandable cuisine, from good products, With traditional spices. I like to cook on fire, in the oven, on the grill »

When did the idea of ​​creating your own cafe come about and how long did it take to implement it?

The dream of owning a cafe was student years, but there was no knowledge of how this business should work, which stopped me. As an engineer, I asked myself what I want to do in life, what I enjoy and how I can make money - all interests converged on cooking and restaurant business.

The changes were inspired by my girlfriend Dasha, who created a PR agency. “Every business starts with a calculation,” she told me. I started to draw up a business plan in September 2015 and wrote for about six months, taking into account everything up to the number of napkins. I read a lot of literature, attended specialized seminars - and put all my knowledge in one basket.

When I determined the amount needed to implement the project, the following question arose: where to get the money, including for a financial cushion. The first hundred days are hard for business (if it is not a Novikov restaurant with a big name), and in addition to the initial investment, you need to have another 50% of the amount in your pocket in order to know that tomorrow, no matter what, you will be able to pay salaries to employees and buy food. A lot of restaurants are closed because the owners, having invested all the money in the opening, expect guests and profits from the first day. This is mistake.

I had part of the money. When I sold everything I could, including my favorite car, I still lacked. It was necessary either to look for partners (the worst option, since there are additional opinions that will have to be taken into account), or investors. I was lucky - I got the necessary money in debt.

On December 29, 2015, I quit my job and started looking for a place. I did it myself, without a realtor - spent more than three months. I considered the options, the girl was already saying: “Stop looking, shoot!”. I thought I could find better. When I finally saw an ad in which everything came together - both in the center, and with panoramic windows, and with a small rent, and previously there was a public catering (bankrupt dumplings), - I did not believe it, I was waiting for some tricks, I called back the owners.

Repair began in early May and lasted for about three months. I have acquired new knowledge again, now it is easy for me to make an estimate. If I implement new projects, I can hire a contractor, understanding all the costs: both time and financial.

So, it took about eight months to think about and implement the project.

Did the first month after opening bring any lessons?

There was nothing catastrophic: I devoted a lot of time to calculations and went in prepared. The only drawback that came to light in the first month was poor internet. But this is not so important: we promote live communication, the network is needed only to work with the cash register.

At the beginning, we encountered dissatisfaction with one tenant (a restaurant on the ground floor of a residential building), but we managed to talk with him and find a common language.

The first guests were friends and relatives?

No, residents of the area. As soon as we opened the shutters, a young man came in and said: "Finally." And in the evening he came with his friends. They said that they were happy - a cafe with good cuisine appeared next to the house and there was no need to go anywhere.

To eliminate the risks of poor-quality performance, Mikhail made repairs with his own hands: the technical, engineering, and construction skills obtained earlier were sufficient

Have you calculated traffic? What is the expected number of guests?

The street is not super passable. I did not stand with the counter, I visually assessed how many people were walking, what buildings were nearby, whether there were business centers or similar cafes.

Initially, he planned to feed the students, but the audience turned out to be different: during the day, employees of nearby banks and offices come. They are well versed in food, they want a distinct dish for sane money, and quickly. The entire lunch should take no more than 45 minutes. Regardless of the kitchen fuss, they get what they expect and come back. For the first month and a half, we received guests who come almost daily. In the evening there are more young people, on weekends there are many locals.

What are the statistics now?

The statistics are being developed within three months, but I can already say that expectations and reality turned out to be very close. Take this Thursday: I had 27 visitors, 21 checks. According to my calculations, in order for the investment to pay off in 11 months and the institution to be profitable, there should be an average of about 40 checks. Now on weekdays I get 75% of the amount laid down in the business plan, but on weekends everything is more than compensated.

In the near future we will introduce a lunch offer, with a discount. I don't plan on expanding the menu.

How important is a professional education for a chef and a restaurant owner?

You can be a great cook without him. In any business, the main desire is the ability to self-development and broadening one's horizons.

I treat the “crust” as an airbag: having a diploma in our country is very much appreciated, it helps to get settled in life. Of course, like any cook, I have a desire to improve my skills. I have a dream to go to study in Le Cordon Blue, work as a cook in restaurants in Germany, Spain and Italy.

If we talk about management skills, I got them before starting my own business: for five years I was responsible for production processes and the work of a large team. Then I decided for myself: you need to build relationships in a team in a friendly way, to be a leader who is easy to turn to in difficult situation. In our kitchen, they don’t scream, they don’t swear.

Knowledge in the financial field is also lacking. Everyone knows how to count money, especially their own. I did not hire an accountant, I do business myself. Many functions are taken over by technology, which simplifies life: the program keeps records, shows when taxes need to be paid, sends notifications by mail, what products are running out, what needs to be ordered. Purchases are also on me, through friends I found a supplier who brings fresh products every day.

There are eight people on the staff, four people work in a shift: two cooks, a cleaning girl and a waiter. I'm smart enough not to hire a lot of staff and not increase costs.

In the future, I want to open two more small establishments with homemade European cuisine - I have a lot of ideas.

When we at Geometria found out that we were going to have a conversation with Savva Libkin - famous restaurateur, an author of books, a popular blogger - at first they were incredibly happy, then they were confused: multiply all of the above by a special Odessa disposition, and you will understand our fears - we simply did not know where our conversation would turn!

The fears turned out to be in vain - they talked about gastronomic memories, Resta values, the future of cooking and Ukrainian cuisine, joked a lot. More precisely, Savely joked, we could only laugh.
In general, Odessa was lucky with Savva! Or was he lucky with Odessa?

Geometria: What virtues do you value most in people?

In the matter of relationships, the most valuable thing is to perceive people as they are. Without prisms, sauces and layers.
I like it when they treat me the same way.

Geometria: In that case, what values ​​did you put into your Resta company, and how would you like it to be perceived by others?

As a manager, I was faced with the task of prioritizing - my guests or my employees? I decided for myself that employees should come first, because guests come thanks to them, and not vice versa.

I would like the guest, while communicating with the waiter, administrator or bartender, not to feel like a participant in a theatrical production, not to feel false towards himself. Such subtle, emotional things cannot be taught - they are either there or they are not. It is important that the values ​​embedded in Resta - sincerity, goodwill - be the personal values ​​of our employees. Synergy is possible only in this case.

Geometria: You managed to build a business that has this synergy, but how?

It's simple - I was lucky to do what I love and know how to do.
I perceive work not as a job, but as a university - a place that teaches me something. I formed this rule for myself at the very beginning of the journey, I follow it to this day.
I always had someone to learn from, and they were strong teachers.
The world is changing fast, the market is even faster; what seemed perfect only 5 years ago now sounds just ridiculous, there is only one way out - do not stand still, learn something new every day.
For a long time I was limited by the "provincial complex". Because of this, I could not decide to open a restaurant in Kyiv. And when I made up my mind, I saw that my projects were in demand here too - this aroused even greater interest.
Incredible feeling when a business that is already 23 years old is becoming more and more interesting to you every day!

Geometria: Are there any actions that you regret, consider wrong?

They are full. But where would I be without these deeds?
I have something to remember, although from the height of the past days it is hard to say whether these were mistakes. I don't know what my wrong step led to my own victories.

Geometria: You said you had strong teachers. What advice and guidance have you carried throughout your life?

It is difficult to remember, because they have already become a part of me.
In addition, I learned a lot on my own - by reading books. At different stages of my life, I was interested in the Bible, the Talmud, business literature (Tarasov, Keller, Adizes).
Machiavelli's The Prince made a huge impression on me. If I knew and understood the fundamental principles that are set out in it, at the age of 25, I could have done much more!

Geometria: With respect to what do you measure more or less - do you have some kind of life program with certain indicators and parameters?

My only life program is to be happy every day. (Laughs.)

Geometria: What is your happiness besides work, what else do you like to do?

To be with children, beloved woman, friends. Travel, photograph, draw.
But my work is inseparable from me: most I spend time at work – here I live, get inspired, meet close people.

Geometria: How did you discover what later became your life's work? If the interview does not lie, you have been preparing for 9-10 years.

Yes, already at the age of 9 I was cooking something, my dad called it like this: “Savva translates products.” (Laughs.)
We had big family of 7 people, and my grandmother cooked food for everyone, and I watched her. The way and what she cooked was absolutely unique, especially due to the way Grandma cooked. He was somehow unified, monotonous, but with his help she managed to cook many different and, in her own way, delicious meals.
I tried to adopt this method, manner, and then implement it into my business and tell others about it. Later I realized that it was more than a way, it was a whole culture!
Much of what I learned at home was later taught in schools in Italy and France. The most important thing that I learned from looking at my grandmother is attention to the product. Attention to the product is the ability to emphasize and enhance the taste without distorting the essence. Skill they own best chefs peace.

Geometria: What is the name of the product - completely simple "in form", but delightful in content, which surprised you?

Every product that comes into my kitchen I find unique and interesting.
I like the taste of good olive oil, bread (dried, with olive oil) and salt. I know salt is called "white death", but I love that scale taste nuances, which is contained in it - how interesting salt can transform a dish.
To transform is not only to emphasize, it is to add taste.
Cooking is a process akin to painting: you take rice - "canvas", which is a fairly flat carbohydrate in itself, and start "mixing and painting": boil it in broth, fry it with seafood, add cheese - creating over and over again new masterpiece. Or not creating, which also often happens. (Smiling.)

Geometria: It seems that now cooking is turning from painting into performance, thanks to "molecular" and other latest technologies.

All these technological things are nothing more than a game, the rules of which are as follows: a chef, in order to make himself known, must do something new, unusual, and it does not matter at all whether it will take root or not, if for some time speak.
Picasso at the beginning of his career was a talented painter, but within the framework of the classical school, he remained little known, and as soon as he painted a woman with three eyes, they immediately started talking about him. This is what was needed at a particular moment in time. In the 15th century, no one would have cared before Picasso, because there were Raphael and Michelangelo. I am sure that it is Rafaeli and Michelangelo that are needed to this day and always, just not very many of them are born.

Geometria: And those who are born with them end up in Michelin restaurants? The whole Michelin thing seems a little overrated, doesn't it?

If the Michelin company at one time founded a literary competition, a beauty contest, or took up the evaluation of wine, then the winners of these awards and wines from this rating would now also cost much more. In fact, the company that produces rubber for cars did not care what to organize, the main thing was the effectiveness of the marketing campaign, and the Michelin Guide is what it is.
Since there are few wheels of this brand sold in Ukraine, we can only dream of the Michelin Guide. And it hurts - we have other requests! (Laughs.) For these reasons, I supported Andriy Skipyan and his Salt Prize, which evaluates the Ukrainian restaurant market, based on criteria applicable exclusively to that market. Salt is not a substitute for Michelin, but it is exactly what the Ukrainian consumer needs.

Geometria: Who then stands behind the Ukrainian restaurant business, what kind of faces does it have?

Different.
As in any business, in the restaurant there is a place for clans and there is a place for those who have taken their positions thanks to good PR.
The number of the latter is steadily growing, and TV, or rather, numerous TV shows, helps to cultivate such shots. TV is generally an amazing thing: it makes politicians out of crazy people, sex symbols out of impotent ones, and chefs out of swindlers.

Geometria: Speaking of swindlers and chefs. In Ukraine, the fashion for various national cuisines and, consequently, for visiting chefs has been kept for several years. Which approach is closer to you: to look for and invite good foreign chefs or to grow your own talented staff?

You can get into trouble in both cases: among foreign chefs, as well as among local ones, there are 9 out of 10 swindlers.
Foreigners, as a rule, are hired for several months, and I agree with this - after all, our mentality is too different, although they are very quickly Ukrainianized, not in the best sense: Italians stop noticing everything except women, and in general - very optional ; obligatory - the Germans, but they do not cook; the French drink, greedy and womanizer.
A good chef must understand our mentality (this is Ukrainian, no options); cook like an Italian; be organized like a German; to master the theory like a Frenchman is a very utopian image.

Geometria: Utopia, but someone is appointed to these positions...

In fact, good chefs already come across, moreover - Ukrainians.
What does it really mean to be a good chef? It's not only tasty and interesting to cook, it's to manage a team, to follow and follow the rules and standards, to be integrated into the business.

Geometria: We are talking and talking about some common things, but a completely different, private, question came to my mind - do you remember your first trip to a restaurant?

I was 22, I invited a girl to dinner and I did not have enough money to pay off. (Laughs.)
The lady saved the situation, then I tried for a long time to return the loan to her, and for a long time she tried to refuse it - and it all seemed extremely romantic!
I also remember a trip with my first wife to the Kiev restaurant. Not sure if this place can be called a restaurant as I had to pay to be seated at a table. On the other hand, it was a tradition to greet guests with the phrase: "There are no places." As expected, the entrance fee was accompanied by terrible Soviet food and a full hall of drunken dancing people.
When I was young, I was only lucky to go to establishments with poorly prepared and served food, so in those days I associated the restaurant with a place where people pay big money to be together and eat tasteless food.

Geometria: In some places, the trend has continued to this day, don't you think?

Yes, there are many such places.
But a restaurant is a social network, and different social media attract different audiences.
There are restaurants where you need to come smartly dressed and in a good car to eat frozen fish sprinkled with something, which was slyly called and introduced.
There are other places where freshly cooked fish is brought to you, without much embellishment and spices - and you understand how magnificent this dish is in its naivety and simplicity.

Geometria: Recently I came across an article that in Ukraine there is a high demand for “foreign” cuisines because people want to try new, unknown, but not everyone can afford to travel the world. In conclusion, it was said that we do not have enough Ukrainian national cuisine with correct positioning.

Let's start with the fact that 90% of Ukrainians wear foreign-made clothes, since it is quite difficult to produce competitive locally made clothes. With food, it’s the other way around – you can’t and don’t need to import fresh food: we grow our own tomatoes, our chickens run around.
I am by no means an opponent of any cuisines, I'm just a supporter of local products. And only because a person consists of the water that he drinks, with which he bathes and washes food - from local water.
Regarding the Ukrainian national cuisine, today it is presented in two directions - the capital's outrageous games for foreigners and village food. Therefore, I see as one of the main tasks the unification of strong chefs to develop a modern gastronomic ideology based on delicious everyday meals. Now Ukrainian cuisine lacks exactly this. Yes, we all love haute couture, but we dress in ready-to-wear - so it is with food.

Geometria: And the last question: what are the components of the art of living in Odessa?

Enormous self-irony, the ability to balance, a sense of style, a sense of proportion, and in general all sorts of feelings!

For providing the location for filming, we thank the restaurant "Steakhouse. Meat and Wine".

Khrystyna Olshanska

Thursday 01 2016

Buddha-Bar is not a pretentious luxury place. The opinion that our institution is only for very rich people is a delusion. When opening, we, of course, counted on the wealthy segment, but at the same time we always adhered to a moderate pricing policy. No outrageous prices. Dish with marbled beef or crab meat will cost accordingly, but at the same time excellent branded sushi, rolls, thai food, salads and much more - no more expensive than in other restaurants of this class. Everyone can find something to their taste and pocket.

ABOUT BUDDHA-BAR IN THE WORLD

Today I wouldn't call world Buddha-Bars a deluxe segment. Despite the fact that all restaurants of the chain without exception are luxurious in terms of interior and impeccable in their service, their pricing policy is acceptable. Only Monaco and Dubai remain on the price crest. But here the determining factor is the geography of institutions.

What is interesting about Buddha-Bar itself? This is a place where you can start dinner around 7-8 pm with quiet relaxing music and stay here until 2 am - dancing, drinking a cocktail, smoking a hookah. You do not need to move from a restaurant to a club, Buddha-Bar is a pre-party, a party and an after-party. This is the main idea of ​​Buddha-Bar.Therefore, the restaurants of the network do not age over time, remaining fashionable. Celebrities and tourists like to dance and dine in the company of a giant Buddha. Fusion from Asian cuisines, complemented by a creative stroke of French charm, will never get boring.

The first time I went to the Buddha-Bar in Paris was about seventeen years ago. At that time, I didn’t even think that we would build a Buddha-Bar in Kyiv, we just arrived as guests. We rested, thought: “What an extraordinary place!”

HOW IT ALL STARTED IN Kyiv

And in 2007, our partners from Odessa unexpectedly offered to build a Buddha-Bar in Ukraine together. Of course, we immediately agreed. They decided to build in Kyiv, because Odessa is a seasonal city. Although, to be honest, I don’t think that Buddha-Bar would give a license for Odessa. Thousands of factors play a role here: from the population to the number of restaurants, the level of income and the flow of tourists.

We have been proving our capabilities for six months, so that they simply give us a license to open. Representatives of the Buddha-Bar came several times. They did not refuse, but they did not give the go-ahead either. In the meantime, we showed them the city, told them how hotels are being built, that so many people come, and talked about the prospects for the development of tourism. And only after that they signed an agreement. There was a clear set of rules and conditions: the place had to be in the center, with a separate entrance.

Buddha-Bar opened in Kyiv in 2008. Ten years ago, when we brought a world brand to Ukraine, we were to some extent engaged in the education of Ukrainians. Because until that moment we had no establishments of such a level and a similar format.

A huge Buddha statue three and a half meters high was specially ordered in Thailand. She was taken to Kyiv in parts: the head was separated, the body was divided into four parts. Thai architects came and brought it to mind.

When you enter the Buddha-Bar, you forget that you are in Kyiv. All Buddha-Bars are similar to each other, and if you have visited some other Buddha-Bars, you may not understand where you are: in Kyiv, Dubai or Paris. There is no daylight here, so you don't know if it's day or night outside. You break away from reality, you can relax and meditate, forget the fuss. It is such a small state within a state.

We are not night club. Buddha-Bar is a place with a very decent food, understandable prices, good interior, relaxing atmosphere and great music.

The music is mostly lounge music. After eleven in the evening it becomes more rhythmic, it is impossible to sit in one place. But wild dancing is not about Buddha-Bar. We are more designed for the fact that people here eat, drink, communicate and just relax.

We are often asked how much the entrance costs. Guys, we are not a night club, we have free admission. Always was, is and will be. In all Buddha-Bars in the world, admission is free, it is forbidden to take money for entry - this is a clearly defined rule. For example, you can come to us for lunch - what is the entrance fee here? So the only thing you can do is book a table.

ABOUT FOOD AND GUESTS

The cuisine in all Buddha-Bars is pan-Asian. Kyiv Buddha-Bar is no exception. We have Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese dishes- in general, absolutely the whole palette of Asia. They prepared all this even before pan-Asia became mainstream. More than half of the dishes are from the world Buddha-Bar menu.

The photo shows: Thai-style red curry with shrimp, salad mix with vegetables, asparagus in sesame sauce, passion fruit-mint smoothie, Buddha-bar roll.

But our guests are completely different. Now we have more foreigners - those who know what Buddha-Bar is and have been to at least one institution in the world. I would like more Ukrainians. There is no age category as such. Both young couples of 20-25 years old come, as well as people much older. often come big companies 10-15 people for whom we have large tables. There is no specific contingent.

Those who follow our philosophy come to us. And the main philosophy of all Buddha-Bars is common: relaxation .

By the way, about youth. A new generation has already grown up. Those who are now 25 years old when we opened in 2008 were 15 years old. They still went to school, half of them did not live in Kyiv at all. And it is unlikely that they were interested in something like that at that age. Therefore, today a new generation has grown up, which we want to see as guests.

The photo shows: Buddha-bar roll.

I think the Buddha-Bar format will be interesting for young people. It is clear that young people are different. You can go to a rave party, stand there for five or six hours, dance and not think about anything. But there will come a time when you just want somewhere to sit, relax and eat. delicious dinner. This is a normal desire, we all gradually grow up. And when you want some more peaceful place - trendy, with music and delicious food - come to us.

He opened the elite restaurants "Nostalgie" and "Shater", but went into the democratic segment. He founded the network of restaurants "Rake", "Cheri Mio" and the Gastronomic Academy. Restaurateur Roman Rozhnikovsky is visiting "I want to be".

Host Igor Brailovsky (V): We are very glad to welcome you to this studio. We have already talked behind the scenes and found common ground. I also used to work in the restaurant business. Tell me, did you find yourself in the restaurant business by chance or did you dream about it in your youth, at the institute?

Rozhnikovsky (R): The word business, unfortunately or fortunately, has nothing to do with this issue. Since childhood, I have been drawn to beautiful food and everything connected with it. To be beautiful, tasty, fun. First it was family, then it was friends. I really liked organizing parties. Once upon a time there was a hobby - cocktails, there was not much wine then. When perestroika began, the possibility of self-realization appeared. And, of course, the opportunity to earn. I can't answer the question of what came first. Probably, after all, passion and pleasure from the process associated with food and beauty, rather than business. Business came later. When the opportunity arose, to the question of what could be self-realization, I looked into the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat gave me the greatest joy. And when it became possible to arrange the inner life and its external manifestations in the form of restaurants in the way I understand, and not in the way that was accepted according to the existing rules and laws, then I immediately dived headfirst into the pool.

Q: Happiness is a highly paid hobby. Is it about you?

R: In general, yes. If you do what you love, you succeed, and they also give money for it ...

Q: Your first cooperative - 1987-1989 - was called ...

R: Come and try it. It was the first creative name in Russia, long before Elok-Palok, etc. What in Soviet time was available in terms of interesting flavors and strong impressions? Where did people go? In the republic. It was a mixture of the usual colorful dishes Russian, Georgian, Ukrainian cuisine. The interior was different, its task was to reflect the theme and create images associated with this kitchen. There was a Russian hall with birches, there was a Georgian hall with Pirosmani, a marine hall with aquariums. It was new back then. The scenery was on the topics that were available. Then no one went to Italy and France. No one suspected what it looked like, what kind of kitchen it was. We did the best of what we knew and understood, but honestly.

Q: It's important if I'm opening a restaurant now, what should I pay attention to? Interior, food staff?

R: Absolutely, all together. Somewhere the interior plays a role to a greater extent, somewhere less. And people are still looking for where the sum of impressions plays a role. My experience tells me that they should be given a little more in advance. But more often they do not see the interior - the saddest thing. They are good or bad. The more serious the frame, the more opportunities and the longer these opportunities will work.

Q: That is, the interior is a kind of means to accomplish the main task. So that people have a good time, order more, eat better.

R: It turns out there is another circumstance. This is a crisis. The most professional companies suffered less because they had everything professionally done. The less professional ones suffered greatly. This is the circumstance that we did not take into account when we invested.

Q: The same crisis that everyone says is over?

R: It ends, but at the same time your salary has increased?

B: I have own business. My income hasn't gone up...

R: The salary of our employees has not increased either. So how did it end then? Another thing is that it has ended inside us. We Russians, like reckless people, suspended our fears and continued to live. They have already forgotten about the rainy day, in this regard, life has not ended, and this is an impetus for self-healing. It doesn't happen quickly. But there are no illusions that it will explode.

Q: Did the prices in restaurants go down during the crisis?

R: V expensive restaurants the price primarily depends on the products, i.e. from currency. If the exchange rate falls, there is an opportunity to reduce prices. There are no special perks here. At this point, a lot of new tools appeared. These are loyalty systems, big discounts, special offers, gifts, business lunches, etc. Accordingly, if you look at it, the total supply or the average bill has dropped significantly. If we take average restaurants, then the factor is that people began to look closely at prices, and the average check fell.

Q: When I go abroad, I notice that the prices in restaurants there are much lower than here. For example, in the US...

R: They don't want to work for us. With all the shocks, therapies, we never had such a situation in order to survive physically, we would have to take on any job. Historically, there are very few people who are ready to "plow" to earn.

Q: How do you feel about the staff? Is there a special selection?

R: Very different. There are two types of specialists, speaking globally. I do not hire line staff - cleaners, etc. Some are managers, others are professionals in some area. As for professionals, we must often look for them in the market, moreover, in the Western market. In a restaurant, these are chefs, confectioners, those on whom the product depends. As for managers, we must educate them ourselves in order to instill in them our standards of attitude to business.

Q: Are waiters included in this list? Are these the people you should pay attention to? They must be highly professional people...

R: And how! This is a difficult and responsible job. I experienced in my own skin how important and difficult it is. I have great respect for my employees, I understand their role. It is very important that the reference point is correct. Then work begins with the waiters and owners and managers. But first of all, these are their professional skills, and secondly, their cultural level. In a restaurant, it is important not only from which side to pour the wine into a glass, but also how it looks, the waiter talks, how it smells, after all. That is, this is the cultural image that the waiter carries.

Q: Waiter is a temporary job? Or is it his way of life?

R: It's different in every country. Abroad, often a waiter lives until retirement and feels great both in terms of money and in terms of communication. Another issue is that it is hard work. In our country - we instilled such a culture a lot - waiters worked until they were 40 years old. Further, life forces either the person himself or the business owner to turn him into a head waiter, director, etc. As a rule, either this is a temporary job for people, or they go further up the career ladder and develop. At the beginning of the journey - the first 5-10 years - this is determined.

Q: What is your attitude towards culture in our country. I very often see what is written sometimes - Caucasian kitchen, sushi in drinking establishments - substances are completely different. But people accept it. They apparently go for something to mix. This different culture food. Is it in the culture of whoever sells it, or is it catering to the public?

R: It has nothing to do with culture. This is a tribute to the times. Once I denied the possibility of promotion familiar products and food and lifestyle. Once it seemed that everything was right - there. Actually it is not. There are things familiar to us, and they can be great. They are eternal. Which salad is more eaten - "Caesar" or Olivier? "Caesar"! A lot of things that have already flowed into our lives. At some point Japanese food filled the space so much that it became familiar. Like now pasta or risotto, which no one knew before. At this moment, unfortunately, urbanism takes place, the mixing of culture, the erasure of the national, i.e. it doesn't matter how the kitchen matches the other look, if this look is not special. I had the first example, when in the cafe "Shater" on Chistye Prudy I mixed everything - both French, and Italian, and Japanese cuisines, and the ingredients could be combined, but no one really combined, really. Everyone liked that you can eat what you like in a beautiful place at the same time, and you don’t have to go specially to Japanese restaurant. Special problem in mixing different menus no, but now it has become the norm when the most requested hits are on the menu.

Q: I want to become a restaurateur. I know what to do, I know how. There are few resources. What do you recommend? Find partners who do not understand anything in the restaurant business, who, accordingly, will put pressure on me, or go to the bank, where there is more risk?

R: So let's do it. There are partners or they are not - it has nothing to do with risk. If you want to be the first person who will not be pressured, act. If there are ten more partners, then the risk of responsibility will be on you. If you want, then do as you see fit. Another question: do you have the opportunity to take a loan? This is a separate issue. If you do not have collateral, companies, about which loan in question? It does not lie in the realm of desire - not desire. They have their own standards, principles of work, they have the Central Bank, which will not allow this to be done. A loan without collateral will be insanely expensive either for you or for the bank. On the issue of partners. They should be people, or who are close to you, and there is an established trust. Within the framework of this trust, it is necessary to discuss: “Guys, only I am in business, you have the opportunity to control the economy and ask questions, but you cannot influence in any way. Or you have the opportunity to change me as a partner. But this is not connected with the restaurant, but with the business in general. If you are trying to find such partners in the market, then nothing changes either. It is unlikely that they will negotiate with you if you have not proven that you are a professional. And if you proved that you are a professional, then the relationship is like that.

Q: You had a Nostalgie restaurant. There now…

R: ... alas, the state.

Q: This is a different - not in quality - different style than the Rake.

R: Of course, different audiences and tasks.

Q: Do you care or are you closer to one of the restaurant styles?

R: I don't care, but I still transfer my impressions to restaurants. Grabli restaurants are my impressions of the world experience related to mass catering. I think our experience is better than anything I've seen. And in terms of assortment, and in terms of interior - it is not even discussed. An average, expensive restaurant is those restaurants that we visit as customers, gain experience and try to do it first the same way, then better. My colleagues breathe and live in exactly the same way. There is a food court, there is a Rake. The number of people there and we have the same. Because this service is in demand by those people who do not want to eat from a plastic plate. I want to sit in a beautiful place, at this moment to drink a glass of wine ...

Q: There is no tendency to move away from high-end pretentious restaurants to similar restaurants, or there is a movement now, but will there be a balance?

R: There is a tendency that there are a lot of restaurants in the middle niche, which was not there before - the niche of small, inexpensive, available restaurants where the quality is constantly growing.

Q: Being in New York or St. Petersburg, walking along Nevsky or Manhattan, you see a lot of such establishments. If we compare Moscow, there are many, few, enough, the same number of them - what do you think?

R: I was recently in New York, and I can't say that I was struck by the number of restaurants. I have an external feeling that is about the same as ours. Europe is a different story. France is just around the corner. We are moving confidently towards France rather than New York.

Q: Were there any funny, anecdotal cases where you yourself had to "resolve" situations with clients - complex and not so?

R: There were all sorts of things. Sometimes we really upset guests with our work. Human factor! And then these people became our friends. Because there is contact, there is communication. There have been all sorts of anecdotal things when a person makes claims that a sausage shoots fat when he pierces it. We had a joke at Nostalgia at one time. The caps that cover the dishes were opened at the same time, and the guest saw a beautifully decorated dish, which caused him pleasure. The joke was that they brought an order for a table of 4-6 people, and one guest had a full-fledged dish, and the other had exactly the same, but in miniature, an identical copy on a scale reduced by 10 times. As a rule, this caused a certain shock, developing into friendly laughter. Ovations - and in a second they brought normal dish. It was always curious: someone was surprised, someone with a calm look began to eat this dish, and everything is in order. It was different. And once it came to a scandal: a person made a claim, because the shock of what he saw disrupted important negotiations, and he suffered losses. In general, we stopped joking like that after that.

Q: Do you have traditions in your business, in your restaurants, that everyone knows about? Slogans, traditions that help to work, unite, show loyalty of your employees to you?

R: Probably, the greatest loyalty of employees to guests arises at the moment when they hear that we are working for guests, and our hospitality is really directed at them, but when they see that we think and act this way, and not we imitate our attitude, and the main thing is not to cut down money.

Q: I heard you opened a school...

R: It's been open for a year now. On September 30, the opening of the second premises of the school, already in the center, took place. I just came from there, we met with the Germans who supply the best kitchen home utensils. This is a unique space for Moscow. This cooking school, but it is built on the basis of a very expensive and beautiful kitchen, the right refrigerators and stoves. We find ourselves in the chic kitchen of a rich mansion, which could be.

Q: Will it be for both professionals and housewives?

R: It's all for sick people like me who are obsessed with making everything beautiful and delicious, who furnish their home with beautiful space, saturate it with appropriate equipment and love to cook. Love, unfortunately, is not enough, you still need to know. And in this situation, it is never too late for a person to learn, and we give skills on how to use some kind of tool, how to understand products, wine, technologies, but also all this - in a beautiful frame. All this, of course, can be done in the kitchen of a restaurant or in an office space. But when you do it in the kitchen of an imaginary house, where everything is beautiful and correct, then this is a fundamentally different feeling.

Q: Our program is called “I want to be”. Those who watch us say: yes, I want to be like… Roman Mikhailovich. And if you ask Roman Mikhailovich himself, who would he like to be?

R: I want to be myself. There are a lot of people who - and in my profession - deserve great respect. These are our colleagues abroad, and my colleagues in Moscow, who make great restaurants. And there is always white envy, mixed with pleasure from what colleagues are doing.

Gourmet Alliance is a network consisting of22 restaurants mainly Mediterranean, Italian cuisine. As you know, in Moscow this is the most popular cuisine in terms of the number of restaurants. Why did you choose Italy?

• Italian cuisine is one of the most popular, but Japanese cuisine takes the first place in terms of the number of restaurants in Moscow. Nevertheless, Italian cuisine can be put in second place in the Moscow market. Speaking of us, we are not Italian cuisine in its classical sense. Everything is adapted to the people who come to us. Of course, we have a brand chef, an Italian who constantly gives us some ideas, holds training meetings with chefs. I always say that we similar tastes with Italians, which is why the cuisine is so popular in Russia: large portions, a certain lightness of dishes and ease of preparation.

Despite the predominance of Italian restaurants in the network, we cannot fail to note Samarkand - an oriental restaurant. Is this some kind of gastronomic experiment?

An important detail: in the Italian restaurants of the chain, the menu is very unified, the signature features of the Gourmet Alliance are recognizable. Why was it decided to create restaurants under different brands?

• Here the capture of different segments of the market. We counted on the general public with different incomes. Now everything is going in the direction of reducing the average check. Restaurants with a high price tag are less in demand, such cafes will always exist - the question is what can you give a person for this money so that he comes back to you again. Often the dishes do not correspond to the declared price. And this is a minus for the restaurant. We tried to create a place for everyone, without prejudice to the taste and aesthetic components.
  

  I always say that we have similar tastes with Italians, which is why the cuisine is so popular in Russia: large portions, a certain lightness of dishes and ease of preparation.

  For example, our new project - Food House, in which we expect to attract more young people with a desire to quickly, tasty, inexpensive food, take away or have a great time in the center of Moscow.

In one of your interviews, you stated that the time for classic restaurants is now over, small tables and compact seating in the hall are in fashion. One cannot but agree, but is it possible to say that there has been a revolution in the organization of restaurants? Service, prices, menu, parking?

In the field of HoReCa, restaurant projects have become very popular, in fact fast brands: they opened, earned money, began to lose their audience, closed, came up with something new. What is your attitude towards this practice?

• Many people are dilettantes in this business. There are restaurant monsters that such one-day cafes “eat up” in terms of doing business. If you were able to earn at least some money with your project in the restaurant industry, you will not close your cafe, you will stretch, unwind, develop. Any rebranding benefits any establishment at any time. No matter what changes, the interior, the kitchen, the staff. This will always be beneficial. It takes taste and experience.
  Of course everyone plagiarizes, I am no exception. From time to time I spy on some moments from European colleagues. But here it is important to be a professional, skillfully taken a chip to use at home. So many good ideas young guys who somehow found money to open their projects, but they lack the professionalism to keep it all and bring it to a new level. You can open it, but it is much more difficult to keep it.

In your opinion, what is a successful restaurant concept?

Again, currently in the restaurant business there are problems with staff, with the level of training, motivation. What is the reason for this in your opinion? And how does Gourmet Alliance solve this problem?

An important aspect is the menu. In some restaurants, this is a thick book, in others, a very short list. And the most important thing is the design and presentation of the dish. How to make a good menu? What principles guided the Gourmet Alliance.

• You absolutely correctly noticed that starting from the formation of the menu to the dishes listed in it, this is a certain fashion. Remember the huge leather folders? Then they began to make them more compact. Then the so-called "newspaper" versions appeared on one sheet, then the menu on the iPad. Everything has its time. The main thing is that everything should fit your vision of a particular project. Visualization plays a big role now: you gave the guest one sheet, he quickly took in everything with his eyes and chose the right one, without leafing through this book for ages. Huge tolmuts annoy me. If I do not understand something, I will ask the waiter and they will tell me everything. This is professionalism. The food service is also changing. And coming up with a presentation by brand chefs is a kind of fashion, again depending on your concept. Something is taken from molecular cuisine, something from Italian, something from Russian. And here's a newfangled fusion for you: dumplings with some kind of airy sauce and Cappuccino milk foam and Ricotto cheese.
  

  We love to experiment, come up with original concepts and bring them to life. Our holding does not stand still, we want to be interesting to our guests, to surprise them with something completely new.

  The person must remember the pitch. Still I remember taste qualities. If I like cake in a certain place, I will go there to eat it. And I will go to eat fish in another restaurant, because they cook it better there. And in a nearby restaurant I will order meat, because the quality of meat that suits me. I love simple, clear, delicious food.

Gourmet Alliance recently opened a Food House restaurant. A feature in the general line of restaurants is fusion cuisine, that is, they have moved away from Italian cuisine in its purest form. Is it worth waiting for new establishments in a similar vein?

• Undoubtedly! We love to experiment, come up with original concepts and bring them to life. Our holding does not stand still, we want to be interesting to our guests, to surprise them with something completely new. Our next project has become such a “novelty”: the Food House cafe-bar on Novy Arbat.
  A two-story loft-style establishment: high ceilings, brick walls, panoramic windows, laconic furniture.
  Diverse menu - European, Pan-Asian and mediterranean dishes. Popular burgers, pizza, sandwiches, shawarma, pastas, steaks, desserts from a Pastry Chef with experience in Europe. Extensive bar list. This is a place where the atmosphere and interior create a sense of harmony and goodwill.

An important aspect is the design of the restaurant. This is where the Food House comes to mind again, with its motorcycle on a plinth and Brooklyn-style furniture. So designoftenconfused with the atmosphere of the institution, butwhat is the difference between these two concepts?

• For starters, these are the "two spices" in the restaurant, without which there will be no complete picture of the project. The atmosphere in the restaurant is one of the elements of success. There will be an atmosphere - there will be success. The atmosphere is created by the people working in the establishment, because they create pleasant communication for guests, home comfort and a sense of carelessness. Design is a tribute to fashion. Of course, it is important that it matches the direction of the kitchen. And yet it is a tribute to the business fashion. You can make everything simple and tasteful, or you can make it expensive, but tasteless.
  Design is an integral part of the same success. But in the first place, I put, first of all, the location and cuisine. I know many places that do not look attractive at all, but you visit them because you know that you will be welcomed there as if they were your own and they will feed you deliciously. Like in the West, when in many restaurants the owner himself stands at the entrance - and you already feel at home.

Visitors to the Gourmet Alliance restaurants notice in Italian restaurants such dishes as borscht, which are also served in traditional Russian dishes - with Zhostovo painting. Is this a nod to Russia, or is there a more rational explanation for this?

• Yes, it's for us! ( laughs) There was a certain fashion when people wanted delicious borscht, air cutlets. We tried to bring these things out, but people insisted on their own. And we left the dishes, and added such a serving to them. If we wanted to open a Russian restaurant, we would. Although it is not so easy. Therefore, we realize our fantasies of Russian cuisine dishes in an unusual presentation.

There are different points of view on whether special offers for holidays, for example, Halloween, should be on the menu. Some restaurateurs strongly support such decisions, while others strongly oppose them. What is your opinion on this matter? And for which restaurants do such solutions apply?

• Certainly appropriate, the more so-called info occasions for guests, the better. It's always interesting to people. In all restaurants we try to update the menu for each season, various holidays, we do children's events, we have a special group of Gourmet Kids, they are engaged in children's master classes, animation, preparation of holidays and a program for them. In addition, we have many promotions associated with various activities for guests with gifts and various bonuses for food) guests really like it. We always have fun celebrating the birthdays of restaurants and invite our regular guests and friends and always treat generously, no one has ever refused) so I don’t know who is against it.

Interior of La Provincia restaurant

Each institution has its own “chips”. Is this a question of the restaurateur's fantasy?

• Fantasy fantasy. But if you focus only on your taste, it is not a fact that your project will be commercially successful. Need to focus on tastes, desires and opinions target audience. Tastes change with age, with income, but simply with a desire for change!

Words about the concept of Gourmet Alliance restaurants - I don't need much, the best is enough. What is the embodiment of this formula in life for you?

• Oh well I just took them from great people laughs). This is not a formula. For me, this is a kind of life motto that I would like to strive for. Let it be a little, the main thing is qualitatively and at the proper level.