Bachelor´S Dissertation Analysis of Product of Russian Restaurants In

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Bachelor´s Dissertation

Analysis of Product of Russian Restaurants in Prague

Elena Motsenko

The Institute Of Hospitality Management in Prague 8,

Ltd.

Department of Hospitality

Major: Hospitality Management

Thesis Advisor: Ing. Stanislava Belešová, PhD.

Date of Submission: 23.04.15

Date of Thesis Defense:

E-mail: [email protected]

Prague 2015

OATH

I swear

That the bachelor dissertation titled Analysis of Product of Russian Restaurants in Prague was written by me independently, and that all literature and additional material used are cited in the bibliography and that this version is exactly the same as the work submitted electronically.

In accordance with §47b law no. 111/1998 coll. on higher education institutions, I agree to my dissertation being published in its complete form in the publicly accessible electronic database of the Institute of Hospitality Management in Prague.

Signature

…………………

Elena Motsenko

In Prague on 23.04.15

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I express my heartfelt gratitude and deepest respect for the help in thesis preparation to my supervisor Ing. Stanislava Belešová, PhD.

ABSTRACT

MOTSENKO, Elena. Analysis of product of Russian Restaurants in Prague. [Bachelor dissertation] Institute of Hospitality Management in Prague. Prague : 2015. Total number of pages: 50

The aim of my thesis is analysis of variation of the product of Russian restaurants in Prague and suggestions for it’s improvement. Relevance of the chosen topic is caused by huge Russian community in Prague. Russian or Russian speaking people, as many other nations who live abroad their homeland, missed national dishes, atmosphere and native speakers, all these is possible to meet in Russian restaurant. Chapter one deals with theoretical aspects of the product of restaurant and chapter two gives analysis of product of chosen Russian restaurants in Prague, chapter three is connected with suggestions of improving a product of Russian restaurants in Prague.

Key Words: Cuisine, dish, food, restaurant, product, Russian, traditional.

CONTENT

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………..6

1. Introduction into restaurant business………………………………………..7

1.1. Restaurant product……………………………………………………………….7

1.1.1. Location of the restaurant……………………………………………………..9

1.1.2. Atmosphere……………………………………………………………………10

1.1.3. Menu……………………………………………………………………………12

1.1.4. Service quality…………………………………………………………………14

1.2. Types of cuisines………………………………………………………………..15

1.3. Russian restaurant……………………………………………………………...18

2. Analysis of Russian restaurants in Prague…………………………………22

2.1. Restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik”……………………………………………….22

2.1.1 Characteristics of customers of “Moskovskiy dvorik” restaurant…………26

2.2. “Chutnoff” bakery & bistro……………………………………………………...29

2.2.1. Customer characteristics of bakery & bistro “Chutnoff”…………………..35

2.3. Restaurant “Pasta e Basta”…………………………………………………….38

2.3.1. Customer characteristics of restaurant “Pasta e Basta”…………………..42

3. Suggestions of improving a product of Russian restaurants in Prague…..47

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………..50

INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, the restaurant business is very popular and it is a fast developing sphere of business. Restaurant business consists of many small details and its success depends upon matching of all these details. I decided to make an analysis of Russian restaurants in Prague, because this topic is familiar to me, as I am a Russian speaking person.

First chapter gives the theoretical explanation about what is restaurant, what is restaurant product, types of cuisine and what means Russian restaurant. Second chapter deals with the analysis of product of chosen Russian restaurants in Prague and third chapter is about suggestions of improving the product.

Object of research are three Russian restaurants in Prague – restaurant "Moskovskiy dvorik", bakery & bistro "Chutnoff" and restaurant "Pasta e Basta".

Subject of research is a product of Russian restaurants in Prague.

The aim of my thesis is analysis of variation of the product of Russian restaurants in Prague and suggestions for it’s improvement.

Hypothesis H1: I assume that main customers of the Russian restaurants in Prague are Russian speaking people, who live there.

Research method I used refers to qualitative research. Primary data were gained by the structured interview of the owners of the Russian restaurants in Prague (attachment 1). Questions were composed according to my theoretical framework. Secondary data were gained by books and web pages.

Methods of data processing: analysis, comparison, synthesis, obstruction and deduction.

1. INTRODUCTION INTO RESTAURANT BUSINESS

A restaurant is a business which prepares and serves food and drinks to customers in exchange for money, either paid before the meal, after the meal, or with an open account.1

A restaurant is a place where people pay to sit and eat meals that are cooked and served served on the premises.2

A restaurant is a place where people get special pleasure not only from food, but also from environment , service, and excellent atmosphere.3

1.1 Restaurant product

Restaurant may be classified in many different ways:

- by the type of dining:

Food truck – benefits of this type of restaurant include low cost and low overhead. Other advantages of a food truck business include its mobility - it can go to where the customers are. It also requires far less staff.

Pop-up restaurants – like food trucks, another growing trend in the hospitality industry. While popular now, pop-up restaurants are not a new concept. They originated as super clubs in the 1960s and 1970s. Today’s pop up restaurants has many different looks and functions. They can appear in an unlikely place, such as an old warehouse or building rooftop. The allure of the pop up restaurant is the minimal investment of both time and money.4

Fast food – is the most familiar restaurant to most people. Fast food service attracted customers for its speed, convenience, and cheap prices. These restaurants are typically chains.

Buffet – since the Middle Ages, the buffet dining concept has stood the test of time and continues to be a popular choice for many restaurant customers. By definition, a buffet

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurant 2 http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/restaurant 3 Osipov D., Romanov V., Elkanova D., Sorokina E., Osnovy industrii gostepriimstva, Moskva, Dachkov I Ko, 2009, p. 12, ISBN: 978-5-394-00313-4 4 http://restaurants.about.com/od/restaurantconcepts/tp/Different-Types-Of-Restaurant-Concepts.htm 7 is a meal where guests serve themselves from a variety of dishes set out on a table or sideboard. Restaurant buffets are one type of restaurant concept that includes self- service and catering services.5

Café – originated in Europe and are strongly associated with France. They are informal restaurants offering a range of small meals and made-to-order sandwiches, also known for their intimate and relaxed atmosphere. They often do not offer table service but sometimes will have staff clearing tables as patrons leave. In places where weather and local law permit, they may have outdoor seating.

Bistro – is similar to a café, in that the food is simple, basic fare served in a casual setting. However, where a café may only serve coffee, breads and pastries, a bistro may offer entire meals.

Fast casual – is a relatively new concept positioned between fast food and casual dining. Fast casual restaurants often offer disposable dishes and flatware, but their food is higher quality than typical fast food restaurants. The ingredients often will be locally sourced or organic, and the kitchens are open so customers can see their food prepared fresh in front of them.6

Family style dining: this type of dining provides waited table service, but food is brought out in large platters where you share and serve your own portions. It’s more common in Asian restaurants.

Casual dining: this kind of full service dining offers full table service in a relaxed environment. They typically have a bigger menu and are more moderately priced. Casual dining restaurants often serve alcohol or have a full service bar.

Fine Dining: this term brings to mind all kinds of images, from crisp white table cloths to waiters in tuxedos. Fine dining, as the name implies, offers the finest in quality, service and atmosphere. The prices will also reflect that. These restaurants are usually unique in their menu and restaurant design. Most fine dining restaurants serve vegan options.7

5 http://restaurants.about.com/od/restaurantconcepts/tp/Different-Types-Of-Restaurant-Concepts.htm 6 http://www.myfirstrestaurant.com/types-of-restaurant-concepts/ 7 http://vancityveg.com/types-of-dining/ 8

- by location:

The restaurant concept must fit the location, and the location must fit the concept. The location should appeal to the target market (expected guests). Other things being equal, prime locations costs more, so operations must either charge more for their menu items or drive sufficient volume to keep rent/lease costs. Several popular types of restaurant locations include the following8:

Stand-alone restaurants Cluster or restaurant row Shopping mall Downtown Suburban

1.1.1. Location of the restaurant

Of course, for successful functioning of restaurant the most significant factor is location. Among the main criteria by which the place for restaurant is chosen, it is possible to specify the following categories:

Exterior and surroundings: sidewalks and other buildings which might be around can sometimes affect a prospective diners impression of restaurant business. It is necessary to choose a restaurant location with surroundings which are neat, tidy and well maintained;

The local economy: people will only be eating out in restaurants if they have jobs and discretionary income to spend. The local economy will also affect the choice of concept. Fast food typically remains popular in a poor economy but higher priced menu offerings will probably not work well in a town where there are factory closures;

Operation size: one of the basic requirements with a location will be that it is large enough to set up a restaurant of desired size and concept. Health and safety laws will dictate how many people can occupy the building so it is important to think about these

8 John R. Walker, Introduction to hospitality, New Jersey, Upper Saddle River, 2002, p. 255-257 9 requirements before deciding that the property that was perfect is too small for the clientele you need to attract;9

Demographics: restaurant owners have to know who their restaurant is catering to, and how that matches with the demographics of the surrounding neighborhood. Upscale restaurants have to be within reach of corporate and affluent clients. Pizza joints and sandwich shops should be within reach of business and working class neighborhoods. Awareness of demographics is especially important for niche and ethnic restaurants, which are often catering to a smaller population segment;

Competition: restaurant business is part of a growing trend toward competition-based locations, restaurant owners are increasingly seeking locations near successful competitors. The logic behind this strategy is clear. Successful restaurants get the surrounding population thinking about dining out. Families are increasingly dining out more than once a week. Owners shouldn’t shy away from the competition when seeking the right location;10

Parking: will there be enough parking to accommodate all the seats in a new restaurant? Ideally, a new restaurant location should have its own parking lot. If that is not an option, it should be a public parking near the restaurant location.

Accessibility: there is a reason that major successful restaurant are often located near highway and freeway exits, it makes them accessible for customers.11

1.1.2. Atmosphere

A restaurant’s atmosphere sets the stage. It’s about more than just a dining room away from home. Food takes the spotlight as guests become its audience. Factors such as music, lighting, color, texture, spacing etc. combine to create comfort, intimacy and even romance.

Lighting – helps create an atmosphere for each table, which most restaurant owners want to do since each table is paying for their own experience. Using wrong lighting prevents the effectiveness of other elements to make restaurant environment pleasant.

9 http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Importance-of-Restaurant-Location---A-List-of-Location-Selection-Criteria-For-a- Restaurant&id=4845812 10 http://www.allfoodbusiness.com/choosing_site.php 11 http://restaurants.about.com/od/openingarestaurant/a/location.htm 10

Spacing – it is important to be sure that people aren’t sat on top of each other. They should have a good amount of space between them.

Color scheme – colors play a big role in ambiance; they can match a restaurant type and sometimes even match the foods serve. Blues, purples and greens are known as the more difficult restaurant color schemes. The easier color schemes are red, yellow and orange, and the neutrals: beige, ivory, white, taupe, brown, etc. Warm colors promote positive feelings. They are also more stimulating colors that have been proven to increase one’s appetite. Neutrals are a great color scheme because these colors help customers feel calm, and it’s easy to make this theme work with different artwork, flowers and other furnishings.12

Texture – the sense of touch can enhance an atmosphere and branding. Cool, sleek surfaces like marble will have a different impact than rough, rustic wood. Consider the texture on walls, floors, furniture and anything else that customers will see or touch.

Cleanliness – if things are dirty and disorganized, it will drag the energy down. Cleanliness and organization a priority in the front and the back of the house. It is important to keep the bathrooms well-maintained, too. They are a great indicator of how clean the rest of the restaurant is.

Artwork – large oil paintings would enhance a sophisticated restaurant while kitschy folk art made from old utensils might amp up the ambiance at a farm to table concept.

Dishes, silverware and linens – using non-descript clunky white plates and polyester napkins will make the atmosphere bland. Types of plates and glasses would support the concept and add something different to the dining experience. For example, pottery from a local artisan would work well with a farm-to-table concept. One of a kind, mix and match plates and silverware could work in a local coffee shop.13

Music – has the power to create an excitement level and ambiance that helps patrons enjoy food and spirits, while encouraging repeat business. Music can add to the restaurant's atmosphere, or it can detract from it. The goal when selecting music and

12 http://www.signs.com/blog/how-restaurant-ambiance-affects-the-bottom-line/ 13 http://www.restaurantbrandingroadmap.com/12-ways-to-create-an-awesome-atmosphere-for-your- restaurant/ 11 playback equipment is to maintain consistency with menu, decor, lightening and all other elements.14

1.1.3. Menu

Menu is a presentation of food and beverage offerings. It come in all shapes and sizes, some are printed on parchment; others are written on blackboard. But all menus can be categorized by how the menu items on them are listed and priced. Two basic categories of menus are:

The Table d’hote menu is identify by:15

- Being a restricted menu; - Offering a small number of courses, usually three or four; - A limited choice with each course; - A fixed selling price; - All the dishes being ready at a set time.

This type of menu usually contains the popular type dishes and is easier to control, the set price being fixed for whatever the customer chooses, or being set depending on the main dish chosen. It is common practice in many restaurants for a table d’hote menu to be offered to a customer together with an a la carte menu. Table d’hote menus can be offered for breakfast, lunch and dinners.

The A la carte menu is identify by:16

- Being usually a larger menu than a table d’hote menu and offering a greater choice; - Listing under the course headings all of the dishes that may be prepared by the establishment; - All dishes being prepared by order; - Each dish being separately priced;

14 2001, Journal of Restaurant & Foodservice Marketing, Vol. 4 Issue 2, p88, available from: https://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=1fe9ba69-4fdf-4730-a1cb- a2bdfbb703af%40sessionmgr113&vid=7&hid=116 15 Davis B., Lockwood A., Stone S., Food and beverage management, Oxford, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, 1998,p. 81, ISBN 0 7506 3286 0 16 Davis B., Lockwood A., Stone S., Food and beverage management, Oxford, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, 1998,p. 81-82, ISBN 0 7506 3286 0 12

- Usually being more expensive than a table d’hote menu; - Often containing the exotic and high cost seasonal foods.

Part of an a la carte menu may contain a “speciality of the house” section. This consists usually of one or two main dishes, separately priced, which are already prepared and change daily. A la carte menus are, because of their size and the unknown demand of each item, more difficult to control than the typical table d’hote menus.17

Menus can also be categorized by how often they are used.

Fixed menus – a single menu that is used daily. Restaurants such as coffee shops and chain restaurants often use a single menu for several months (or longer) before replacing it with a new fixed menu. Daily specials may be offered to give frequent guests some new menu selections, but there is still a set list of items that forms the basic menu.

Cycle menus – is one that changes every day for a certain period of days, then the cycle is repeated. Cycle menus are designed to provide variety for guests who eat frequently, or even daily. Restaurants in isolated resorts or downtown cafeterias, whose guests are likely to visit every day, use this menu schedule. Typical cycle range from a week to four weeks, but some are longer. Establishing the right cycle length is important. With too short a cycle, the menus may repeat too often and guests may become dissatisfied. If the cycle is too long, production and labor costs involved in purchasing, storing, and preparing the greater variety of foods may be excessive.18

The content of the menu should be easy to understand and satisfy curiosity of the customers. Usually a menu of restaurant is made by a chef with an owner of the restaurant. It is useful to make description of dishes with difficult names. A chef must decide what main ingredients of dish should be specified in the description for clear understanding of customers. Besides a chef has to conceal their own secret ingredients that he uses to create a delicious flavor for their dishes, it helps to differ one the same dish cooking in different restaurants.19

17 Davis B., Lockwood A., Stone S., Food and beverage management, Oxford, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, 1998,p. 81-82, ISBN 0 7506 3286 0 18 Ninemeier J.D.,Management of food and beverage operations, Michigan, Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, 2000, p. 105-107, ISBN 0-86612-181-1 19 Fedcov V., Kultura restorannogo servisa, Moscow, Dachkov i Ko, 2010, p. 18, ISBN 978-5-394-00737-8 13

1.1.4. Service quality

Service is a critical factor of eating-out experience in a restaurant. People are not only buying a meal in a restaurant, but they are also paying for a certain level of service. Quality service is typically that which is prompt and courteous. That is what customers expect. Employees need to master the art of service to ensure customers return, as well as recommend a restaurant to their friends and families. Most customers go to restaurants because they want to enjoy dining in a pleasant atmosphere. Proper customer service, therefore, is a core factor of customer satisfaction. A well-trained waiter, for instance, speaks to customers courteously or goes out of his way to provide them with a special service. Such customers retain fond memories of restaurants and are likely to make repeat visits.20

Friendly service – there a number of restaurants where the waiters and waitresses where not only friendly, but they were also entertaining. They might come up to the table and sing a song or play a musical instrument. The novelty of the extra service could bring in more business.

Extreme service – some high-end restaurants have one waiter dedicated to one customer. That gives the customer a feeling of extreme service. Of course, the cost of the meal is higher to compensate for the extra staff.

Poor service – poor service can discourage many customers from returning, even if the food is excellent. Popularity can be fleeting in such a restaurant.21

Taking orders is an important skill which must be learnt. It is not easy as to might seen to make sure that customers each receive exactly what they have ordered, and that they are properly billed for what they have had.

Guests need some time after they have been presented with the menu to make their choice. Knowing when to approach them again to take the orders is a subtle business. They must neither be rushed nor kept waiting. Usually guests will want between 5 and 10 minutes to choose, but the waiters must be alert to any sign that may be made to

20 http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-training-restaurant-75676.html 21 http://www.school-for-champions.com/tqm/restaurant_quality.htm 14 indicate that they are ready to order or want help. Waiters must be able and ready to give advice and make recommendations.22

Restaurant ratings – identify restaurants according to their quality, using notations such as stars or other symbols, or numbers. Ratings appear in guidebooks as well as in the media, typically in newspapers, lifestyle magazines and webzines.

One of the most well-known and respected guides is the Michelin series which award one to three stars to restaurants they perceive to be of high culinary merit. One star indicates a “very good restaurant”; two stars indicate a place “worth a detour”; three stars means “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”.23

Another influential restaurant guide is Gault Millau, it rates on a scale of 1 to 20, with 20 highest. Restaurants below 10 points are almost never listed. The points are awarded based on the quality of the food, with comments about service, price or the atmosphere of the restaurant given separately. Gault Millau does not accept payment for listing restaurants.

There has been discussion about which guide is more important, the Michelin Guide or the Gault Millau. In the 1970s the Michelin's continued conservative support of traditional haute cuisine was challenged by the support of nouvelle cuisine by the Gault- Millau. Michelin is more popular and therefore more influential, while Gault Millau has been considered more purist due to the main system being based purely on the quality of the food. 24

1.2. Types of cuisines

A cuisine is a specific set of cooking traditions and practices, often associated with a specific culture or region. Each cuisine involves food preparation in a particular style, of food and drink of particular types, to produce individually consumed items or distinct meals. A cuisine is primarily influenced by the ingredients that are available locally or through trade.25

22 Arora R., K., Foodservice and catering management, New Delhi, APH Publishing Corporation, 2007, p. 191-192, ISBN 81-313-0067-6 23 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurant_rating 24 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gault_Millau 25 http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cuisines 15

French cuisine is one of the first-world cuisines that traveled beyond the borders of its country of origin. Even today, many top chefs want to be classically French trained. The French food ranges from hearty, rustic to the finest, and Michelin Star style. The French meal is complete with bread, wine and cheese.

Spanish cuisine – Spain is among those European countries where cuisine is not homogeneous. In Spain, cooking is defined by region. Generally, Spaniards do not eat much lamb and beef, preferring game meat and the amazing array of seafood available around the coast. The most famous Spanish food is probably tapas, which are deliciously tasty snacks that comprise complex layers of flavours.

Italian cuisine is prepared from such ingredients as olive, oil, Oregon, basil, parsley, tomatoes and garlic makes for health and hearty meals. The Italian diet is famously good for the heart too. Italian restaurants around the world are just about always good it seems.26

German cuisine does not enjoy the best reputation, most people dismissing it as merely sausages and potatoes. While there are some distinct regional variations, meat is very definitely the cornerstone of German food, and the number of different types of sausages is bewildering. The charcuterie is excellent and so are the cheeses, the latter being greatly overshadowed by the cheeses of its neighboring countries. Breads – particularly rye breads – are also a big feature, along with the aforementioned potatoes cooked every which way.

Greek cuisine is the food of ancient Greece spread far across Europe and the near east, influencing many of the world cuisines we know today, and many modern Greek dishes are as old as the hills. Olive oil and fresh herbs are essential to producing the flavors so redolent of the Mediterranean and the Greek mezze is a wonderful way to experience the taste of Greece. Greece prefers lamb and pork to beef (many of the islands can not support cattle), and of course fish and seafood have a heavy presence.27

26http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/focus/article/different-types-of-cuisines-around-the-world-come-with-us- and-enjoy-the-exp/ 27 http://food.allwomenstalk.com/cuisines-of-the-world/12/ 16

Japanese Food is differs in preference of the natural, minimally processed foods, extensive use of seafood, seasonal, typical dishes, and specific rules of designed dishes, tableware, table etiquette.

It includes:

- Japanese Desserts - Ramen Cuisines - Sushi Cuisines - Tempura Cuisines

Asian Food is characterized by an abundance of spices, spicy dishes, low-fat, soy products. One of the common ways of cooking is frying in a small amount of very hot oil. Main products of Asian cuisine are rice and noodles.

It includes:

- Indonesian Cuisines - Malayan Cuisines - Korean Cuisines - Thai Cuisines28

Fusion cuisine is cuisine that combines elements of different culinary traditions. Cuisines of this type are not categorized according to any one particular cuisine style and have played a part in innovations of many contemporary restaurant cuisines.29

Russian cuisine is a part of Eastern European cuisine; it is diverse, as Russia is by area the largest country in the world and by nations - a multinational state, where every nation, with its “brand” dishes borrowed recipes and culinary tricks from the neighbors, giving them their secrets. Each region and area of Russia boasts unique dishes. Russian cuisine has always been open to foreign borrowing that does not spoil it, but rather adorned. From Scythians and Greeks Russians learned to prepare yeast dough; through Byzantium learned about rice, buckwheat and numerous spices; tea came to Russia from China; from the Ural – pelmeni; Bulgaria shared with Russia sweet pepper, eggplants and vegetable marrows; the western Slavs made the contribution to Russian cuisine in the form of borsches, stuffed cabbage, vareniki. In 16 – 18 centuries Russian cuisine absorbed all the best that existed in kitchens of the European countries: salads

28 http://www.streetdirectory.com/restaurants/cuisine_categories.php 29http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_cuisine 17 and green vegetables, smoked products, chocolate, ice cream, wines and liqueurs, sugar and coffee.30

Russian dining grew more diverse during the Soviet era, when many traditional foods from other republics of the USSR became favorites of Russian cooks. Typical dishes from Armenia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Belorussia and other countries were adopted and start to known as Russian food, even if historically they are not.31

1.3. Russian restaurant

What means Russian restaurant? It is not just a place where Russian national food is served, people come here to be in the corner of Russia, feel the welcoming atmosphere of traditional Russian interior, relax the soul and spend time in the company of friends.

Main characteristics of Russian interior are:32

- wooden finishing of walls and ceiling - floors made from old wood or stylized under it - natural shades of wood, brick red, beige, white, presence of bright colors - gold, blue, red - large, massive, wooden furniture, smooth or with a carving - Textiles can be linen or knitted; napkins, tablecloths can be decorated with lace - Geranium, fig-trees, aloe and other indoor plants in clay pots can be placed on a windowsill or on the floor

30 http://www.irk.ru/obed/articles/20130703/russia/ 31 Plotkin. G., Plotkina R., Cooking the Russian way, Minneapolis, Lerner Publications Company, 2003, p. 13, ISBN 0- 8225-8033-0 32 http://samdizajner.ru/russkij-stil.html 18

Picture 1 – Interior in Russian restaurant.

Resource: http://dom-russkkuhni.gurmangid.ru/

Traditional Russian dishes are:

Starters: 33

- kasha: porridge, buckwheat, millet, oat, wheat and semolina; - pirogi: baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients (big pie); - pirozhki: a generic term for individual-sized baked or fried buns (small pies) stuffed with various fillings; - bliny: a thin traditionally leavened pancake; - caviar; - kholodets: meat jelly; - herring with onion.

Depending on filling pirozhki, pirogi and bliny can be supplied as a main dish or dessert.

33http://supercook.ru/russian/rus-02.html 19

Soups:34

- shchi: heavy cabbage soup, also can be based on sauerkraut; - ukha: clear soup, made from various types of fish; - okroshka: light soup is a mix of mostly raw vegetables with kvass, which is a non- alcoholic beverage made from fermented black or rye bread; - borsch: most popular vegetable soup made out of beets, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, dill; - soljanka: thick, spicy and sour soup made with meat and various vegetables and pickles.

Salads:35

- vinegret: diced boiled vegetables, dressed with with sunflower or other vegetable oil; - olivier salad:diced potatoes, vegetables, eggs, and ham(or meat) with a mayonnaise dressing; - dressed herring: diced, salted herring covered with layers of grated, boiled vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beet roots), chopped onions, and mayonnaise.

Main dishes:36

- pelmeni: dumplings consisting of a meat filling wrapped in thin, pasta dough; - vareniki: dumplings made with savory and sweet fillings, such as potatoes, cabbage, cherries, cottage and strawberries, served with sour cream; - bestroganov: pieces of sauteed beef in sauce, with smetana (sour cream); - kotlety: dish of minced meat fried on pan; - golubci: cabbage leaves rolled with rice filling and meat (minced beef or bacon), baked in oil with tomato sauce; - kotleta po-kievsky: cutletdish of boneless chicken breast pounded and rolled around cold butter, then breaded and fried; - chiburekki: is a deep-fried turnover with a filling of minced meat and onions. It is made with a single round piece of dough folded over the filling in a half-moon shape;

34 http://gurmanika.com/kuhni/russkaya 35 http://eda.ru/recipelist/russian_cuisine/salad 36http://eda.ru/recipelist/russian_cuisine/salad 20

- stuffed peppers: usually prepared with bell peppers stuffed with meat, rice, onion and other vegetables and spices.

Beverages:37

- kissel: fruit dessert soup of sweetened juice, thickened with arrowroot, cornstarch or potato starch; - kvass: is a non-alcoholic beverage made from fermented black or rye bread; - mors: is a non-carbonated fruit drink prepared from berries, mainly from lingonberry and cranberry.

Bread is offered with every meal, and there are usually at least two types to choose from: white wheat and dark rye. Many Russians believe that a meal without a bread is not a nourishing meal. The significance of bread in Russian culture is such that sharing bread and salt has become a common metaphor for friendship and trust. Bread symbolizes all the good of the world, and salt stands for the tears shed due to earthly turmoil. This is why in traditional Russian culture, hosts offer bread and salt to distinguished guests upon their arrival.38

37 http://virtual.cie.ru/mod/resource/view.php?id=36 38 Stakhnevich J., The everything learning Russian book, Avon, F+W Publications, 2007, p. 62, ISBN-13: 978-1- 59869-387-4 21

2. ANALYSIS OF RUSSIAN RESTAURANTS IN PRAGUE

This chapter will present three Russian restaurants, which are situated in Prague, their product analysis and findings from the interviews. An interview is the best method of collecting information from people, who involved into process of restaurant business. I created 14 questions for interviews, which were based on theoretical framework of my thesis, knowledge during studying in university and my own experience. I recorded necessary information in my notebook. Respondents spent on every question as much time as they could, I didn’t interrupt them. Sometimes it took much time, sometimes it took less then one minute. Interviews were done in Russian then I translated them into English (attachment 1).

Name or the restaurants are “Moskovskiy dvorik”, “Chutnoff” and “Pasta e Basta”. I choose this restaurants because they are the most popular for Russian community in Prague and each of them can offer traditional Russian dishes.

2.1. Restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik”

Name of this restaurant translated in English as “Moscow courtyard”. This is a small and friendly restaurant which located in a picturesque area of the city center – Vinohrady, Manesova street 79. Restaurant is open daily from 11am till 9pm or until the last guest. “Moskovskiy dvorik” is non-smoking restaurant, it is possible to pay in e restaurant by cash and by credit card.

“Moskovskiy Dvorik” combines two types of dining: on the ground floor you can find take-out bistro with big choice of cold starters and snacks such as traditional salads, bakery and specialties. Restaurant is situated downstairs, there are 18 traditional chairs and 3 near the bar, but waitress can not told me exact number, so I counted by myself. Restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik” prepares not only Russian food, but also traditional dishes from Ukrainian and Georgian cuisines.

Location criteria:

- Parking: there is no private parking in front of restaurant, except for guests who lives in that area and have parking card for a blue line, but it is possible to park the car on the parallel street. - Exterior and surroundings: restaurant situated just few steps from square Jiří z Poděbrad. - Accessibility: It is a place with good access to a public transport (five minutes from subway and tram station) and near the city center. - Demographic analysis: Vinohrady is part of Prague, which is famous almost for local people, but Russian community also lives there. There are a lot of middle- class families with children and people from another parts of the city, who come walking and shopping in a downtown. - Competition: there are a lot of restaurants in this area, in the same building is Czech restaurant and on the opposite street is situated Italian, but no Russian in this area, “Moskovskiy dvorik” has unique restaurant strategy. - Operation size: restaurant does not have enough space for many guests to eat there, but I can say that take-out bistro is much more popular than a restaurant. When you come in, you do not see the restaurant, just grocery store and bistro. Another point of bistro popularity is that clients come to buy traditional Russian food and prepared specialities, it is a good solution not to cook at home.

Atmosphere:

Atmosphere in restaurant “ Moskovskiy dvorik” bring you back in a Soviet Union, it is designed to recreate the home environment and try to remind customers a homely atmosphere.

- Music: there is TV with dancing music chanel, If they prefer this TV with Russian folk music or other nice program , which underlined the atmosphere of traditional Russian restaurant , it would certainly seemed more comfortable. - Lightening: unfortunately there is no daylight as restaurant is located in the basement and there are no windows. Despite the fact that on each table is hanging a lampshade, lighting has a yellow shade and create not cozy atmosphere.

- Spacing: tables has enough space between them, so guests feel themselves comfortable. - Color scheme: restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik” designed in neutral colors on the walls are wallpaper with a pattern of flowers promoting positive feelings, but the floor in orange-brown colors spoils the impression. - Texture: there are two kinds of tables, with chairs and armchairs. In my opinion chairs designed in a rustic wood discord with a classical armchairs. Interior has details from different styles and textures, which does not combine among themselves. - Cleanliness: restaurant seems to be clean, but if to look narrowly, it is possible to see dust and dirty things. - Artwork: there is no pictures and paintings in the restaurant, which remind Russian culture, but there are a lot of homeplants on the floor and are artificials on some tables. - Dishes and linens: restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik” using simple white plates, which do not have nothing in common with serving traditional Russian dishes, but on the other hand typical Russian tablecloths create atmosphere.

Menu:

On the fist page you can find a clarification about offer of the restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik”, it explains that dishes are prepared only from natural food, that restaurant do not use frozen foods, сhemical additives, dyes and stabilizers of taste, thus preparation of some dishes can last a little more longer than at usual restaurants.

- Salads: listed separately on the menu and offered as entrées. There are variety of traditional salads such as dressed herring, olivier and vinegret, each has ingredients description and amount of portion in a grams listed in menu. - Cold starters: there are six traditional starters including one of the famous – kholodets . Restaurant “ Moskovskiy dvorik” also offer assorted pickles and herring with onion.Portions are not small in size, 100 – 550 grams depending on dish. - Traditional pancakes: selection of sweet feelings (with cottage cheese and sour cream, with sour cream and sugar and with jam) and savory fillings (with caviar,

with chicken and mushrooms, with mushrooms and cheese, with chicken and cheese, with meat and with meat and potatoes). - Soups: restaurant offers two main sops – borsch and chicken broth with homemade noodles. Also there is a selection traditional “soups of the day”, everyday is different offer. - Pelmeni: fillings with chicken, meat and lamb. Portion – 300 grams. - Vareniki: sweet and savory fillings – cherry, cottage cheese, potatoes and cabbage. Portion – 300 grams. - Second course: kotlety from meat, chicken and fish, golubci, stuffed peppers and other selection of meat and fish dishes. - Side dishes: selection of traditional garnishes, 200-300 grams. - Desserts: variety of cakes and ice cream. - Beverages: listed at the end of the menu. Coffee, tea and selection of carbonated beverages are typical. Wide variety of alcohol beverages such as champagne, martini, liquors, vodka, cognac, whiskey, wine and beer are offering in restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik”.

Menu designed as a two-panel folded format with a foil-stamped pages (single white sheets of ordinary typing paper) and nut-brown faux leather cover, size of menu is A4, so it is easy for customer to handle it. Restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik” uses fixed menu, without offering daily specials or lunch menu, some people (almost Czechs) do not want to spend evening time in unusual restaurant with unknown cuisine, but dinner time can be good for tasting new cuisine and new dishes. Menu is representing in three languages: Russian, Czech and English. Unfortunately restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik” does not change menu items, all the year it is the same. I can find only one mistake in menu planning – it is very big variety of choice, too many different dishes, it takes long time to select and order.

Service quality:

It is a well known fact that financial success of the restaurant depends on the qualification and behavior of employees. Restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik” positions itself as a restaurant of homemade food with atmosphere, which reminds you home. Their concept of “home” restaurant is also applied on servicing. 25

One person combines responsibilities of a bartender, a waitress and an administrator. Lack of staff uniform also characterized “Moskovskiy dvorik” as a “home” concept restaurant. The waitress wore beige blouse and dark trousers, but it is more look like a home clothes, not uniform. Personal knows Russian, because all the staff is Russian speaking people. Indispensable condition for employment in restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik” is knowledge of Czech language, waitress also known a little bit English.

Main advantage of service in restaurant is that personal is always smile and have a great communication with gusts, ready to explain preparation of dish for not speaking Russian clients, making sure that clients are satisfied with food and maintaining a pleasant atmosphere.

Additional services:

Restauraurant “Moskovskiy dvorik” offers banquet serrvice:

- formation of individual menu; - catering for corporate events and exhibition; - entertaining shows; - thematic evenings; - cultural events; - live music on request.39

2.1.1. Characteristics of customers of “Moskovskiy dvorik” restaurant

I was lucky enough and I have a great chance to talk to the owner of the restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik”, his name is Igor (unfortunately I do not clarify his surname). I get all necessary information from him, specifying details were received from the waitress, her name is Alla.

Main customers in “Moskovskiy dvorik” are Russian speaking people, people from Soviet Union – Russians, Ukrainians and Belorussians,Czechs also come there, they

39 http://www.night-prague.cz/ru/moskevsky_dvorek.html 26 are mostly elderly people. Percentage ratio: 75% are Russian speaking, 20% are Czech people and 5% compose foreigners (graph 1).

Graph 1 - Customer structure of restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik”.

20% Russian speaking Czech people Foreigners

75%

Resource: Own research, 2015.

Most of restaurant customers are women, it is about 65%, and others are men (graph 2).

Graph 2 – Gender structure of customers in a restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik”.

35% Women Men 65%

Resource: Own research, 2015.

Mainly restaurant guests are working people - 75%, 18% are compound students and 7% belongs to pensioners (graph 3).

Graph 3 – Social ground structure of customers in a restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik”.

18% Working people Students Pensioners 75%

Resource: Own research, 2015.

I did not get a specific number of customers per day, so I decided to offer some answer options. They started from 0 to 50. At the moment when I was there, I counted 3 tables with the total number of customers – 7. Traffic hours in a restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik” are from 3p.m. till 7p.m, students comes from universities and grown-ups from jobs. Most often people order soup and main dish, an average consumption is about 250-500 Kč per person.

Borsch undoubtedly wins the first place of the most popular and often ordered dish, about 80% of customers ordered this traditional Ukrainian soup daily. Second place is shared by pelmeni with meat and vareniki with potatoes. Salad “dressed herring” is on the third place, it is a traditional salad almost for every holiday, which associated with unforgettable atmosphere of the the feast (graph 4).

Graph 4 – Most popular dish in a restaurant “Moskovskiy dvorik”.