#CBfriends: Geraldine

This time, as part of the #CBfriends section, we went to visit the neo-bistro from Alexander Rappoport and Vladimir Posner, Geraldine.

The hero of our interview, Geraldine chef Igor Kotov, told us about the fundamental principles of a chef’s work, creative searches and team work.

Tell us about yourself: what did you do before Geraldine, how did your path in this profession begin, and did you ever want to turn away from this path and do something else?

My name is Igor Kotov, I am the chef of the Geraldine restaurant. Before that, I worked a lot: my career began in the distant 90s, I chose my profession before the army. There I served in the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense, which is on Arbat, in a special kitchen that feeds all our generals.

After the army, fate brought me to the Oblomov restaurant, where I rose to the rank of sous chef and went to the German Embassy as a chef. I worked there for 8 years until I was lured to Yulia Vysotskaya’s restaurant “Yornik”, after which I worked as a chef for two “Happiness” restaurants, at Elena Chkalova’s “Let’s Go” restaurant, and then fate brought me here.

Geraldine is a non-bistro. What is this format, how does it differ from others?

Neobistro is not a pure classic of French cuisine, but a kind of cosmopolitan concept. The main leitmotif is French cuisine, and something new and unusual is added to it: European and Asian accents, new interpretations.

How do you choose dishes for the menu? Tell us about its concept?

I can say that we do not adhere 100% to any menu concept, but try to make sure that the guests like it. We have a theme - French cuisine in a modern interpretation, but we are not looking for specific directions. The menu is formed rather on the principle of adding what we lack. And we try to present these dishes to our guests through the prism of our vision.

What about the seasonal menu?

You can't go anywhere without this. Seasonality is important, because vegetables and fruits in their season have a completely different taste, real, the taste that should be in a dish.

Do you create the dessert menu yourself?

Yes, of course, I don’t have a pastry chef. Desserts for me are the same dishes as main dishes. I don't really like sweets, but I try to keep desserts on the same level as main courses.

Do you have any special professional tricks, a special approach to certain aspects of your work?

Of course have! For me, in general, the kitchen is like home and the whole team is like family. I can say that I am the kindest chef in the entire Rappoport restaurant chain - everything is always home-like with us. My management style is such that I don’t try to yell at anyone, because people start to get confused and make more mistakes. I have my own tricks, but I won’t reveal any secrets :)

What inspires you when creating new dishes?

I could say, like some chefs, that when I go outside, leaves are falling... But I won’t. In fact, I think a lot about how to make something new, I think about how I can decorate it. I don’t try to repeat someone else’s dishes, but if I find something interesting, I can combine it with my ideas.

What do you think is the secret of success for a chef? How to be not only financially successful in your profession, but also get satisfaction from work?

I think you have to live it, live the kitchen as your home. For example, I am very rarely at home, even my family is offended at me - why am I at work all the time? What is important is not so much success as love for your profession. You must love your job, and then you will be happy.

Who are you working for? Who are your guests?

Different people come to Geraldine: they are often businessmen, office workers come during the day, girls gather in the evenings... But they are all quite demanding, and it is very difficult to surprise them. Therefore, I am faced with the task of maintaining a given level.

In general, during my career I have fed all segments of the population, and I cannot say that I have a favorite category: for me they are all equal. If a mistake occurs in the kitchen, it will be unpleasant for anyone.

What do you consciously draw the attention of your guests to?

We try to focus attention on some of our highlights so that they know what to mix with what, in order to feel the taste of this dish the way it should be. We conduct trainings with waiters so that they convey this to guests.

The taste of a dish is definitely the most important aspect of it, but how important do you think the role of the utensils is in serving it?

Dishes always play an important role! For example, I have a dream - I want to make one dish, but I still can’t find suitable utensils for it. It is clear that simple white plates always look beautiful, but culinary fashion does not stand still. White porcelain, white tablecloth, French style - these are classics for a “serious” establishment with top-level service. Atwith the same - neobistro, and we are looking for new, unusual things, including in dishes.

Do your guests pay attention to the dishes? Is there one they especially like?

Our guests pay attention to everything: for them, both the presentation of the dish and the taste play a role. Of course, there are such visitors in restaurants who come and ask to fry potatoes and make a salad, and they don’t care what kind of dish you serve it on. But guests come to our restaurant not only for taste sensations, but also for aesthetic pleasure: they evaluate the dish visually, take pictures, and post it on Instagram.

Restaurants are now opening with an emphasis on finger foods. Do you follow etiquette and traditional serving techniques or do you experiment with shapes and presentation of dishes?

We have several dishes that are eaten with the hands, but in the restaurant it is still not very comfortable to eat with the hands, so we try to make our guests comfortable.

Speaking of trends, there is currently a trend called “food pairing”, do you apply this concept in practice?

I'm familiar with this topic, but we haven't experimented with it yet. We offer varied and unusual combinations: we can combine a little Asia and Italy, but our guests are accustomed to relatively simple food and come to Geraldine to socialize and eat, and for gastronomic discoveries and new sensations they go to specialized restaurants.

What about trends like fermentation, sous vide, molecular gastronomy and others?

Yes, we, of course, have this: we use fermentation to prepare snacks, elements of molecular technology mainly for desserts, we actively use sous vide for preparing meat, fish, poultry, and meatless dishes. Sous vide does not destroy the structure of the product, so the taste is much more delicate. In addition, it is practical to use for preparations; it solves many difficulties in storing food and makes it easy to adhere to strict SanPin standards: the finished product in a vacuum retains freshness much longer.

Is there any equipment that you consider indispensable in the kitchen? What makes your life easier?

Certainly! Creamers are our everything; without them we cannot see our existence. These are also blenders and all kinds of small equipment, for example, for molecular gastronomy. I equip the kitchen myself, come to the Complex-Bar showroom and select what I need.

What guides you when making your choice?

For me, the most important thing is the quality of the instruments, and the rest is secondary. If it is expensive, but the quality of a cheaper analogue is worse, I try to ensure that we are allowed to purchase it.

What advice can you give to aspiring chefs?

The most important thing is to find a common language with the team, because when the chefs cannot get along with each other, it is a big problem in the kitchen. Squabbles begin, which affects the quality of work. It is always worth listening to management and establishing relationships with the team.

Again, the kitchen is an object of increased danger, discipline must be ironclad: quarrels, aggression and inattention are simply unacceptable.

I would also like to advise you to feel the taste of the product. Because many chefs, when making preparations, do not understand and are not aware of what they are doing. It is necessary and important to know the taste of the product: what a good tomato should taste like, how it will combine with salt and sugar. When chefs simply take a technological map and scramble according to it without thinking, this is their mistake. Too little salt, too much sugar - all this negatively affects the final taste. Surprisingly, now quite a few chefs have the skill of a sense of taste: the profession obliges, but many pass by.