Who are we?
We are number 1! The first restaurant, Chaikhona No. 1, opened its doors to guests in 2000. It all started with a small summer cafe in the Hermitage garden, and today “Chaikhona No. 1” of the Vasilchukov brothers already has 40 restaurants in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Voronezh, Chekhov and Kazan.
We are changing!“Chaikhona No. 1” by the Vasilchuk brothers has long moved away from the traditional eastern concept. Today our style can be described as fusion - a combination different directions in cuisine, interior design and music. New restaurants break existing stereotypes and show guests that Chaikhona No. 1 is a place for all occasions.
We are growing! In 2016, the Chaikhona No. 1 restaurant project became the flagship of the gastronomic holding of the Vasilchuk brothers RESTart Vasilchuk Brothers. At the beginning of 2018, the holding has 80 restaurants employing more than 7 thousand employees, which makes it one of the largest associations in the Russian restaurant market.
Why "We on We" » ?
« When there are people, there is everything!”– this is the business credo of the Vasilchuk brothers. The principle of work of the entire team of Chaikhona No. 1 is expressed by the thesis “We are on We” - this is everyone’s personal responsibility for the overall result.
We want our employees to feel like members of the same company. big family. To do this, we create a positive, friendly atmosphere and constantly follow the “We vs. We” rule. Our internal community Chaikhona-Family allows you to always be in the know latest news, communicate, monitor the successes of colleagues and follow the example of leaders.
Our values
We have chosen 7 main values that formed the basis of internal corporate communications of Chaikhona No. 1: Development, Trust, Responsibility, Love, Mastery, Leadership, Team.
These values unite employees, help them achieve high results and implement their ideas and projects within the company. To achieve this, we constantly hold training sessions, competitions and special leadership programs.
We set goals that take your breath away, go beyond the usual boundaries, constantly monitor market trends and adopt the most advanced ideas and technologies. Our goal is to be the best in our business!
Become number one!
Now - best time to start a career in the restaurant business. Cooks and bartenders are called the rock stars of the new generation, and a waiter is no longer a part-time job, but a prestigious profession that opens up enormous prospects. The restaurant business in Russia has become a full-fledged area for building a career and a job “for life”, like in Europe.
If you share our values, want to solve ambitious problems, develop leadership skills, realize your talent and build successful career in a strong successful company, then we are waiting for you at Chaikhona No. 1 of the Vasilchukov Brothers.
Co-owner of the Chaikhona No. 1 restaurant chain, Alexey Vasilchuk, spoke about the consequences of the food embargo for the restaurant business, plans for the development of new projects and possible entry into Crimea.
How many Chaikhona No. 1 restaurants have you visited? this moment do you manage?
In total, there are more than fifty “Chaikhona No. 1” in Russia, there are 36 restaurants under our management, and we continue to develop. We are currently in the rebranding stage.
Will the name “Chaikhona No. 1” remain?
It will remain exactly as a subname and will remain in our new project - “Chaikhona No. 1 Easy”. About common name We are now thinking about how to make sure we don’t lose the guests we already have.
Are you planning to open restaurants abroad?
You know, now people often ask me why we don’t go abroad? Now everyone is diversifying and withdrawing assets. I have plans for me and my family to be here, for my children to boost the economy of our country. Even if we go abroad - and we probably will go because we are invited - it will be with the goal that people, foreigners, will talk about the fact that the Russians have opened a cool project, so that they understand that there are no bears here, because the mass writing about us in the world right now is not very good, unfortunately. But we want to show that we are number one, that Russia can do anything.
Which regions do you consider the most interesting for development in the foreign market?
The Russian market is acquiring a new restaurant model. I think it will be very competitive in foreign markets. Of course, this is America, England, Europe.
Do you have an idea to go to Crimea?
Yes, we have partners in Crimea who invited us. We considered several sites.
So next year you will open there already?
At the moment, we continue to consider sites, but it is too early to talk about anything in detail.
Did you have to somehow adjust the restaurant menu due to the sanctions regime? What was the overall impact of the food embargo?
You know, in the end, the embargo didn’t have a significant impact on us, only prices went up, of course, this is understandable.
How long?
There were periods when prices for some products rose up to 100%, but now they have settled down, prices have risen to 30% in two years on the market as a whole. We started looking for new suppliers; there were difficult periods when there was nothing, but there was something for a lot of money. But now the market has been reformatted, there are no such problems anymore.
The main good news is that the domestic food market is developing: for example, we buy local burrata, it is really no worse than Italian. Tomatoes, which previously could only be bought in Uzbekistan, have now begun to be grown in Orenburg, and this too delicious tomatoes. According to Kudrin (head of the Center strategic developments. - RNS), Russia in 10 years should become a country of non-resource exports. I believe in this because many of my friends invest in production. The main thing is that everyone is given the opportunity.
In times of crisis, are you considering launching any budget restaurant chains? Nowadays many people are trying to lead healthy image life. Maybe you want to open some projects for them?
We already do. We make “OBEDBUFET”, this is a very budget format - 360 rubles average bill. We made “Ploveberry”, “Chaikhona Easy” - this too budget options. We make burgers, oriental fast food. Regarding vegetarianism, we at “OBEDBUFET” are now making separate lines for healthy eating. Plus, we are also doing markets with Anastasia Kolesnikova (founder of the “Local Food” project. - RNS), where there will be an island theme, there will be healthy food, vegetarianism, etc.
How often are restaurants inspected by regulatory authorities?
Rospotrebnadzor checks constantly. Everyone is tested exactly the same.
Does this create difficulties for doing business?
You know, I wouldn’t say that this is creating a lot of difficulties now. Of course have different situations. It was harder before, but now it’s much easier.
How do you generally assess the practice of state regulation of food courts and non-stationary trade in prepared food?
We were actually involved in food trucks, we were the founders of this process, the whole last year We even prepared regulatory documentation, but the market is not yet ready. I have a positive attitude towards this, because non-stationary trade exists all over the world, it works, but the main thing is that it turns into a normal, high-quality business, because before it was dangerous to health. Now we need to take serious players and create a structure that will check the quality of products that will be sold in these markets.
Are you returning to this idea now?
We are waiting. We are ready, we have many well-developed concepts, we have food trucks ready, we are waiting for the regulatory documentation to come out from the state, because now there are no possibilities.
Has the decline in the restaurant market slowed down in 2016? Are consumers starting to increase their spending on restaurants?
Now everyone has become more tight-fisted, but I don’t think there is a serious decline, maybe even some growth, because everyone is trying to develop, everyone understands that eating out is developing. I believe that it is more profitable to eat out even in terms of money, because time is money. I won’t say that the market has stagnated; it seems to me that the restaurant market has been developing over the last year.
Are you seeing an increase in customer traffic?
The number of people has increased slightly. Our average bill fell, our margins decreased greatly due to the fact that we did not raise prices and indexed salaries, but overall the flow is not decreasing, revenue increased by about 10% in 2016 compared to 2015, if we count for all projects , which have something to do with us.
At the end of 2016, do you also expect an increase of 10%?
Approximately, give or take, yes.
How is the share capital of the company managing Chaikhona No. 1 currently structured? Are you considering attracting new financial and strategic partners?
We have an interesting system of partnership and franchising. We are a store of ideas, technologies, franchising. We don’t just sell cases, we also strongly support partners who buy some kind of franchise packages from us. Our company, which oversees all projects, is called RESTart and is owned in half by my brother and me.
Are you interested in an IPO in the medium term?
We planned to do this several years ago, before the crisis. We thought we would unite all the companies and do everything. Now this is irrelevant, of course, for now. We don't even think about it.
Please tell us about the development of your latest project, the 354 restaurant complex in Moscow City. Now there is a veranda there, you talked about opening a skating rink there. Are there still plans to open the restaurant and club before the end of the year?
The “354” complex has been launched, at the moment partially, in a space of 7 thousand square meters. meters in the new Oko tower in City. Currently there is a veranda on the eighty-sixth floor. We are exploring the possibility of off-site marriage registrations on the roof. There is also access to the observation deck, 354 meters, 360 degrees of view. In winter, the tallest ice skating rink in the world will replace the veranda. The eighty-fifth floor, according to our idea, will become an important point on the gastronomic map of Moscow: a restaurant of Russian cuisine with an emphasis on grills and ovens will open here. The restaurant has a modern design, fashionable, bright, but in the center of the hall there is a giant 10-meter Russian stove, it is real. The restaurant will also have an ICE bar - a room measuring 30 square meters. meters, there will be an ice bar in the middle, and fur coats will be given at the entrance. Inside there will be only caviar and liqueurs, tinctures.
The eighty-fourth floor will turn into a club-restaurant with signature cuisine. We hope that before the New Year, in December, it will open in test mode. This is an open-closed club, it will be difficult to go there, because there will be a 3D scanner there, a person will be able to go there only if he is in the base. Gates, revolving doors like in a bank, triple control system. During the day it operates as a restaurant, at night it operates as a club. It will work according to the true cost system, when you pay money for entry, but everything inside is at cost. The hall has 2.5 thousand square meters. meters, it is designed for 700 people. It has a digital wall measuring 35 meters long and 4 meters high, that is, any presentations, weddings, you can do any show.
What investments were made in this project? Have you taken out loans?
This is a partnership project. The investment is big. The project cost more than $10 million.
Are you considering collaborating with famous chefs such as Gordon Ramsay?
Of course we are considering it. We are always ready for any new and interesting projects.
Now projects with chefs, alternative Ramsay shows, have been launched in Russia. Do you think these alternative projects are instilling a culture of food consumption?
I think there is potential, it’s just that a lot has been lost in the chef profession now. If in America and Europe the art of chefs is perceived precisely as art, as in demand and good job, then we had a big pause in the post-Soviet period, during these 20 years, we had no motivation, everyone got into business. We need to revive the profession and industry. Eat beautiful people; I think Andrey Shmakov is an excellent host of the Master Chef show.
Would you be interested in supporting this kind of Russian project? Start your own?
Why not? We are creating our own internal TV channel and an interactive channel on YouTube.
The co-founders of the Chaikhona No. 1 restaurant group, brothers Alexey and Dmitry Vasilchuk, were caught in catering business accidentally. In 2001, their friend Timur Lansky was looking for money to open a new establishment and invited the Vasilchuks, who then made money by selling building materials, to become his partners. The first “Chaikhona No. 1” opened the same year in the Hermitage Garden, the second - a year later in Gorky Park.
In 2010, when the group had already grown to nine establishments, the partners quarreled and decided to divide the business: Lansky got five restaurants, the Vasilchuks got four. Since then, there are two “Chaikhona No. 1” on the market - Lansky clings to the name he invented, and Vasilchuki has not been able to decide on rebranding for several years.
At the same time, things are going better for the Vasilchuks. They now manage 30 restaurants, Lansky has half as many. In addition to Chaikhona No. 1, the brothers have other projects: Chaikhona Easy, ObedBufet, Burger Heroes. Right now they are preparing to open the “354” project, three restaurants on the top floors of the “Oko” tower in Moscow City, and are launching an incubator for gastronomic startups.
In an interview with Secret, Alexey Vasilchuk spoke about the future of Chaikhona No. 1 and his other projects, the peculiarities of doing business with friends and relatives, what he teaches his six children, and also why he goes to Mount Athos every year and what he consults with the elders about there.
“Everyone is trying to break us, but we don’t break”
- You are launching a business incubator for gastronomic startups. Why do you need it?
The idea belongs to the brilliant woman Nastya Kolesnikova, who runs the Local Food project. With Nastya's support, we are developing partnership projects. Such as Burger Heroes.
We ourselves were once just gastroenthusiasts. And they became successful thanks to two factors. Firstly, and this is my firm conviction, nothing happens in this world without the help of God. Secondly, in the 2000s we had no competitors. The market was just emerging, the guests did not particularly understand the nuances, the atmosphere was more important for them.
Now times are hard, competition is high, the market is aggressive. Beginning restaurateurs have more problems than we did back then. When these young guys with burning eyes and good ideas stones begin to fall, this can demotivate them and deprive them of the desire to do anything in the restaurant business.
In general, we have three goals. The first is to raise the quality of industry in Russia. This can only be done in in a good way obsessed people. The second is, of course, business. Something could develop into joint projects. The third goal is a banal exchange of experience.
- Are you missing obsessed people on your team?
Yes, I just see people who are already moving something themselves and are ready to do more than they are doing. I was invited several times to communicate with students at MGIMO, the Financial Academy, etc., and I saw how young people’s eyes lit up. These people will raise our country. I have six children, the eldest - twin brothers - are 16 years old. They, too, will probably go into the restaurant business.
- Your goals, of course, are ambitious...
Yes. We must become number one in everything. Because Russian people have unique qualities that few people still possess today.
- Which ones?
Russian people are more creative. Russian people have a deeper soul. Russian people are very hardworking. I travel a lot and have noticed that people who live in the West have become lazy, they no longer need anything in life, they perceive everything without enthusiasm. And many Russians live 200% - they need it here, now and to the end. And that's cool. Due to this, we can become a great power not only in a geographical or military sense, but also in business.
Now everyone is really trying to break us, but we are not breaking. Moreover, import substitution is already working. Our burrata has become better than in Italy. No worse - for sure. And we can produce meat.
Give us 10–20 years, and the restaurants will be the best in the world. They are already, I think, arguing for this title. Another ten years - and people from all over the world will come to us and say: “There are such cool restaurants here, we need them too.” These are my big ideas.
- Do you have enough time for everything?
There is never time for anything. And this is natural.
- Are there already many applications for participation in the business incubator?
I do not know for sure. Nastya is involved in this project.
- She's probably telling you something...
There are a lot of people willing. Mostly, of course, this is Nastya’s audience: participants in various food markets and festivals. In general, we have many projects that we supervise, but do not lead ourselves. There are responsible people who devote all their time to them. I try not to interfere.
- You said that the winners will receive investments. Whose money will it be?
We will either invest ourselves or attract someone. It's not clear yet. The project is still raw, we need two more weeks to discuss.
You also invite people to the incubator who currently only have a business idea. How much are you willing to pay for a good idea?
How much did the Facebook idea cost? Some people came up with Facebook, others did it. By the way, we already had experience in buying ideas, but so far we have brought little to life. We are opening one such place soon - we paid 500,000 rubles for the idea, branding and name.
- What kind of place is it?
I don’t want to talk about it yet.
“What’s next, what else could happen?”
- How are you doing in general? How are your establishments doing during the crisis?
- “Chaikhona No. 1” is visited on average by 1,000 people a day, the average check is 1,500 rubles. Chaikhona Easy has the same number of visitors, but the average check is almost two times lower - 600 rubles. 2,700 people a day pass through ObedBufet, the average check is 400 rubles.
What else do you have planned besides the business incubator? Will the “354” restaurant on the 86th floor of a skyscraper in Moscow City open soon?
Just today I was riding in an elevator with my partners after visiting a construction site and asking myself the question: “What’s next, what else could happen?” You see, “354” is such an ambitious project... These are three restaurants and a banquet hall on the top floors of the “Eye” tower. Another roof is an observation deck. The entire project is 7000 sq. m and 360 seats. We launched an open restaurant on the roof in September, and it worked for a month and a half.
- Why not in the summer? Did not have time?
Because at an altitude of 354 m it is very difficult to coordinate everything and build. The contractors let us down a little more. Yes, in September it was cold for a summer veranda, but we don’t do all this for one year. And in December, in place of the veranda there will be a skating rink - the highest skating rink in a building in the world.
A unique, in my opinion, Russian cuisine restaurant with an area of 1,500 square meters will open very soon under the skating rink. m. Some people like this, others not so much, but we will cook exactly the same as before: real Guryev porridge, telnoe, etc. There will be a stove in the center of the hall. There will also be an “ice room” made of glass, inside which the temperature will be maintained at sub-zero temperatures. There we will have devices like moonshine, through which we will distill vodka, mixing it with herbs, squeezing berries or fruits. We also have real historians working for us; they are now training our staff.
- Who is this all aimed at?
The summer veranda has a relatively inexpensive meat menu, the average bill is 2500-3000 rubles. A Russian restaurant will be even cheaper, the average bill is 1500–2000 rubles.
Paradoxically, many people don’t go to Chaikhona No. 1 because of the name
- How much money did you and your partners invest in this project?
A huge amount - more than $10 million.
“I don’t want to be the richest man in the cemetery”
- You were also planning to rebrand Chaikhona No. 1 this year...
There will be no rebranding this year.
- What is this connected with? This story has been going on for, it seems, three years already.
Yes, the idea was born three years ago. Now there is a teahouse on every corner. There are establishments of our former partners - this is a different project, but it is also called “Chaikhona No. 1”. We attracted serious marketers, several teams worked for us, but this is a very difficult decision.
- Do you stick to the brand?
Paradoxically, many people don’t come to us precisely because of the name. For example, I once talked with a partner in the Burger Heroes project, Igor Podstreshnikov, a typical representative of generation Z, and he admitted that he had not come to us for a long time, because the word “chaikhona” evokes unpleasant associations in him.
- So you want to become fashionable?
Not exactly fashionable. I don't really like this word. We want to be a city restaurant for everyone.
- WITH ex-partner Are you not in contact with Timur Lansky, the owner of another Chaikhona No. 1?
Unfortunately, we don't communicate. In general, I don’t really like to discuss this topic. Timur and I were friends. Moreover, he is also my godson, and one of my partners is his son’s godfather. Of course, it’s long past time to turn this page and talk. The opportunity just hasn't presented itself yet.
But when we do nothing ourselves, the Lord does everything for us. Recently my brother went on vacation alone small island, lost in Indian Ocean, and accidentally met Timur there. They talked, and I hope this will help us improve our relationship.
When you parted, you agreed to behave correctly towards each other, but then you began to publicly sort things out.
Now I understand that I could not have done this. Not very good articles about us just started coming out.
- Yes, Lansky accused you of greed.
There was nothing in these articles that had anything to do with reality. Not a single word. It was possible not to react, of course. I really don’t want to remember negative things now.
The Lord gives people in life for lessons and for benefit. From a business point of view, everyone benefited by dividing the company. Roughly speaking, two strong players began to prove something to each other. Therefore, we ran far away, and all other competitors were left behind.
- What did this conflict teach you?
Because you should always try to come to an agreement. Then I thought that I had done everything to save the relationship. Now I think that we could have tried to do something else. I just don’t know whether it would have been better or worse if we had stayed together.
“I heard that you even went to the elder on Mount Athos so that he could tell you whether to divide the company or not.”
I went to see the elder, yes. It’s all not just about business, about money.
- Because it's your friend?
Yes because that's it! Collective, team... This is my godson, after all. A lot of things... It was hard for me. And my spiritual mother, the elder, advised me to go to the elder. He is 85 years old, he is still alive and helps me spiritually. When I told him my story, he said that if he were me, he would split the business. So I did.
- How do you combine religiosity and the desire to earn money?
Yesterday I watched a film about Innokenty Sibiryakov, who lived in the 19th century. He was from rich family, earned a lot of money, by today's standards he was an oligarch. As a result, he ended his life as a monk on Mount Athos, and gave away all the money. He earned money not to get rich, but to help others. The question is: why are you doing this? Well, I definitely don't want to be the richest person in the cemetery. And I don’t want to burden my children with a fortune. If I ever have one at all.
“If it’s mine, then it’s my brother’s, if it’s his, then it’s mine too.”
- Do you spend a lot of time with your children? After all, you have six of them.
Of course, I would like more. This is definitely true. I always spend the whole weekend with them. If I need to go to a restaurant, I only go with my family. We try to talk a lot. We are friends with the elders.
- You said that they also want to get into the restaurant business.
One definitely wants to work in the restaurant industry. At the age of 16, he is already a very good cook, but wants to be a leader. He started in a restaurant as a cleaner, has now passed the hookah station, and is preparing to become a waitress. All this in my free time from school.
- Purposeful.
Not really. Modern youth, who lives in abundance, it’s hard for me to call purposeful. But yes, I'm glad the kids want to do something.
- Do you quarrel in difficult situations?
We had difficult moments. But in Lately We stopped quarreling altogether, learned to listen to each other and give in. Even if you think that a person is wrong, sometimes you need to give in to preserve the friendship.
- So how do you divide the business?
All our lives we divide everything in half, we have this rule. Other models do not work - a crack immediately appears in the relationship.
- But in the SPARK database I did not find you in the list of shareholders of Chaikhona No. 1 Restaurant Chain LLC and other companies...
And what's wrong with that? It’s like this: if it’s mine, then it’s my brother’s, if it’s his, then it’s mine too. If you start weighing who did more and who came up with more, you will lose your partner.
- Even if it's a brother?
And most often this is what happens to brothers. Have you noticed that there is very little business on the market where brothers are together?
- Family business or business with friends - it's really not easy.
There is such a common expression: “Nothing personal - just business.” You cannot be like this in a family and different in business. The Lord created you as one, He did not create you as two different ones.
"Secret" thanks for your help in organizing the interview with People Management ReForum, where Alexey Vasilchuk will act as a speaker on December 1, 2016
Photos: Alexander Karnyukhin / “Secret of the Firm”
Veronica Vasilchuk: Lately I have often been asked: How have you managed to be a muse, your husband’s partner, and raise 6 children for so many years? How do you maintain internal balance and harmony? What is it like to be the wife of a famous businessman? I get confused when I hear these questions. They are difficult to answer. There is no specific instruction, after reading which, everyone will be able to build strong family or improve relationships. One thing I can say for sure, there is no “I” in a family, there is “WE” in a family. My husband also takes part in the life of the family. He is one of those men who knows how children learn, what problems they have, how they live.
Alexey Vasilchuk: We try to be friends with our children, understand and accept their decisions. Often parents want to see themselves or their unfulfilled desires and dreams in their children. We believe that children are just as full-fledged individuals as adults. They have their own views, perception of the world, life experience, albeit small, but experience. It is very important that the child is your friend and is not afraid to turn to you for advice, talk about any problem or situation that has arisen. Harmony should reign in the family. Now, our older children are faced with the problem of choosing their future profession, defining them in life. We told them: “even if you choose a business for yourself that will not bring you a good income, we will help. I want to be a teacher, we will help, the main thing is that it is your choice, and you do your job 100%. Our main task is to make sure that children become real people. You know the joke: “There is something to remember, but there is nothing to tell the children.” Do you understand? It is important that they can then tell their children about what they did in life.
Veronica Vasilchuk: As for personal relationships with my husband, over time I came to the understanding that we must try to hear the person. After all, how are we? The easiest way is to leave, slamming the door, backhand. When emotions are at their limit and the specter of a quarrel is still in the air. You can harbor a grudge, or even worse, start complaining about your husband to your circle of friends. Is this how it is now? Did I miss something - where did the fashion for gossiping and mocking a loved one come from? Why do modern girls I don’t have enough endurance to sensibly assess the situation, to enter into the position of the father of my family, the breadwinner, if you want? In any quarrel, we see only ourselves, but we do not see our soulmate. Yes, there are moments in which we descend to the point where we begin to insult a person, but if we look at it from the other side, we will see that this real scream souls, a cry about your pain and feelings.
Alexey Vasilchuk: People live together for years and carefully look for a loved one only negative traits, then they themselves get tired of the search, they are offended by the world and their husband in particular. Instead, you need to try to hear through your emotions the words that they want to convey to you. Yes, it’s really difficult, but you have to try to do it simply, because you love. Think about it, we are more demanding of our loved ones. But we love them and love them just like that, simply because they exist. In a relationship, many people believe that their part is only 50%, but my personal belief is that everyone should give 100%. Love is the greatest meaning in our entire existence. There is a law - in love you cannot count at all. We were taught to count from childhood. You did good to me, I owe you good. When a person does good, for some reason he always thinks that he is owed, but if you look through this prism, then nothing good will come of it. If you have made a decision for yourself that you are together, together no matter what, then forget about the fact that you are something more, something less, just love.
Veronica Vasilchuk: Life has taught me to appreciate the time we spend together. Sometimes it's not even hours - minutes. For example, I really like to walk together, just go shopping, and even more - sit in the kitchen and talk. Every meeting is important, as it may be the last. Every meeting is a gift. Passion, talent to convince and inspire - Alexey has it all. Me and my life are an example of this. After all, it was he who inspired me, I won’t say it any other way, to have six children. “Many people say that the woman makes the man. But I think on the contrary, if a man can inspire a woman, she will be able to provide home coziness and comfort and create harmony in the family.” A man is not only a person who makes money. A man is, first of all, a woman’s moral support. And it is also important for any person to find his own business, because the fullness of the individual is also his occupation. We have this opinion: each person is born with his own unique mission, each has a specific path in life, each has his own talents and, of course, responsibility for this world includes what you give to both the person and to the world. You are a cog in big world called "life".
Alexey Vasilchuk. Photo: Mikhail Japaridze/TASS
Restaurateur Alexey Vasilchuk, together with his brother Dmitry and Timur Lansky, opened “Chaikhona No. 1” in the Hermitage garden in 2001. In 2016, the Vasilchuks founded their own holding RESTart Vasilchuk Brothers, which includes the chains Chaikhona No. 1, Chaikhona Easy, Ploveberry, as well as Burger Heroes, culinary studio Live Kitchen and karaoke “Right now I’ll sing.” Vasilchuk told the Vedomosti newspaper about the restaurant business and changing the name of Chaikhona No. 1.
In 2003, the Chaikhona No. 1 restaurants became year-round, and seven years later the Vasilchuks shared the business with Timur Lansky, after which four restaurants in the chain ended up under Lansky, and five under the Vasilchuks. The Vasilchuks have been working on the “Chaikhona No. 1” project for 13-14 years. During this time, the establishments changed their concept, but the restaurants still retain their name. According to Alexey Vasilchuk, “Chaikhona No. 1” will change its name. The restaurateurs made the decision about this two years ago.
Alexey Vasilchuk
“By changing the name, we want to expand the audience, because Chaikhona No. 1 is not just an Uzbek restaurant, we are, in fact, a city cafe. And now we have such a registered name - ChNo. 1, the original name in a sense - because when we opened a second restaurant in Gorky Park, we had such passes to enter the territory, it was written ChNo. 1. ... We do everything for a reason, we have a concept, we are about people. For us, a person is #1, no matter who he is - a guest, an employee. Person No. 1, therefore Ch No. 1. Plus H is honesty and sensitivity.”
There are many difficult issues preventing the name change, Vasilchuk said. “There is a second company that is developing the same brand with the same name, which simply throws people’s minds into absolute chaos; there are also teahouses that simply don’t have a number,” explains the entrepreneur. According to him, everything is ready to launch the new brand before the end of the year.
The RESTart Vasilchuk Brothers holding, which includes about 80 restaurant projects with a total staff of 7.5 thousand employees, is just being formed, Vasilchuk said. The group is now managed by several companies. According to Vasilchuk, the holding is working to create a company under a single umbrella brand. The entrepreneur does not disclose the total turnover of the restaurants included in the holding.
Alexey Vasilchuk
co-owner of RESTart Vasilchuk Brothers
“I really love opening restaurants, I compare it to being pregnant: I came up with a project, then you hatch it, build it, prepare the staff, the menu, then you open it, you see - it’s full, people are happy. It’s as if a child was born.”
Now the holding is launching the Depot project and working on a project of a self-governing public space for those developing urban environment. TO latest project Qiwi co-founder Sergei Solonin and director Timur Bekmambetov joined. A restaurant powered by blockchain technology will be created at the center of the vMeste project.
The area of the Depot Moscow project will be 33 thousand square meters. m. The project is located on the territory of the former oldest tram and horse depot in Moscow (located on Nizhnyaya Maslovka street in the Begovoy district). As part of this project, Vasilchuk wants to create a place where both students and businessmen will feel comfortable. On the territory of the project there will be a food mall (12 thousand sq. m) with 75 gastronomic concepts that will be created by Arkady Novikov, Alexander Rappoport, Vladimir Perelman and William Lamberti. The project will launch in August this year.
According to Vasilchuk, there are not enough good chefs in Russia. The reason for this was the destruction of restaurant education. So, in 1992, Alexei Vasilchuk’s brother Dmitry graduated from the only head waiter and waiter school in Moscow, where you had to study for 2.5 years to become a waiter. There are now several colleges operating under the old standards. And only now the first Paul Bocuse school in Russia is opening in Krasnoyarsk.
Now the RESTart Vasilchuk Brothers holding includes the Chaikhona No. 1, Chaikhona Easy, Ploveberry, ObedBufet, Steak it Easy, Pizzelove, Burger Heroes chains, as well as the Live Kitchen culinary studio, the 354 restaurant complex in Moscow City " and karaoke "I'll sing right now."
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