Taste and light: what women want in restaurants
Surely many women will celebrate March 8th in their favorite restaurants with their loved ones. Although in recent years, Russians have basically stopped needing a special reason for such an exit. Eating out has become a part of everyday life for residents of large cities, and today they often make up the majority of guests in the halls. Izvestia investigated how restaurateurs and chefs react to this trend and which dishes and cuisines are most popular among our compatriots.
How often do women go to restaurants
In the Soviet era, visiting restaurants was considered questionable from the point of view of accepted public morality at that time. However, due to the fact that there were also frankly few such establishments in the USSR, it was often not possible to find a free table in them in the evening. And it was really hard to imagine that most of the seats would be occupied by purely female companies. But thirty years have passed and the situation has changed radically: you can watch halls filled with women not only in restaurants in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also in other cities where gastronomic culture is actively developing.
Raspberry tiramisu with pink matcha
"It has become fashionable for women to go to a restaurant and understand food at the most basic level in order to distinguish tartare from tataka," Yulia Zvereva, a gastronomic expert and creator of the Restosnob Telegram channel, told Izvestia. — Besides, it is the easiest way to get new experiences at a time when real gastronomic trips are not available to everyone. And in the age of social media, going to a restaurant also becomes a demonstration of social success, which is an additional factor in the popularity of establishments.
Chocolate capybara
According to the founder of the Bazar Family restaurant group (Moscow projects "Wine Bazaar", Pasta Queen, "Nomads", "House of Cultures") Zhenya Kachalova, today women are not just restaurant guests, but real experts in gastronomy. They understand products, cooking technologies, and trends. This is due to the availability of information that can be obtained from cooking shows, blogs, and social media. At the same time, women are more active and willing to share their findings and recommendations.
Green salad with crispy romaine, avocado, soy sprouts and broccoli
— We see that women make up about 70% of our audience, and we take their preferences into account when forming the menu, — the interlocutor continues. — The passion for gastronomy for many is due not only to fashion, but also to the desire to take care of their health through conscious nutrition. They are looking for a balance between taste, aesthetics and benefits and choose light but rich dishes: green salads, seafood dishes and light snacks. Desserts are a separate story, they should not only be delicious, but also photogenic.
Oysters
Women always strive for beauty and harmony, and restaurants are also waiting for "eye candy," says Anastasia Bulgakova, restaurateur, executive director of the Moscow restaurants Sartoria Lamberti, Lumicino and author of the concept of the Historia project. The fact that women make up a significant part of the audience may be a hindrance to some, since, according to the established belief among restaurateurs, they eat less and order less, while for others, on the contrary, it helps because it makes it easier to attract a male audience. In any case, restaurants are always interested in an optimal balance of the sexes, so the menu should be put together according to the principle of "both ours and yours," explains the interlocutor of the publication. But if men need voluminous, satisfying and, of course, decent-looking portions, then for girls it is more important to serve dishes with a beautiful presentation, not burdened with fatty sauces.
French toast with berries and chantilly cream
"New restaurants today are primarily created for a more receptive audience, and these are usually women, who, in turn, bring their men to them," Renat Tsaritsansky, brand chef of Pods Restaurant (Moscow), shares his opinion. — Girls follow current trends more closely, they are looking for something more sophisticated, aesthetic and fashionable, and it is easier to attract them through PR, especially if the institution has already become famous on blogs.
Which cuisine and dishes are most often chosen by women
Of course, every woman has her own individual preferences, however, analyzing the menu of modern restaurants, we can identify a certain group of products and favorite dishes that are consistently popular with a very wide range of guests of the fair sex. A similar observation can be made with regard to the culinary traditions most revered by ladies, the relevance of which is not lost over the years, but only grows stronger.
Salad with crab, pickled gooseberries and rui sauce
"It's natural for women to strive for what can be called mindful eating, so there will always be cuisines with lighter dishes one step ahead: Italian, Japanese, Nordic," Kirill Berger, the chef at AgalarovRest (Moscow restaurants Mela, Chin—Chin, Peach), explained to our publication. — At the same time, preferences always reflect the general gastronomic fashion, because in every kitchen you can find something that suits everyone. So, from the generally heavy and saucy French cuisine, we have perfectly adapted tartars, and they are very popular with both women and men.
Black Sea rapan stew with morels in cream sauce and lemon sabayon
Our interlocutor also added that women, of course, prefer dishes with delicate dressings, as well as fish and seafood, including raw ones. At the same time, their preferences depend not only on their mood, but also on the time of year. For example, in the cold months there is a greater demand for hot dishes, and in the heat for completely airy menu items, as the needs of the human body change.
Pasta Alio olio
"Women still love Italian cuisine, so pasta and crab ravioli are always in demand,— adds brand chef Tsaritsansky. — They are also attracted to everything related to new trends, such as Oriental cuisine or healthy eating, which are now at the peak of popularity.
Pasta cacho e pepe
The restaurateur Bulgakova confirms the love of Russians for Italian cuisine, noting that, despite diets, girls often order pizza with truffles or anchovies. Pasta "without everything" is also in high esteem: alio olio, cacho e pepe, with sea urchin caviar. Another popular trend is raw, which includes oysters, crudo and carpaccio accompanied by cream, which has replaced prosecco on the fashionable pedestal of drinks. Halibut and black cod are also among the top most popular products. "Tired of homemade food, women want something bright, more labor-intensive or made from rare products, such as carpaccio of fresh artichoke and zucchini flowers stuffed with crab," concludes our interlocutor.
Pike perch with root vegetable cream with fried artichokes and tomatoes
Women's preferences change depending on the season, as this idea is especially close and interesting to them, says Andrey Gryazev, chef of the Baran-Rapan restaurant (Sochi). The tourist flow relies on local positions — rapan, seafood, Black Sea fish, since this direction is also in the trend, which was immediately picked up by the ladies. "Women are distinguished by their love of experimentation, men are more conservative in this regard," the chef shares his observation. "If I want to introduce something new and get adequate feedback, it's always the girls who take part."
Do women go to "men's" restaurants
A special female specificity is found even in meat restaurants, which conditionally belong to the category of men.
Marbled beef tartare
"Our restaurant is really perceived as a men's restaurant, but we are proud that we also have a dedicated female audience," Sergey Babich, the butcher chef at Meat Dealers restaurant, told the publication. — As for tastes, there really are differences. According to my observations, women often prefer less fatty meats (filet mignon, chateaubriand, flat iron) and raw meat snacks (beef tartare, carpaccio, tataki).
Bayette steak with potatoes and pepper sauce
The interviewee added that when ordering steaks, women usually choose smaller portions, 200-300 g each (whereas for men these are pieces weighing 400-500 g), and prefer high or medium roast. Also, girls often pay attention to side dishes with light vegetables, mushrooms, or author's sauces that complement the taste of meat, but do not interrupt it. Wine tastings with meat delicacies are very popular among the female audience.
Beef cheeks with mashed potatoes
— In the modern world, the differences between male and female are increasingly blurred, — says expert Zvereva. — Of course, any project makes an impression with its interior and atmosphere, which respond more to abstract men or women. But at the same time, Ilya Tyutenkov's completely pink Fullmoon restaurant is filled with business men, and many women are delighted with the brutal Bruno steakhouse. There are different women, as well as different men, and it's great that everyone has a choice.
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