Profile of the chef: Andrey Gryazev

I agree, it’s not really fair that everyone knows good restaurants, but only a few know the chefs who cook there and create the menu. We at The Fashion Vibes decided to rectify this situation and created the “Chef Profile” section, where we will introduce you to the main chefs not only in Moscow but all over Russia.

This time we are talking with Andrey Gryazev, the chef of the most famous restaurant in the south of Russia, Baran-Rapan. This place has long been at the top of the must-visit list of everyone who comes to Sochi. Here the chef prepares original Black Sea cuisine and is responsible for all innovations in the menu.

Well, before you go to Google other merits of Andrei, we recommend that you study his full biography in our material.

Let’s get started, shall we?

Andrey Gryazev.

35 years.

“Baran-Rapan”, Sochi.

Breakfasts for your beloved family. But if we are talking about “Baran-Rapan” (and we are not having breakfast), then I like to cook meat dishes more because I am more of a meat eater. And they say I’m good at it.

Food cooked over an open fire, because it takes us back to the origins, to the primitive roots. Its taste is enhanced by the aroma of smoke and does not lose useful substances that are easily lost when a different type of heat treatment is chosen.

Paradoxically, these are rapana. But I need to cook it so deliciously that even I, with my initial hatred for them, could eat them.

It seems to me that my taste perception is still too small. But let it be a rich poppy seed roll from my childhood. So far I haven’t tried anything even remotely similar to this in terms of richness of flavor.

We have a rule in the kitchen: When you get the last one, write a request and restock. I recently scolded the entire “kitchen” because someone had used the last ingredients for one of the best dishes and didn’t tell anyone about it. Of course, none of the cooks admitted the blame and later I remembered that it was me. I didn’t confess, do you understand?

Cold lecho prepared at my home. I myself am from the Krasnodar region. We have a very rich and productive region. As a child, we grew a lot of produce in our garden – that’s how I got used to fresh vegetables and fruits. Today, my childhood memories, my ties with my family and our traditions help me study Black Sea cuisine in Baran-Rapan. Since I am already very familiar with the specialties and cuisines of the region, all that remains is to give it a creative shell, fill it with meaning and tell my story to the guest.

That you can only cook what you love. In fact, of course, you need to focus on the tastes and preferences of your guests because, after all, you are working specifically for them.

Avocado and salt, but if you can live without avocado, then unfortunately you can also live without salt.

For the team with whom I have worked for many years, for the opportunity to constantly learn something new and share the gained experience with other chefs.

Based on sales statistics, I can safely say that this is a salad with eggplant and homemade cheese cream, tomatoes, yoghurt and spicy sauce. And of course our absolute hit is the rapana with cabbage in the oven.

It’s about a world trip where I can combine searching for new tastes and discovering world cuisines with my family, with the pleasure of being with my loved ones. But I also dream of worldwide fame for my project “Baran-Rapan” and the opportunity to devote more time to creativity.