Ilya Kaplan: "A Russian concept only leads to problems."
Ilya Kaplan was born in Moscow. He worked in the restaurant industry during the Soviet era. In 1990, he left Russia as a Jewish quota refugee and moved to Berlin in 1991. In 1995, he fulfilled a long-held dream with his first restaurant, "Gorkipark," at Rosenthaler Platz. Later, he took over the well-known restaurant "Pasternak" in Prenzlauer Berg. Over the years, he also built up the "Datscha" café chain.
"With the restaurants, I wanted to show a different side of Russia. Not the matryoshka dolls or balalaikas, but rather that we are like Europeans."
In Berlin, the Russian restaurants Pasternak and Datscha are known throughout the city. Ilya has been running both restaurants for almost 25 years. The concept behind Datscha was to offer a garden shed with shashlik and other Russian specialties, a place to relax—like a real dacha.
As a restaurateur, he was hit hard not only by Covid, but especially by the war in Ukraine. Suddenly, "Russian" culture became a sensitive issue; his clientele dwindled.
What was the initial period like for the restaurant owner after the outbreak of war?
Conflicts between Russians and Ukrainians are not as big a topic among Ilya's staff, which comprises almost 150 employees, as one might assume. People from all over the world work there, including refugees from Ukraine. Initially, Germany was just a temporary stop for many. How has that changed over time? Ilya has now opened a Georgian restaurant. The situation is paradoxical for him: He brought Russian culture, specifically its cuisine, to Germany and now has to react to a strong negative trend. What future does Russian culture have in Germany? And will Russian cuisine continue to exist in Berlin?