The project "Caste Diva" was developed by a restaurateur By Andrei Delos together with the artist Alexander Popov more than two years. About the new restaurant tells Andrei Dellos.

SALON: You have so many clients who come to Pushkin and Turandot. Why and "Caste Diva" you made next?

 - It is proved: a group of restaurants exists more successfully than restaurants scattered around the city. When I was an inexperienced person and opened the restaurant "Shinok" next to the already existing "Barrel", then there were fears that the "Barrel" will become empty, despite its crazy success. And indeed, after the opening of “Shinka”, “Barrel” was 10–15 percent empty, but not for long, then both restaurants were filled. Therefore, I have already opened Turandot and Caste Diva with a calm heart.

S: In contrast to Turandot, you made the interior for the restaurant "Casta Diva" more restrained, less ceremonial.

 - In fact, I am delighted with the interior of the Turandot and the fact that they argue so much about it. However, with "Caste Diva" the story is really quite different. Recall Marie Antoinette. She was a very feminine girl and went down in history not only because her head was cut off. She managed to do the unthinkable: change the style. In the middle of the XVIII century, the predominant style was Rococo. But then dig Pompeii - and everything changes. The classic is serious and manly. Have you ever thought why classic forms look so bright in ampire? Because Empire - the most masculine style in the world. But there is also a feminine perception of the world ... Marie Antoinette created her own feminine neoclassicism. All that we now call Louis XVI, in fact, her merit, her style. And our interior is a kind of dedication to a woman.

S: However, you did not name this restaurant "Marie Antoinette".

 - “Pushkin Cafe” is also not dedicated to Pushkin, there is not one of his portraits in him, it’s just about his era ... So, “Caste Diva” is just a dedication to the female style. And in the Italian reading. In the 18th century in Piedmont, in the north of Italy, in Venice, masters made such amazing things from wood that the French could not even make from bronze. Generally speaking, here, of course, we have mixed many styles. And they even allowed themselves a little bully and put up multicolored columns in the large hall.

S: What's your style at home?

 - At home I have a nest. The nest can not have style. The house can not be made in the same style. Take, for example, palaces. The descendants considered unfashionable what their ancestors did, changed something, kept something, therefore many locks are eclectic. As for private houses, this is solid eclecticism. It’s the same for me, it’s just more elaborated.

S: Are you going to change something in the interiors of your restaurants?

 - I change the interior all the time, this is a continuous process. I change furniture, utensils, dishes, tableware, but still the basis remains the same. If the basis, I do not change it. I am quite conservative.

S: How do you feel about what your interiors copy?

 “It doesn't bother me.” Moreover, the easily replicable "Pushkin" has repeatedly tried to forge. After him, many restaurant libraries appeared. My goal is to create not just an interior, but a certain world, a certain new environment.

S: Restaurant "Casta Diva" is separated from the "Turandot" courtyard ...

 - "Turandot" and "Caste Diva" - palace rooms. The interior of the "Caste Diva" looks less formal and much more modern. However, it is not a kind of decoration that imitates a garden. Similar panels existed in the house of the Marquise de Pompadour in the 18th century. Both restaurants combine a large courtyard into a single palace complex. There is a large space, and we could afford such luxury. It would be possible to fill it with luxury boutiques, but they would kill this very little world. This place is created for holidays.

S: And why is the color so gray silver?

 - You can get the answer to this question in the evening. This color is not just silver. In addition to the main task - to make the project feminine - I have more. There was even an idea to paint the air pink. When it gets dark and the hall is filled with visitors, the air turns pink. It is such a complex gray color that makes this amazing metamorphosis possible. In the evening, the restaurant is completely different.

S: Do you think that your restaurants can be considered a cultural heritage?

 - Far from it, I do not raise myself so high. I am committed to what I love. And at the same time I earn. I believe that no project has the right to exist if it is unprofitable. All my restaurants make money. And the fact that they still argue a lot about the interior of Turandot is a good advertisement for me. The restaurant has become very famous in the world, albeit not so much as Pushkin.

S: All your restaurants are famous for their special, exquisite cuisine ...

 - Every time we opened a restaurant, we did something new. As for the Italian restaurant, we realized that we were following the hundreds of small and large Italian restaurants. We had to offer something unique in Casta Diva. Long-term construction has enabled us to search for unique products throughout Italy. We have such mozzarella, which you will not even find in Italy everywhere. Chef Michele Brodzhioni knows and can cook both exquisite dishes and authentic country dishes.