Burebista restaurants are the most famous places that serve venison dishes in Bucharest. It’s not an accident that most customers are foreign tourists or residents. Catalin Jianu, head of the Burebista Vanatoresc restaurant, told us about the brand’s history, customer profile during the crisis and the problems that the restaurant market is facing in Romania.

BH: You have managed to reopen the restaurant at times of crisis. Has the crisis affected you in any way?

Catalin Jianu: Indeed, we opened the new terrace, we have practically reinvented a brand that has been on the market for over ten years. The Burebista brand. The opening of the new location was in fact demanded by the crisis. We have invested both materially and spiritually in order to go over this difficult moment we are all in. And that was a good thing.

BH: How did you choose the name and the cuisine?

Catalin Jianu: The Burebista brand appeared and developed over 12 years, when the first restaurant in the chain, the one in Calea Mosilor, was opened. At the time, there were only a few restaurants serving traditional food and we wanted to bring something truly local in the segment. It was a success from the beginning. In a single month, sales had gone beyond our expectations. Then, naturally, we opened Burebista Vanatoresc, something truly unique in Bucharest. As expected, it was a success. That is how it got to become a brand. And we are still trying to plan one move ahead, like in chess.

BH: Is venison an attraction to foreign tourists? What about local customers?

Catalin Jianu: The good food is for all those who can appreciate good taste and quality services. The public is an educated one, many customers visit us at least three times a week. Our main customers are foreign tourists, either in organized groups or at the invitation of corporations that choose us for various festive meals. First of all they are attracted to our cuisine, our menu, the architecture. Venison recipes are the most popular, along with traditional ones. The good mood is completed by the unique architectural ambiance and accompanied by a good quality folk program. All these attributes define us and makes us one of the most important attraction points on Bucharest’s tourist map.

BH: Can we speak of a gastronomic culture foreigners have, compared to Romanian consumers?

Catalin Jianu: You know what they say… the art of good taste is only one and is seen only in quality restaurants. We are very glad to be appreciated by customers, either foreigners or locals. I have met many connoisseurs among Romanian customers, customers that have a culture of dishes, vine and who are usually very demanding. We strive every day to live up to their expectations.

BH: Could you do a profile of customers that visit you?

Catalin Jianu: Honestly, because of the crisis, the times when an establishment afforded to select its customers are long gone. At the moment, we try to have something for every customer segment, for every category. We have dishes for children and for all wallets. The quality is the same for all. We have tried to maintain prices without affecting product quality.

BH: What problems is the restaurant market facing in Romania?

Catalin Jianu: Lack of personality in general. Many establishments were opened and just as many were closed. Now people expect good custom areas. These areas are then packed with establishments. According to the principle that “anything goes there.” But this is not really true. Many establishments close down in the first year. Because of faulty management or lack of management. And in general, because of poor quality services. We, the entire team at Burebista Vanatoresc Restaurant, will try to offer the same venison and traditional recipes every time, always of the same quality, and to serve you promptly every time.

BH: Are you affected in any way by the fact that your neighbor, the US Embassy, has moved headquarters?

Catalin Jianu: No, because it is not us that moved headquarters. Perhaps it’s for the better. Traffic on Batiste Street is better now. This brought us more customers at lunch. Evening customers are from hotels and corporations. 

 

Catalin Jianu: Turistii straini sunt atrasi de preparatele vanatoresti si cele traditionale.

Restaurantele Burebista sunt cele mai cunoscute localuri cu specific vanatoresc din Bucuresti. Nu intamplator acesta este unul din motivele pentru care cei mai multi client sunt turistii straini, dar si cei stabiliti din diferite motive aici. Catalin Jianau, directorul restaurantului Burebista Vanatoresc  ne-a povestit despre istoricul acestui brand, despre profilul clientilor pe timp de criza, dar si despre problemele cu care se confrunta piata restaurantelor in Romania.

BH:    Ati reusit sa redeschideti restaurantul in perioada de criza. V- a afectat in vreun fel acest lucru ?

Catalin Jianu: Intr-adevar, am deschis noua terasa, practic am reinventat un brand care dureaza pe piata de peste 10 ani. Brandul Burebista. Aparitia noii locatii a fost un lucru care se cerea tocmai datorita crizei. Am investit material si spiritual pentru a trece peste perioada grea in care ne aflam cu totii. Si a fost un lucru bun.

BH:    Cum ati ales denumirea si specificul ?

Catalin Jianu: Brandul Burebista a aparut si s-a dezvoltat 12 ani, cand s-a deschis primul restaurant din lantul Burebista, cel din Calea Mosilor. Pe atunci erau doar cateva restaurante cu specific traditional si am dorit sa aducem ceva cu adevarat autohton pe segmentul reprezentat de restaurante. A fost un succes inca de la inceput. Intr-o singura luna vanzarile erau peste asteptarile noastre. Apoi , ca un fapt normal, a fost deschis Burebista Vanatoresc, ceva cu adevarat inedit in Bucuresti. Cum era de asteptat, ideea a prins. Asa am ajuns un brand. Si incercam in continuare sa gandim cu o mutare inainte, ca in sah.

BH:     Este mancarea vanatoreasca o atractie pentru turistii straini? Dar pt clientii autohtoni ?

Catalin Jianau: Mancarea buna este pentru toti cei care stiu sa aprecieze bunul gust si serviciile de calitate. Publicul este unul educat, multi client ne trec pragul de cel putin trei ori pe saptamana. Principalii nostri clienti sunt turistii straini, fie ca vin in grupuri organizate, fie ca vin ca invitati ale unor corporatii care ne aleg pe noi pt diverse mese festive. In primul rand sunt atrasi de specificul nostru, de meniu, de arhitectura. Preparatele vanatoresti sunt cel mai des comandate, dar si cele traditionale. Buna dispozitie este completata de  ambientul arhitectural unic si acompaniata de un program folcloric de calitate. Toate aceste atribute ne definesc si  ne fac unul dintre cele mai  importante puncte de atractie in harta turistica  a Bucurestilor.

BH:    Putem vorbi de o cultura gastronomica a strainilor in raport cu consumatorii romani ?

Catalin Jianu: Stiti cum se spune…. arta bunului gust este una singura si poate fi intalnita doar in restaurantele de calitate. Ne bucuram foarte mult atunci cand primim aprecieri din partea clientilor, fie ca este vorba de straini sau autohtoni. Am intalnit foarte multi cunoscatori din randul clientilor romani, clienti care au o cultura a preparatelor, a vinului si care de obicei sunt foarte exigenti. Noi ne straduim infiecare zi  sa ne ridicam la inaltimea asteptarilor dumnealor.

BH:     Puteti face un mic profil al clientilor care va trec pragul ?

Catalin Jianu: Sincer, datorita crizei, au cam trecut vremurile cand o locatie isi permitea sa-si selecteze clientela. Acum noi ne adresam fiecarui segment de client, fiecarei categorii. Avem preparate pt copii, avem preparate pt toate buzunarele. Calitatea este aceeasi pt fiecare. Ne-am straduit sa mentinem preturile fara a stirbi calitatea preparatelor.

BH:     Cu ce problemele se confrunta piata restaurantelor in Romania?

Catalin Jianu: Cu lipsa de personalitate in general. S-au deschis multe locatii si s-au inchis la fel de multe. Acum se asteapta “vaduri”. Apoi aceste zone sunt impanzite cu locatii. Pe principiul ca “acolo merge orice”. Nu prea este asa. Multe se inchid dupa primul an de la deschidere. Din lipsa de management sau management defectuos. Si in general, pt servicii de proasta calitate. Noi, intreaga echipa a  Restaurantului Burebista Vanatoresc, vom incerca sa va oferim de fiecare data aceeleasi preparate vanatoresti, traditionale  de cea mai buna calitate si sa va servim cu aceeasi promptitudine ca de fiecare data.

BH:    Va afecteaza in vreun fel faptul ca vecinul dumneavoastra - Ambasada SUA - si-a mutat sediul ?

Catalin Jianu: Nu, pt ca nu noi ne-am mutat sediul. Poate in bine. Acum traficul pe strada Batiste este mult mai fluid. Asta a adus un plus de clienti la pranz. Clientii de seara sunt de la hoteluri si corporatii.