Georgian cuisine in Düsseldorf: Restaurant Sore

Nadia Torchinava's story sounds like a fairytale: she set out into the world to seek her fortune. At just 18 years old and fresh out of school, the native Georgian packed her suitcase and set off for Germany. Her plan was to live and work for a year as an au pair with a family in Düsseldorf. One year later, she knew she wanted to stay. The young Georgian was hired as a kitchen help in the only Georgian restaurant in the city. After spending three weeks surrounded by chopping boards, pots and pans, she knew that hospitality industry was her true calling.

From kitchen help to managing director in four years

Nadia Torchinava worked her magic in the kitchen at Pella for four years.After two years as managing director at Pella, she had to make another decision: what next? With her now excellent German, she secured a permanent visa: ‘I spent two weeks walking around Düsseldorf searching for the right premises.’ Finally, on 6 May 2022, Nadia opened Sore on Hoffeldstraße. ‘Getting everything up and running so quickly wouldn't have been possible without my friends and soon-to-be neighbours at Sore,’ says the restaurateur. ‘I always cooked for everyone in the evening. It was a crazy time, and I often only slept two or three hours a night.’

In the summer, the spacious terrace is the heart of Sore

The restaurant seats 160 and has a spacious terrace. The good reviews on Google helped publicise the restaurant, but it still needed a website. As a METRO customer from the start, Nadia Torchinava consulted with her customer manager, who introduced her to DISH. She soon made an appointment with a contact from DISH Digital Solution . ‘Within an hour, we had created my website, complete with menu, photos, text and a reservation option. Three days later I had a message on my phone saying that the website is now listed on Google.’

Georgian cuisine is a new experience for many guests

The restaurateur now employs 19 people, with six working in the kitchen. ‘In the summer more staff are needed for the guests on the terrace.’ The concept for the kitchen: 100% Georgian but adapted to the German palate. ‘Many guests struggle a bit with fresh coriander. But it’s a common herb where I come from. We use a little less of it.’ The menu at Sore is small, but includes meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes. And the service staff are very knowledgeable about the food they serve: ‘Dumplings filled with meat or cheese, aubergine rolls, lamb stew with tarragon or chicken in blackberry sauce – for most guests, Sore is their first encounter with Georgian cuisine. People ask many questions, so we keep the menu unchanged, except for the daily specials.’

Georgian wine from clay barrel

The same goes for the wines that the restaurateur has specially imported. ‘Wine originates in Georgia. The first wines were produced there in clay barrels over 8,000 years ago. ‘They are also a new culinary experience for our guests, because they are natural wines with a completely different taste.’ Nadia Torchinava orders almost everything else from METRO. ‘It’s quick: I place an online order twice a week . And if I do run out of something, it's just an 800-metre walk to my METRO market. I can find everything here except for one specific Georgian spice mix.’

Fast purchasing, simple accounting with METRO

To reduce her team’s workload, the restaurateur has digitalised her cash register and uses METRO DISH POS . ‘My old cash register was a bit complicated and not very user-friendly. The DISH cash register is very convenient and helps a lot. Using the coloured symbols, orders are entered quickly and special requests for the kitchen are easy to spot. The handheld devices work great, even outside on the terrace.’ The table plan is also a real benefit, ‘because tables can be moved around in the cash register, just like in a restaurant.’ When she logs in as admin, she also has an overview of the business figures. It’s easy to change prices, and closing the cash register at the end of the day is also quicker.

It’s not just the cash register figures that show how well the restaurant is doing: Sore has many regulars, hosts company events and takes part in events like the Gourmet Festival Düsseldorf, Pro Wein and even the ‘Mein Lokal Dein Lokal’ TV show. ‘None of this would be possible without my fantastic team. We’re like a family, and I often hear how much everyone loves working at Sore.’ And that’s what the name of the Georgian restaurant refers to: it means something like ‘Where is...?’. Her Sore in Flingern answers this question: the Georgian heart of Flingern beats in her restaurant.