Restaurantweek in Dubai 2024

Since 1983 he has been involved in opening and developing hospitality projects in the USA and France. He began his professional career on the Russian restaurant market in 1991.

In 2005, together with his wife Yulia Winter, he founded his own restaurant holding company, Tigris. The name reflected the founders' initiatives to protect wildlife: they made a promise to themselves that, if the holding flourished, the population of tigers would also increase.

Founder of IT company JOWI and Smart Group.
Restaurateur of the Year in Uzbekistan according to the "Mag" magazine. The first who introduced the concept of "theater restaurant".
Owner of 6 unique restaurants in Uzbekistan.

JOWi - professional restaurant automation program.
More than 3,500 restaurants worldwide.

Executive Director of more than 15 restaurants and restaurant groups in Russia, CIS and UAE.
Projects include SIMACH BAR POP UP DUBAI, Belcanto (Dubai), PAPA Bar Village (PAPA Group project, Dubai/Moscow), Chalet Berezka Social Harbour (BOLT Group project, Dubai), Novikov, Cipriani, Toko, Crab Market and VIP Room (Bulldozer Group projects, UAE), Zoloto in Almaty (Bulldozer Group, Kazakhstan), Eshak (Bulldozer Group, Moscow), Masha and the Bear.

CEO of Smyth & Co, 25 years working in Recruitment across 3 Continents specialising in Luxury Hospitality, company working with the most luxurious companies across the globe from Michelin Starred Restaurants to 5 Star Hotels.

Firas Alsahin is a prominent figure in the design industry, particularly known for his work in F&B interior design. He co-founded 4Space Design, a design firm that has gained recognition for its quality architectural and interior design services in Dubai. The firm was founded in 2011, a multi-award-winning design studio. His contributions to the industry are marked by a series of successful projects, a commitment to high-end design and sustainability, and recognition from various quarters.

Founder and CEO of Lykos Talent AI.
Lykos Talent AI is on a mission to revolutionize the intersection of technology and people across all industries. His innovative approach combines the lessons learned from the hospitality sector with the power of AI, creating a platform that not only streamlines business operations but also elevates the importance of humans in the digital age.

Co-founder and managing director of Organic Recruitment. With a remarkable career spanning over 20 years in hospitality and recruiting, Aidan has a deep understanding of the industry across The UK, Europe and The Middle East.
Aidan has had the privilege of representing and recruiting for esteemed brands in the global hospitality industry, including renowned names like Harrods, Ennismore, Four Seasons, Jumeirah, Fortnum & Mason, and many others.

Andres has worked with business owner-operators in three restaurant segments: quick-service, fast-casual, casual dining, with brands such as La Tasca, Pizza Hut, GRK Fresh Greek, Jamba Juice & Czn Burak amongst others.
Andres has held directorial roles leading restaurant teams across the Middle East and North Africa in key markets such as the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt; and has worked in operational and business development roles with multinational organizations supporting company owned and franchised restaurant growth.
In recent years, while growing his own enterprise Andres has worked with companies in various industries in the GCC, while focusing on business development and franchising globally as part of GNF Worldwide.

9 concepts and 18 restaurants under management, including Dom Nino, Hokku, Rusiko, Where we are not and others, as well as a regional aggregator of delivery "Polyana Delivery".
Concepts of Polyana Restaurant Company are included in the top 100 best restaurant concepts of different years.

Worked in the largest international companies, the Coca-Cola Company
Since 2003 he has been involved in the creation and development of his own restaurant projects.
Author of the first haute cuisine restaurant "Classica" in Novosibirsk.
From 2009 to 2010 he was Director of the Catering Department of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee.
In 2010 he became the executive director of the Sochi2014.World Russky Dom ("Russian House") project at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.
Denis Ivanov's restaurants include Restaurant #SIBIRBIRD (Moscow, Novosibirsk, Tyumen), Bake Up (Tyumen), [KU:] (Moscow), Krombacher Beer Kitchen (Moscow), Jean Juan Lu, AZIATISH, Beerman, "Cup of Coffee" (Novosibirsk). The company has more than 40 restaurants. In 2023, the restaurant group celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Heads one of the leading consulting companies in the HoReCa sector. Regular clients include both large chain customers and single projects from CIS countries and North America. Expert in building service and management systems in the hospitality industry.

Natalie and her husband, Yan Dmitrenko, without experience in the restaurant business, have used their own funds from the sale of their apartment since 2019 to grow the "Honest Fish" wholesale fish delivery company into a network of conceptual seafood bars offering premium seafood at fair prices, with a flagship location in the center of Moscow, providing their own delivery and catering services (clients include: SberMarketing, KARO, Shkulev Media Holding, PIK, and others), with an annual turnover of 200 million rubles.

They were the first to open a seafood bar with oysters, sea urchins, scallops, and other premium seafood starting at 99 rubles in the "at home" format - in a residential area beyond the Moscow Ring Road, and turned this project into the focal point of the entire district, repeating this success and achieving full capacity in all subsequent projects.

Currently, "Honest Fish" serves over 30,000 guests monthly and completes over 3,000 deliveries. Natalie and Yan actively advocate for honest relationships in business — with guests, employees, suppliers, and contractors — and do everything to reduce dishonest practices in the fish market.

In 2014 Yan founded "Honest Fish", already being a strong expert in the fish industry.

Since 2019, together with his wife Natali Dmitrenko, without any experience in the restaurant business, he developed the project into a network of conceptual seafood bars with premium seafood, providing their own delivery and catering services.

They were the first who opened a seafood bar with oysters, sea urchins, scallops, and other seafood.
Currently, "Honest Fish" serves over 30,000 guests monthly and completes over 3,000 deliveries.

Yan and his company actively advocate for honest relationships in business — with guests, employees, suppliers, and contractors — and do everything to reduce dishonest practices in the fish market.

Janos gained his robust perspective through wearing every possible hat within the hospitality industry, from waiter to bartender, event organiser, General manager and eventually Global Training and Development Manager. He has laid down service foundations for leading global brands such as COYA and LPM, opening 10+ successful restaurant brands across 5 countries, and has won ‘Best Restaurant’ titles 29 times with his teams.

When it comes to his passion, it boils down to one thing—developing people. Throughout his career, he has been making notes on what ‘better’ looks like within the industry, using this knowledge to equip his colleagues with the tools needed to provide excellent customer service, while managing the disconnections between management and staff members.

Today, these notes are the foundation of PocketTrainer, the most dynamically growing training and communication platform that was specifically designed for restaurants, bars and hotels.