Speaker profile

Ryan Hattingh
Atelier EPJ

Ryan Hattingh is the eatery entrepreneur with over 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. He has opened or operated restaurants in the UK, Netherlands, Italy, America, South Africa, Lebanon, Kuwait and UAE.

Ryan’s first venture onto the culinary scene was as a pasta chef in South Africa, in 1983. He subsequently left to complete a degree in Hospitality & Business Management, and determined to forge a career in the kitchens. After learning the know-how from top-notch chefs over the years, he went on to open his first restaurant.

In 1997, he moved to the UK, where he began working in outlet management. Following 12 years with Gaucho as International Operations Director, he began a year long tenure as Managing Director of the 28 unit Obika restaurants with successful openings in London and New York. In 2014, he accepted the position of International Managing Director for Dream Restaurants and its international expansion of 20 major Dream brands.

Expansion of high-end brands, development and launch projects include:
11 Gaucho Restaurants in UK and Dubai
CAU Brand in Amsterdam
Obika Restaurants in London, Tokyo and New York
Nusr-Et Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Tom’s Kitchen Deli, Dubai
Rüya, Dubai