La Rambla by Catalunya

Executive Chef Ferran Tadeo brings his creativity and years of culinary innovation to La Rambla.

Born in Barcelona, Chef Ferran spent almost a decade under the tutelage of such Michelin-starred chefs as Ferran and Albert Adrià (el Bulli, Tickets) and Chef Sergi Arola (Arola). Mastering the nuances of Catalan cuisine, he opened El Nacional de Barcelona, currently the go-to destination for Spanish food in Barcelona.

Known for delivering brilliant flavours with a creative flair, Chef Ferran was recruited by award-winning chef José Andrés to work at his eponymous Minibar in Washington D.C. Hailed by critics as one of America’s most progressive restaurants; The Washington Post began its review with the heading: “If you want to taste the future, Minibar is the Place.”

WAGYUMAFIA Hong Kong

Originally from Shizuoka, Japan, Chef Yohei has lived in Hong Kong since 2010 after completing his culinary training program in Calgary, Canada in 2002. Chef Yohei honed his craft at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Hong Kong for five years prior to taking the helm WAGYUMAFIA Hong Kong as Chef de Cuisine.

Creating a fun and unforgettable dining experience each evening, Chef Yohei has quickly become a defining feature of the brand’s first international location. His culinary artistry at WAGYUMAFIA is lauded for seasonal menus that authentically blend high quality Japanese ingredients with classic Cantonese cuisine in new and exquisite ways, from Ozaki Beef Spring Rolls to steamed dim sum Wagyu ribs served in black bean sauce. With these exclusive creations, Chef Yohei adds a unique dimension to WAGYUMAFIA dining, found only in Hong Kong.

Sushi Mamoru

Chiba Hirofumi was born in Yamagata Prefecture in 1968 where his grandfather ran a sushi restaurant. As a teenager he was strongly drawn to the art of making sushi and decided he wanted to pursue a career as a sushi master. At the beginning of his career, he spent 5 years making sushi at Tsukiji Sushi Iwa and another 3 years preparing Fugu at Kappo Yamagata. For the decade of his apprenticeship, he honed his crafts and skills at Zorokuzushi Minami in Roppongi, Tokyo before becoming a sushi master at Sushi Kohaku in Hong Kong totalling 22 years of experience. Sushi Mamoru will be opened in early 2021.

Margo

For chef Mickael Messina, cooking is a family affair. He was born in Gouvieux, France, and spent his earliest days watching his grandmother cook for the family. At the prime age of 16 Messina worked as an apprentice chef at Le Condor near Paris. He then furthered his knowledge in wine and food for 2 years at Le Relais d’Aumale. Yearning for a deeper understanding of French cuisine, Messina worked at the 3-Michelin Star Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée for a year before he spent 8 years at L’Open House in Apremont as head chef. Messina is a firm believer in making food from scratch with no short cut using high quality seasonal ingredients, which is so integral to French cuisine. Margo will be opened in early 2021.

The Diplomat

With a string of impressive accolades in his stride, John Nugent hails from Seattle and first appeared on the American bar scene at the age of 22. He trained extensively in the art of classic cocktails and recently oversaw the cocktail programme for Chef Albert Adria’s Asia pop-ups.

Recognized for his precision and passion, Nugent has won a number of prestigious competitions including Cocktail Wars and the Cognac Experience Cocktail Competition. He was also nominated Best Bartender in Hong Kong by Johnnie Walker and named Hospitality Ambassador of 2018 by Fever Tree.

Since moving to Hong Kong in 2017, and a fruitful tenure at Lily & Bloom, Nugent continues to bring his flair – a combination of worldly knowledge and bold techniques – to the local cocktail dialogue.