I’m actually still surprised that I’m currently running a restaurant. I never feel fully ready — I’m still reading, still learning, and still feel like a student.

And I’m pretty sure if you ask anyone in the hospitality industry, they’d say the same thing.

I guess it’s just like having children: you’re never truly ready, are you? You just do it.

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What vision did you have for your restaurant when you first started?

Let’s not chase money. I honestly didn’t even think much about the break-even point — Stela did. For me, as long as we serve good food, guests will come, and I believe the payoff will come eventually.

This mindset actually gives me more freedom from financial stress and allows more room for creativity.

How do you develop new dishes or menus?

Firstly, you need to be open-minded and honest about how much you still have to learn. I’m constantly checking fine dining restaurants around the world that I admire — their stories, their preparations, and the work behind their dishes.

Sometimes, we even learn from cooking staff meals, where leftover ingredients get mixed together and unexpectedly turn out delicious. And then, sometimes, those creations end up becoming part of the menu.

What does good hospitality mean to you?

Treat everyone fairly. I don’t treat someone better just because they’re famous or wealthy, and I also don’t treat anyone poorly because they’re not. Everyone pays the same, and everyone spends their own time to come here. As for me, I have to give the same level of attention to every guest - equally and consistently. And no matter what, don’t let your personal emotions show too much.

How do you want guests to feel after dining at your restaurant?

I want people to ask me, “When will your next season be?” To me, that means they enjoyed today and are already looking forward to their next visit. Making people come back is the most important thing for me.

What lessons have you learned from owning a restaurant?

Once you own your own restaurant, it’s no longer just work, it becomes part of your life.

And if you truly love it, you’ll love it more than anyone else. But if you don’t, you’ll probably end up hating your life more than anyone else.

Do you have a message for the next generation of hospitality professionals?

Don’t trust social media too much.

The people you watch and aspire to be like have probably gone through their fair share of struggles to get where they are. Nobody gets that position by lottery. To reach that level, they may have endured more hardship than most people - losing friends, sacrificing time with family, and spending years building knowledge, probably with shelves full of recipe books at home.

If you want to become a professional, you have to be willing to work under the kind of person you aspire to be.

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