Our leadership team shares a passion for great tasting, nutritious foods and beverages, served with attention to detail and commitment to highest guest service experience. Working together, we provide flavorful, customizable experiences for our clients and their guests. The below people are based either from our Nagoya or Tokyo office.
Senior Leadership Team
Chris Zarodkiewicz
About Chris Zarodkiewicz
Chris has been involved in the food service business for over 25 years and is the founder of both Cezars Kitchen and Cezars International K.K. Prior to coming to Asia, back in 1993, Chris worked for Hilton International in both the United States and Canada where he developed his business skills and, most importantly, his passion for great food.
Cezars International was founded in 1996 and after several years of owning and managing restaurants Cezars Kitchen was formed and the company expanded into the school food service business. Again it was the desire to provide great food and service to his customers that has led to the success and growth of Cezars Kitchen.
Currently, Cezars owns and operates restaurants and food service locations throughout Asia.
Phillip Smith
About Phillip Smith
With two decades of leadership in the foodservice industry, Phillip wrote the book on operational excellence. He began his food service career back in 1990 while in High School with Denny’s restaurant chain as a dishwasher. In college, Phillip worked as a cook while balancing his college studies and earning a degree in Business Management. Along the way, he joined the Bon Appetite Management Company and served in several leadership roles and various venues for a total of five years.
After that, Phillip continues his operational journey and became a general manager of a café for two years before being recruited to Jamba Juice Corporation where he served as a Training General Manager for six years, having the responsibility to develop general managers for various markets around America.
Phillip joined the Cezars family back in January 2007. With his forward thinking, attention to details and commitment to operational excellence and customer focus, Cezars has continued to show positive growth under his leadership.
AKBAR DADABAEV
About Akbar Dadabayev
As a child, Akbar was a scholar athlete, following in his father’s footsteps, who was a champion wrestler for U.S.S.R. As a youth, he balanced his time in the classroom and on the field, even spending two years as a semi-professional soccer player.
He came to Japan for his Honeymoon and fell in love with the culture, so he enrolled in a Master’s program at Kyushu University. Fast forward to 2003, Akbar joins Cezars International KK, parent company of Cezars Kitchen, working as a restaurant manager. His kind demeanor and approachable attitude made him a standout leader, catching the eye of Phil.
In 2013, Akbar was promoted to Operations Manager, Chubu Area and Head of Cezars Café Brand. He uses all the accumulated experience, built up over the past 14 years with Cezars, from his various roles to support his communities as a brand ambassador. In Akbar’s simple, yet straight to the point words, “Our customers comes first”, an approach that has been him and Cezars Kitchen a success story.
THOMAS SZABO
About Thomas Szabo
Chef Thomas began his journey in Eastern Europe where food is part of religion, where good bread is an essential part of every dinner table. The call to culinary started as a love of the loaf that lead chef Thomas into bakeries and kitchens looking for the key of culinary success.
Soon after getting his culinary degree in the late 90’s, chef Thomas challenged himself to a discovery-tour around the world searching for that same ‘key’ or expression of love that he knew as a child. After five years of cooking his way through Germany, France, and Spain, it finally dawned on him that cooking is an art, as such there no one ‘key’, that every chef can create his culinary masterpiece in his individual, unique way and passion is one unifying brush.
Quickly rising through the ranks, chef Thomas became Chef de Cuisine on the Walt Disney Cruise Line worldwide. Seven years of traveling across the globe and tasting culinary masterpieces from every corner of the world he gained invaluable experience and knowledge, which lead him to Asia, mother of all cuisines.
“Made with Love” slogan invited chef Thomas to Cezars, as the company’s Corporate Executive Chef, he oversees all aspects of culinary operations and chefs. His long journey of searching for the ‘key’ for culinary success has prepared him for his current position. When it comes to food, in his own words chef Thomas is a “Maximalist, full of passion and attention to details.”
Syed M Shoeb
About Syed M Shoeb
Shoeb has cultivated a remarkable career spanning two decades across various sectors, including education, corporate, and industrial catering. The academic foundation he acquired, particularly in management studies, has proven instrumental in shaping his professional trajectory and guiding his strategic decision-making. His global footprint extends across various regions in Asia, from the bustling streets of Singapore to the vibrant markets of India, leaving behind a legacy of innovation, adaptability, and resilience.
Transitioning seamlessly between sectors, Shoeb has demonstrated a versatile skill set, excelling as a mentor in education, an innovative leader in the corporate world, and a proficient organizer in industrial catering. Alongside his professional pursuits, Shoeb harbors a deep-seated passion for exploration, particularly in the realm of culture and cuisine.
A seasoned traveler, he finds joy in immersing himself in diverse cultures and savoring the flavors of different cuisines, forging connections, and enriching experiences along the way. At the heart of his professional philosophy lies a belief in the transformative power of engagement. Shoeb champions collaboration and inclusivity, recognizing their pivotal role in driving organizational success and fostering a culture of excellence.
Mohd Sopri
About Mohd Sopri
Sopri has 26 years of experience in F&B industry, including a decade of multi-national food operations management experience in Asia Pacific Region.
With a journey spanning over two and a half decades in the F&B industry, Sopri has had the privilege of refining his skills and knowledge, including F&B leadership experience in Asia Pacific Region with two Fortune 500 ranked companies.
His humble beginnings trace back to over a quarter-century ago when he started as a waiter at La Farfalla fine dining restaurant at Mutiara Beach Resort, nestled in his hometown of Penang, Malaysia, renowned as Malaysia’s food capital.
He has worked in various segments of F&B throughout his experience from Fusion Restaurants, Private Members’ Sports Clubs, Beachfront Resorts, Luxury Hotels, Multinational Corporation and Universal Bank’s contract food service. A multi-disciplinary Food & Beverage professional with rich experience in HACCP, BeSS, Halal, ESG and a member of two international organization. Namely, Institute of Leadership & Management as well as AIB academy of International Business.
Armed with certified training and development credentials (CTDP®) and an MBA degree, Sopri’s journey of over 26 years underscores his deep-rooted dedication to the F&B realm. His leadership philosophy is grounded in humility, as he continuously strives for excellence and endeavors to elevate gastronomy standards. As a source of inspiration and innovation, Sopri leaves a lasting impression on all those fortunate enough to collaborate with him, shaping the industry landscape with his modest yet impactful presence.
Sopri embraced a new chapter by joining the esteemed Cezars Kitchen family. With a modest demeanor, he brought his forward-thinking approach, meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to operational excellence and customer satisfaction to the forefront.
Manish Kumar
About Manish Kumar
As a veteran, submariner, skydiver and paramedic, Manish has worked in some of the most complex, adaptive and resilient industries such as defense, offshore marine, logistics and banking. Since safety and training goes hand in hand, his flair for learning and development enabled him to deliver more than 18000 training hours globally.
With overall experience of more than two decades, today he is a Certified Safety Professional, NEBOSH Diploma holder, and a Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner. Manish believes safety culture and compliance adherence is positive where customers are at the heart of decision making and doing things right first time is prioritized.
Kristiaan Ueno
About Kristiaan Ueno
Kristiaan has been involved in hospitality, food and beverage in the capacity as an Executive Chef, Executive Pastry Chef, Corporate Chef and as a General Manager. He has worked in the United States, Japan, Italy, Australia and France.
Kristiaan began his journey into the world of food and beverage by way of the United States Navy working in the officers’ club banquet department while stationed in Newport Rhode Island as a paramedic. After completing his military service, he earned his Bachelor Fine Arts degree. While in university he worked as a private chef cooking for some of the most celebrated personalities from the corporate world, fashion, film, music and entertainment industries.
Kristiaan studied at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York City formerly Peter Kumps New York Cooking School where he was awarded his degree in Pastry and Baking Arts. He chose to pursue this course of study in order to enhance his overall technical ability on the savory side of the kitchen.
He has always been driven by his quest for knowledge and desire to grow. This philosophy has positioned him to work for some of the most celebrated brands in Food and Beverage including The Tao Group, La Maison Du Chocolat, Tokyo American Club and Meyers USA. Most recently Kristiaan was the Owner/Chef of atelier ku-ki his Japanese Farm to Table bento box restaurant that he operated in the Hudson Valley of New York , prior to relocating with his family to Japan.
Regional Leadership Team
DARYL TOMS
About Daryl Toms
Daryl’s influence and passion for cooking came at a very young age, as he’s from a long line of chefs. In particular, his grandfather was a successful Chinese Chef.
Daryl spent his early years, working in many awarding winning restaurants and hotels throughout the East Coast of Australia. He then turned to the seas for his next challenge, traveling the globe, cooking on various cruise ships, before reaching the ranks of a Sous Chef for Star Cruises. This experience educated Daryl on the importance cooking with regional, fresh ingredients, as well as leadership skills working with a large number of chefs, all coordinating on various cuisines, with around-the-clock dining.
Next on Daryl’s list, the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, where he prepared meals throughout the games for VIP in several dining arenas. From there, Daryl took the leap and moved to Japan, to study the art of Japanese cuisine, at several high end Japanese restaurants.
In 2008, Daryl met Phil and a new partnership was formed. His first assignment was the Head Chef and the US Embassy in Tokyo, before being promoted to the Head Chef at Seisen International School. In 2015, Daryl was again promoted and now currently serves as an Operations Managers, supporting other Kitchen Managers and their communities.
“As Regional Executive Chef, my focus is on Cezars basic principles, passion, exceptional quality of food, love, and heart, ensuring every customer leaves with a smile. In addition, I am writing a cook book on the Essence of Asia which is due out in late 2016.”
Terrance Ratnayake
About Terrance Ratnayak
Terrance started his career as a Trainee Chef at Asia Lanka Hotel School in Sri Lanka 1991. He got one of the best training as all round operations in culinary field and completed his degree. Soon after he completed his training, he joined the Aitken Spence Group Hotels as a 3rd commies Chef. Working with chefs from around the world he gathers more experience and got the position of chef De party due.
After His experience working in more than 6 Hotels in Sri Lanka such as Colombo Hilton and Kandy Hilltop, Terrance starts thinking about working overseas. Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai was the hotel he chose to gain more experience. His life changed when he started working at Tree Of Life Hotel owned by a very famous Japanese company SEIKATSUNO-KI as an Executive Sous Chef. Working as Sous Chef Terrance won Bronze Medal for 5 Course Set Dinner Menu in All Island competition and got a chance to come Japan as an Executive Chef.
In 2009, he start working as an Executive Chef for PEPPERS Restaurant and After his experience at Shooters Sports Bar and Grill owned by Cezars International open the door to him. He now works as an Operations Manager.
Yukio Dojyo
About Yukio Dojyo
A native of Nagoya, Yukio was born in 1974. Yukio first enjoyed working in the food industry as a high school student in a well-known old fashioned Japanese cafe called Konparu. One day after school he watched a T.V. show, “Iron Chef” which featured a famous chef of French cooking named Hiroyuki Sakai. He had an epiphany, he was completely hooked, he knew what he wanted to do in his life- to be a master chef!
Following his dream, he enrolled and graduated from an international cooking school in Nagoya where he got a theoretical background in cooking as well as hands on experience in Japanese, Chinese and Western cuisine.
Yukio then developed and nurtured his talent in different cooking styles in several hotels and restaurants in Nagoya before joining Cezar’s Kitchen in. Today he specializes in French, Italian, Japanese and Mexican dishes. Yukio has a passion for his job as a chef and follows the motto,” Where there is a will, there is a way.”
Yukinobu Ohta
About Yukinobu Ohta
After graduating from high school, Yukinobu enrolled at California State University to study International Management.
Upon his return to Japan, his first exposure to the food and beverage industry was as a bartender at the invitation of an acquaintance.
Yukinobu was fascinated by what he learnt there about bringing joy to customers through food.
Later, Yukinobu was involved in the launch of a 40-plus seat yakiniku restaurant and a new store, and won numerous awards, including the Best Store Award.
Before Yukinobu knew it, he had been in restaurant business for over 14 years.
Based on Cezar’s MADE WITH LOVE philosophy, Yukinobu strives every day to delight every customer through food and become a source of vitality for tomorrow.
Fabian Mathews
About Fabian Mathews
Fabian is an experienced hospitality industry professional with more than 35 years of work experience in various sectors of the industry such as hotels, resorts, member clubs, restaurants, and cruise ships. He has a proven track record of managing Food & Beverage departments, banqueting operations, catering services, sales & marketing, finance cost control, rooms division, wedding planner and hotel and resorts operations compliance standards. Fabian has excellent people management skills and has worked in Papua New Guinea, Australia, Vietnam, Borneo Island of Sabah and Sarawak, including the Island of Langkawi in Malaysia. Fabian has also worked for Star Cruises Pte Ltd a leading Cruise Line Industry in Asia for 8 years as a role of Food and Beverage Manager.
Fabian started his journey in the hospitality industry as a Bartender at Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur in 1988 and within 5 years Fabian rose up the career ladder as a Bar & Restaurant Manager and continued the journey in the Hotel and Resort Industry including the Cruise Line Industry with the highest position held as Resident Manager and Director of Food and Beverage.
Prior to joining Cezars Kitchen, Fabian was employed with Pullman Hotel Kuching, Sarawak (Accor Hotels & Resorts Group) as a Director of Food and Beverage.
Although, the skill of customer service isn’t hard to learn, finding the happiness and finding the satisfaction and finding fulfilment in continuously serving our customers something good to eat, is what makes a really good customer service with passion.
DEVARAJAN PERIYASAMY
About Devarajan Periyasamy
Devarajan Periyasamy brings over two decades of unparalleled expertise to his role as Operations Manager at Cezars Kitchen Sdn Bhd, a leading force in the culinary landscape. With a background in engineering, Devarajan’s journey in the food and beverage industry has been marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence and a passion for innovation.
Rudy Raini
About Rudy Raini
Rudy, a seasoned chef with over 20 years of kitchen experience. He’s deeply passionate about vegetarian Western cuisine, ensuring food safety, and managing events.
Pascal T.D. Swerts
About Pascal T.D. Swerts
Born in Belgium, country of multiple language and culture. The Respect of the Products, the Producers, the Customers, and finally the Team is in Pascal’s blood. Pascal learned that around 11 years old when working as a student in a “Épicerie” in Belgium. His Mentor Alberto from Italy took him on a journey to learn about fresh local and seasonal fruits and vegetables, charcuterie, and cheese by going together to the morning market at 03:30 in the morning. From that experience He decided to become a Chef, but not any Chef, one that will continue learning all the time.
After his graduation, Pascal learned cooking with several Chefs from the Flanders region and Wallonia region. After learning his father’s famous stuffed roasted chicken and working in his sister’s restaurant Cameroons’ cuisine. He decided to start traveling and learn more about other countries culinary secrets and technique. In 1991, he started his journey, moved to the Caribbean and created a seafood restaurant. Thanks to a local entrepreneur, He realized the importance of mixing Belgian recipes with local ingredients. He then decided to focus on the “Fusion” part of cooking. That journey took him to the Caribbean, Middle East, Europe, then back to Belgium to create a restaurant and for the last 20 years in Japan.
Tim Haan
About Tim Haan
Tim’s journey is truly inspiring! From helping his mother in the office cafeteria to becoming an Operations Manager at Cezars Kitchen in Tokyo, his dedication and passion for culinary arts and hospitality operations shine through.
After high school, Tim enrolled in culinary school, where he balanced a rigorous four-year program while gaining hands-on experience in restaurants and hotels. Under the mentorship of chefs with strong French culinary backgrounds, he honed his craft and developed a solid foundation in classic techniques.
Upon graduating, Tim’s career took him across the globe. He worked in several countries, including England, Australia, and his home country, The Netherlands, immersing himself in diverse culinary styles and hospitality practices. It’s interesting that he also included farming in his journey, which likely gave him a deeper appreciation for the ingredients he uses in his cooking.
At the age of 26, he moved to Tokyo, Japan. His work in Australian-style fine diners and cafes, especially at renowned places like Luke Mangan’s SALT and as the Executive Chef at Morton’s The Steakhouse, highlights his versatility and expertise in the culinary field.
Tim’s career progression at Cezars Kitchen is impressive! Starting as a Kitchen Manager at Lycée Français International de Tokyo in 2022 and being promoted to Operations Manager just two years later speaks volumes about his skills and leadership.
Tim believes, “Cezars Kitchen is about quality service, and a genuine passion for serving our community with love is the key ingredient for success.”
Office Support Team
Mayumi Ban
About Mayumi Ban
A native of Japan, Mayumi lived abroad in Toronto, Canada where she first experienced working in Restaurant and Cafes. The exposure of working in the West left Mayumi with an appreciation of authentic customer care. At the same time, she fell in love with fresh ingredients and delicious Western and International cuisine.
With a professional background in the sales industry in Japan, Mayumi decided to part ways with her Japanese firm to join the Cezars Kitchen team. Remembering her experiences in Canada, she hopes to provide great support and care for the users of Cezars Kitchen food service.
Sumathi Arumugam
About Sumathi Arumugam
Sumathi was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She studied for Diploma in Institute of Administration Management (IAM) & Diploma in Executive Secretaryship (DES) at Stamford College KL.
Being an Office Manager with over 23 years of experience providing administrative support to up to 100 staff members, Sumathi possess strong multi-tasking skills with ability to simultaneously manage various projects & scheduled. She has working experiences with many types of business lines Insurance, Telemarketing & letter shopping, Tourism, Real Estate, IT, Green Solutions, Web portal, Service provider & etc.
With Sumathi’s friendly & self-oriented personality, she always seeking a challenging and rewarding position with a strong will to prosper in any assigned duties. She also has a passion to quickly learn and adjust to new environments and technologies with her good public relation skills to deal equitably & effectively with colleagues, management & superior.
Fumihiko Miura
About Fumihiko Miura
After working in the educational sector and the manufacturing sector, Fumihiko decided to join Cezars Kitchen, since he had been interested in food service business, believing that serving decent food can enhance people’s quality of life. It was natural that he reverberated with the mission statement of Cezars kitchen.
With his sincerity on office work, Fumihiko strives every day for customers to be able to receive joy through food made with love.
When he is off, Fumihiko enjoys playing piano, reading books, and cooking as hobbies.
Amira Syafiqah Ahmad Zainal
About Amira Syafiqah Ahmad Zainal
Amira Syafiqah Ahmad Zainal stands as a paragon of excellence in the realm of food safety and compliance. She led critical audits, secured Halal certifications, and championed the implementation of HACCP protocols. Her profound expertise encompasses HACCP, GMP, MeSTI, and ISO 22000 principles, cementing her status as a certified Halal Executive and a vanguard of food safety.
She remains ever eager to share her extensive knowledge and gain new insights, to continuously contribute to the advancement of food safety. Amira believes, work-life balance is indeed a crucial component for achieving overall success and well-being!
Neermal Jeet Kaur
About Neermal Jeet Kaur
Neermal Jeet Kaur Dhandaal is a passionate Health, Safety and Compliance Inspector with a bachelor’s degree in business management. Her professional journey began at Vale Mineral Malaysia (VMM) in Perak, where she served as a Site Safety Officer. Despite coming from a different academic background, she embraced the challenges of industry and swiftly developed skills in safety management. Her commitment to learn and develop enables her to provide top-notch safety services to staff, focused particularly on food safety. Her priority is to train site teams on food safety best practices and conduct inspections based on HACCP standards.
While managing HSBC Headquarters (KL), she also worked on food safety auditing skills and is now a Certified ISO 22000 Internal Auditor. Neermal’s staunchness for food safety is deeply inspired by her father, a Health and Safety Officer, a naval veteran who has been a constant source of support and motivation. Her love for food safety continues to grow as she aims to provide safe and healthy food to all clients, adhering to the principle that food should always be prepared with love. In her current role, Neermal remains committed to ensure that Cezar’s Kitchen continues to deliver smile and only the best to its clients.
Nur Izzati
About Nur Izzati
Nur Izzati binti Zulfadli is a dynamic and skilled Health, Safety, Environment & Compliance Officer at Melaka where she is appreciated by her own team as well as the client. Her interest in food safety piqued during her diploma studies, where she focused on food science and learned about OSHA regulations. The passion continued to grow when she further pursued her bachelor studies where she learnt about food and nutrition. Nur Izzati firmly believes that food safety is a pivotal aspect in ensuring the wellbeing of a person. She always ensures that safety procedures are rigorously followed so that our work environment remains compliant with relevant regulations. She understands the kitchen with equipment and people around, that is her unique strength. Her proactive attitude has been instrumental in identifying potential hazards and introduction of effective measures at site.
Nur Izzati has a tremendous ability to communicate effectively with diverse teams, conduct thorough safety inspections with client representative, and implement HACCP best practices to prevent incidents to promote a culture of food safety.
Nurul Afina
About Nurul Afina
Nurul Afina binti Ahmad Zamani, a dedicated Health, Safety, Environment & Compliance Officer at Vale Malaysia Minerals in Perak plays a critical role in maintaining safety and compliance at site. With a robust background in safety management and a profound passion for environmental stewardship, she makes her presence felt within the team and across the operations. Her commitment extends beyond regulatory requirements as she never stops to fine tune processes and make improvements on ground. She actively engages with client cross-functional teams to plan and implement sustainable practices inside kitchen. Also, Afina continuously works on her professional development and is a certified internal auditor for ISO 22000. She is passionate about empowering site teams through comprehensive training and guidance on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) standards. Her leadership ensures that we maintain a safe working environment while delivering high-quality and secure operations.
Afina firmly believes that mental health is a cornerstone of overall well-being and personal success. Recognizing the critical impact of mental well-being on productivity and satisfaction, she advocates for initiatives that promote a supportive and healthy work environment for all team members.
