Arturo Melendez

Peruvian Culinary Director

Hailing from Peru, Chef Arturo’s love of cooking began at an early age when he spent his days with his Grandmother helping her around the kitchen.

With a passion for the complexities and multiculturalism of Peruvian cuisine, Arturo was eager to bring the country’s unique recipes, flavours and culture to the world.His travels have brought him to South Africa, Hong Hong, Singapore and finally back to Hong Kong again where he has helmed the kitchen at TokyoLima since March 2017. In 2019, he was made Peruvian Culinary Director at Pirata Group and has since implemented a new dynamic menu at Chifa.

Arturo respects the traditional techniques and history behind each recipe, adding his own personal flair for food that makes each dish unforgettable.

Antonino Assenzo

General Manager

Passionate about hospitality since a young age, General Manager Antonino Assenzo is keen to develop and offer new exceptional dining experience to all of Pirata Group’s guests. Born and raised in Sicily, he started travelling around Italy soon after his Catering and Tourism vocational school graduation to gain experience in hotels and restaurants. He later moved to the UK to expand his knowledge and skills at international level.

In London, Antonino built his career working for the restaurants at renowned art galleries and cultural hubs, such as the Tate Modern and the National Gallery. Over a 10-year long experience, he had the opportunity to learn about British and worldwide cuisines, F&B UK regulations, and to understand the key ways to provide the best customer service to local Londoners and tourists. He developed his strong leadership and people skills at work, as well as during his Hospitality Management Degree studies at University of West London.

Antonino’s desire to take on new challenges and explore into the industry led him to experience the fine dining world whilst working at the Hakkasan Group. His last adventure before moving to Hong Kong was at a Brazilian Nikkei restaurant. Antonino he is super excited to lead three Pirata Group brands to success, always with passion, a bit of fun, and high professionalism.

Erik Kirakozov

Restaurant Manager

A natural leader and mentor, Erik frequently shares his industry insights with his colleagues and is first to tackle the challenges in Hong Kong’s fast-paced restaurant scene. With a passion for the food & beverage industry, Erik is generous with his knowledge of food and winemaking, providing astute recommendations to our guests.

In 2010, he underwent a wine and spirits training through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) in Valencia and received qualification for Level 1 and Level 2. With past experience in managing outlets such as Gallery Restaurant & Bar in Valencia, Spain, Erik works hand-in-hand with his team at Tokyolima to provide guests with an unforgettable dining experience.