CHEF | RESTAURATEUR | ENTREPRENEUR | SOCIAL …
Transcript of CHEF | RESTAURATEUR | ENTREPRENEUR | SOCIAL …
C H E F | R E S T A U R A T E U R | E N T R E P R E N E U R | S O C I A L I N F L U E N C E R
David Laris, born and raised in Sydney Australia with
Greek origins, entered the culinary industry at the age
of 16. He drew inspirations and infused flavor from his
global travels and created a broad spectrum of flavor
profiles. Started in Sydney, his undying spark of passion
and curiosity for international cultures eventually
brought him to Asia, where he honed his skills in Macau
SAR, Hong Kong SAR, and Vietnam. Then he departed
to the other side of the world and continued exploring
the culinary art in Europe. Despite how quickly he rose
to his public acclaim when he was working in Mezzo in
London, when the opportunity arose, he recognized the
vast potential of the Chinese mainland market and then
transferred the focus of his career there.
Fast forward to the present, he currently holds
different roles of Chief Creative Officer at Cachet
Hotels & Resorts, Managing Director at Acorn Digital
Services and CEO & Co-Founder of David Laris
Creates. As he builds up his professional reputation, he
also accumulates diversified personal labels to his
public presence, including Celebrity Chef, Social Media
Influencer, foodie, advocate of environment protection,
charity and wellness, or tattoo artist. Each one
represents a part of him and the journey he has been
through.
Award winning tv shows
Internationally acclaimed!
Years of media appearances Public speaking
Brand creative - design & development!
35 years of experience
Over 100 f&b concepts
DAVID LARIS
PROFESSIONAL CULINARY EXPERTISE
David began by learning Commercial Cooking
and Culinary Arts in Sydney Technical College.
Through a series of practice and development in
Asia, his culinary repertoire finally flourished
during his time as General Manager and
Executive Chef in Sir Terence Conran’s flagship
restaurant Mezzo in London. He elevated the
restaurant to a world-renowned status, won the
place countless accolades for inspired dinning
and gained his first public acclaim there. !
!
After he arrived in Shanghai, in 2003, he
launched his namesake restaurant Laris at Three
on the Bund designed by Michael Graves, which
quickly set the tone of the city’s contemporary
fine dining scene and became a landmark. He
then continually created a variety of exciting
new concepts for the local market, including Le
Sheng, a Best Shanghainese Cuisine winner. His
restaurants and practice have gained him
varieties of awards, among those are prestigious
ones like Lifestyle Asia Hot 10 Restaurants, Best
Restaurant HK Tatler, Innovative Restaurants
Time Out Beijing, and Restaurant of the Year -
That’s Shanghai, Best Continental Restaurant –
Modern Weekly. !
ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPERTISE!Besides his own restaurant creations, he also
founded David Laris Creates to develop original
food and beverage concepts for other brands.
During the past 15 years, David has cooperated
with some of the international renowned names,
including Swire Hotel Group, Baccarat, Chanel,
Dunhill, Diageo, Martini, Mattel, and
conceptualized over 100 ideas in Greater China.
He also took an important part in the World
Expo 2010 to set up the logistic and supply
chain for the Australian and Dutch Pavilions and
served as the F&B Consultant and Catering
Partner from the pre-opening. As the Chief
Creative Officer at Cachet Hotels & Resorts, he
utilized his innovation and award winning F&B
concept to take the diversified dining experience
to a next level.!
In addition, David made contributions to the
food and beverage industry from a macro
perspective by helping shape the food and drink
supply chain as well as establishing the
importing of high-end and mass manufactured
products into China. He engaged with multiple
groups to research the China food industry and
the market on information ranging from supply,
logistic to legal, and networking aspects to
create channels for products segments into
China. For instance, he worked with
representatives of the Greek and European
Trade Commissions on opening the supply of
Olive Oils, Australian Meats and Seafood, and
more. He was also among the first ones to
supply direct imported wine into his own
restaurants. !
IN THE SPOTLIGHT!As a successful chef and an influential figure in
the industry, David has been a frequenter to
media exposure. His story and achievements
have been covered in numerous newspapers
and magazines such as Forbes, Wall Street
Journal, New York Times, Esquire, Vogue,
Telegraph, Shanghai Tatler, Shanghai Daily, and
China International Business, just to name a few. !
!
With participation in a series of TV shows, he
further presented his talent through the lens.
He has been invited to take interviews and
demonstrate culinary skills on different media,
including Bloomberg Asia, International Channel
Shanghai, iTV Shanghai, Beijing Financial
Channel, etc. He was a regular in Dining with
David and Sarah which was distributed on
multiple channels in China with over 1.5 million
views for just Season 1. Besides, he appeared
alongside legendary chef Gordon Ramsay on
BBC reality show Faking it, which won several
prestigious awards that year. He was also
featured in Netflix Wahlburgers episodes in
2017.!
SOCIAL MEDIA!Entering the new media blooming era,
David’s expertise further shines through
more channels as he gradually develops
into a social influencer in the category. He
created his own fun yet educational short
videos, including David Laris Challenge
Show, David Laris How to and David Laris
The Arts of Refined Dining, One Minute
Tutorial to showcase the culinary arts as
well as share practical kitchen techniques.
He also appears in shows, joined by other
celebrities, such as The Kitchen Notebook.
His professionalism attracts professional
kitchen brands like Chef Works, Miji
Kitchen and KitchenAid for collaboration.
By distributing videos and posts on Weibo,
WeChat, Bilibili, Tik Tok, Youku, Youtube,
and Instagram, he started to grow a
remarkable fan base across platforms. His
Weibo followers rapidly increased to more
than 1 million within ten months. For the
last three months, his Weibo posts reached
over 12 million impressions while the
featured David Laris Challenge Show got
an engagement of over 4 million on each
episode.!
GIVING BACK
David lives by the ethos EAT. NO. EVIL and is an advocate for cruelty free
and sustainable dining. This faith also expands outside the kitchen to
environment protection, charity, and wellness. He works with charity: water
to appeal more attention and action to water scarcity around certain areas
in Asia and Africa. The ongoing fundraising for charity: water initiated by
David on social media has already helped more than 200 people get access
to clean water. He also worked with Teens for Food Justice (TFFJ), an
organization that empowers teens as change agents towards solutions of
food security, by cooking for a table of celebrities and entrepreneurs in an
event to bring awareness to the TFFJ. In addition, he was actively involved
in social media campaigns for public benefits like Lonely Whale Strawless
Ocean and No Smoking Day. !
AWARDS HIGHLIGHTS
12 CHAIRS BY DAVID LARIS
• Nominated for The Miele Guide’s Best Restaurants in Asia 2012/2013
• Best Restaurants Selection – Modern Weekly 2011/2012
• Best Fine Dining – That’s Shanghai 2011
DAVID LARIS CREATES
• Business Excellence Award, Australian Chinese Business Awards, Austcham China 2010
• Business Innovation Award, Australian Chinese Business Awards, Austcham China 2008
DOWNSTAIRS
• Best Mediterranean Restaurant, Time Out China Awards 2010
• Best Restaurant Design, Eco-Design Category, Dining for Design 2010, Elle Décor
• Best Restaurant of the Year, Modern Weekly Restaurant Awards 2010
• Octopus Salad, Best Summer Salads, CNNgo 2010
LARIS RESTAURANT AWARDS
• #1 Restaurant in China, The Miele Guide, 2009/2010!
• #8 Restaurant in Asia, The Miele Guide, 2009/2010!
• Best Restaurant of the Year – Shanghai Tatler, 2005-2008!
• Restaurant of the Year – That’s Shanghai, 2004-2008!
• Best Fine Dining Restaurant – That’s Shanghai, 2008!
• Best Decor – That’s Shanghai, 2008!
• Millionaire Gourmet Awards 2007!
• Best Continental Restaurant – Modern Weekly, 2007!
• Top 80 Great New Restaurants – Condé Nast Traveler (US), 2005!
• Best Continental Cuisine – Modern Weekly, 2005!
• Best Restaurant – Modern Weekly, 2004!
LE SHENG
• Best Shanghainese, That’s Shanghai Awards 2012
SLICE
• Best Deli - That’s Shanghai 2007
• Design for Asia Awards, Finalist 2007
THE BELLBROOK• Hong Kong Michelin Guide 2015
• Best Restaurant, HK Tatler 2014
THE FAT OLIVE• ICS Restaurant of the Year Awards - ‘healthy hotspot’
2011
• Best Al Fresco – That’s Shanghai 2009-2011
THE PORTERHOUSE BY LARIS
• Lifestyle Asia Hot 10 Restaurant
• SCMP 100 Top Tables
• WINE LUXE Hong Kong Top 10 Wine Pairing Restaurant Awards 2015
THE PURPLE ONION• Best Pizza in Shanghai, Time Out 2010 (English)
TV AND SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO SHOWS
INTERVIEWS & COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS
• Bloomberg Asia
• ICS (International Channel Shanghai)
iTV Asia
• Beijing Financial Channel
• TTV China
• Star TV
• Piers Morgan on Shanghai
• Connoisseur Shanghai
David Laris on “Piers Morgan on Shanghai”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDSD8ZL8eP8
David Laris on Bloomberg TV:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDPzRwS1pQc
“DINING WITH DAVID & SARAH”
Season 1 kicked off in September 2012 with 14
episodes, each focused on introducing a different
western cuisine or ingredient to the local audience.
David cooks on camera with his co-host Sarah Zhang,
showcasing simple to make dishes in a casual and
entertaining format. Episodes were uploaded to
Youku, Tudou, CNTV.com (CCTV’s online video
platform), Mei Shi China (the leading food and
lifestyle website in China), iQiyi, Ku6.com, and PPTV
every two weeks and promoted extensively across
Weibo. Season 1 has been viewed over 1.5 million
times in China and had a direct fanbase of over
400,000 with 10 million social media impressions.
BBC REALITY SHOW “FAKING IT” WITH GORDON RAMSAY
David Laris served as an advisor and mentor to the main subject. A camera crew filmed David and his family for one month. He appeared on the show alongside award-winning international chef Gordon Ramsay. The show and participants won several awards including “Best Factual Moment” at BBC’s 2001 TV Moments, “Best Factual Feature” at the 2002 BAFTA Awards, and “The Popular Art Award” at the 2002 International Emmy Awards.
Faking it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D0AZ10A/?tag=tvg_aiv_eptab-20&ref_=asc_tvg
David Laris Challenge Show
David Laris How To
David Laris The Arts of Refined Dining
One Minute Tutorial
ON-CAMERA HIGHLIGHTS
The Bellbrook Bistro OZ by David Laris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFGE1o6sEnY Porterhouse by Laris “Ladies’ Cut” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFGE1o6sEnY
Porterhouse by Laris “For the Definitive Dirty Martini”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLYw29eRKHE Porterhouse by Laris “The Definitive Steakhouse”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOKJo1N9MTs Dining with David & Sarah Best Moments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeQT3ABxx_c
Dining with David & Sarah Greek Feast Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf30ttWxONo Dining with David & Sarah Quick Western Breakfast Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsLMCAW6e7I
Dining with David & Sarah Foie Gras Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzL5D1qwsXk Dining with David & Sarah Chocolate Episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8SkY9PrdfY Dining with David & Sarah Canapes & Little Bites Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAjl9bLAIeQ
David Laris The Arts of Refined Dining Episode:�https://m.weibo.cn/3075929143/4398318895948351��David Laris Challenge Show Episode:�https://m.weibo.cn/3075929143/4377952634345224��David Laris How to Episode:�https://m.weibo.cn/3075929143/4403349824563189��One Minute Tutorial Episode:�https://m.weibo.cn/3075929143/4385554051249134��David's Penthouse Cocktails Episode:�https://m.weibo.cn/3075929143/4380576989237816�
EVENTS & PUBLIC SPEAKING
As an expert in his field, David constantly got invited into events to share his
professional experience and creative insights. He was the Guest Speaker for
Marriott Hotels - Asia-Pacific Management Conference 2012, presenting to over
300 Marriott executives from across the APAC region. He was also the Celebrity
Chef for Renaissance RLife LIVE Shanghai Launch 2012. In March 2019, invited by
Ideal Home Show, David attended the event and showcased his culinary skills in the
section of Chef’s Kitchen. Over the years, he performed as spokesperson, guest
speaker and influencer for product launches, media events and store openings for
international brands in the China market. !
MEDIA MENTIONS SNAPSHOT• FORBES
• WALL STREET JOURNAL
• NEW YORK TIMES
• ESQUIRE
• VOGUE
• THE TELEGRAPH
• REUTERS
• FINANCIAL TIMES
• GLOBAL TIMES
• SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
• INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE
• LA REPUBBLICA
• LUXE CITY GUIDES
• ELLE MAGAZINE
• SHANGHAI TATLER
• SHANGHAI DAILY
• CHINA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
• CNNGO
• GOURMET TRAVELLER
• FOOD & TRAVEL MAGAZINE
• CITY WEEKEND
• TRAVEL & LEISURE
• METROPOLIWORLD CUISINE
• THAT'S SHANGHAI
• JING DAILY
• CHINA DAILY
• TIME OUT
• HONG KONG TATLER
• EXTENSIVE MEDIA LIBRARY
AVAILABLE
THE COOKBOOK
T H E M E N U B Y D AV I D L A R I S A N D D E A N
B R E T T S C H N E I D E R ( 2 0 0 9 )
A collaboration between David and good friend, master baker, and pastry
chef, Dean Brettschneider, The Menu is a collection of 15 five-course menus.
From the bread at the start of a meal, to the starters, mains, desserts and
petit fours, this cookbook was written to provide inspiration and ideas to
home cooks and hosts.
BY DAVID LARIS
BY DAVID LARIS
FOOD & BEVERAGE CONCEPTS EXAMPLES
Porterhouse Le Sheng The Bellbrook Feast
Bei 12 Chairs Downstairs Sureno
The Fat Olive
Laris on The Bund
FOOD & BEVERAGE CONCEPTS
PREVIOUS BRANDS PARTNERSHIPS