DiscoverThe Design PodMeet Rizwan Kassim: Designing Culinary Experiences That Go Beyond the Plate
Meet Rizwan Kassim: Designing Culinary Experiences That Go Beyond the Plate

Meet Rizwan Kassim: Designing Culinary Experiences That Go Beyond the Plate

Update: 2025-10-26
Share

Description

Welcome to Season 2 of The Design Pod. In Episode 8, we sit down with Rizwan Kassim, CEO Rikas and Paris Society International, the creative force behind some of the Middle East’s most exceptional dining destinations. From La Cantine du Faubourg to Mimi Kakushi, Ninive, and Lana Lusa, RIKAS has become synonymous with immersive, design-led hospitality.


Since 2014, the group has opened 17 restaurant and beach club concepts, each rooted in storytelling, cultural nuance, and creative direction. With multiple venues now recognized by the Michelin Guide, and expansion underway across Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Europe, and Morocco, Rizwan shares how emotion, atmosphere, and authenticity shape experiences that linger long after the last bite.


Resources:
Follow us here: @DesignPodDXB
Follow Valeria: @ValeriaNushka
Follow Chad: @ChadAskari
Find RIKAS Hospitality Group here: @rikasgroup


Comments 
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Meet Rizwan Kassim: Designing Culinary Experiences That Go Beyond the Plate

Meet Rizwan Kassim: Designing Culinary Experiences That Go Beyond the Plate

The Design Pod