As a visionary leader and seasoned hospitality expert, Ivo Cuci has over 27 years of experience driving success in the industry. As a Chief Operating Officer at Viking – The Medieval Dinner, Ivo has developed a unique approach to innovation, blending creativity with operational expertise to deliver exceptional results. With a passion for sustainability, customer-centricity, and employee empowerment, Ivo has established himself as a thought leader in the hospitality sector. With a unique dining experience, Viking offers an unparalleled dining experience, blending rich history, original medieval interiors, and exceptional cuisine.
In this exclusive interview, Ivo shares his insights on the future of hospitality, the importance of adaptability, and the strategies that have fueled his remarkable career.
Spark Behind The Journey
We started the interview by asking, “What motivated you to pursue a career in your current field, and how did your journey unfold?”
Ivo Cuci shared, “Growing up in Tuscany, Italy, I was surrounded by a rich culinary heritage. The region’s diverse landscape and medieval-inspired cuisine ignited a passion within me. Meeting local chefs and savoring unique dishes sparked an ambition to share Italian cuisine globally. At 16, I began my culinary journey, driven to transmit the art of Italian cooking and become an ambassador for its flavors.
After a few years, now completely immersed in the world of cooking, I decided to obtain the international chef license at the prestigious ‘Alma International Cooking School’ founded by Gualtiero Marchesi, the first Italian chef to have received 3 Michelin stars in Italy. Thanks to this educational training path, I had the honor of receiving the international certificate directly from the hands of Gualtiero Marchesi himself.”
Shaping Success
To learn more about the events that shaped Ivo’s journey, we asked, “What early experiences or challenges helped shape your professional path?”
Ivo Cuci shared, “After many years of a career as a chef working in both 5-star hotels and resorts as well as fine dining and Michelin restaurants, I decided to take the plunge and dedicate myself fully to restaurant management. In 2021, I started a new project as a pioneer in the industry, bringing medieval cuisine to the Gulf area for the first time. There are many medieval places in Europe, but no one had ever done anything like this before us in the Emirates and for this reason it was a challenging but very rewarding experience to say the least.
The desire to present the project in the best possible way was so great that I started this unique and original concept with the ambition to offer a wonderful opportunity to all those guests in the UAE who wish to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and experience something completely new in the world of fine dining. We have created a concept that combines ancient medieval dishes with our modern times, rediscovering the flavors of forgotten culinary history, creatively presented in our dishes, all combined with live performances by fire artists and musicians specialized in pagan and medieval folk music.”
Staying Ahead Of The Curve
To ensure being ahead of the competition, prioritizing the constant development of skills is paramount. We asked, “How do you continuously develop your skills and stay ahead in such a competitive industry?”
Ivo Cuci replied, “Flexibility, balance, tolerance, adaptability and timing. I firmly believe that a good leader who holds the position of top manager must have the flexibility to see the world with the positive curiosity and enthusiasm of a child, but at the same time have the pragmatism and holistic approach of an expert professional in his field of expertise to perceive, foresee and always be ready to overcome new challenges.
The balance between these elements is the key that allows a true leader to give the right contribution to his team and to always be stable and confident while taking the helm in critical decisions. Another important aspect of personal development is trying to be able to put aside the inner ego and become humbler to learn even from the less experienced team members. This approach can open our minds to see from a different point of view that would help us strategically to think outside the box.
To thrive in business, embracing an open-minded and humble approach fosters continuous improvement. Recognizing areas for growth through self-reflection and targeted learning is crucial. Staying ahead requires constant market research, monitoring competitors, and adapting to trends. Flexibility, anticipation, and timely execution enable businesses to seize new opportunities, launch innovative products, and meet evolving customer needs, ultimately outpacing the competition.”
Career-Defining Moment
We further asked, “What was a pivotal decision or defining moment that significantly impacted your career?”
“For sure it was when the company asked me to become their new Chief Operating Officer. I remember telling the company to give me 2-3 days to think about it. At the time I felt completely out of my comfort zone with mixed-contrasted emotions and a state of mind that is very difficult to describe. I was feeling insecure and I could not decide on the spot.
Not knowing what to do and if I was the right person to accept the position before I gave them an answer, I decided to do what I always do when I hire a new employee, which analyzes the candidate, who the person is, and if that person is right for the role. I started to look inside myself in an introspective way. I am passionately obsessed with numbers (I have always been innately very good with numbers), math fascinates me and numbers speak to me. I find joy and love in analyzing and processing huge amounts of real-life data trying to create business formulas based on those numbers.
After three years of managerial experience, I assessed my skills and confidently recognized my ability to drive profitability. Analyzing production line issues through P&L statements and reporting details to management showcased my analytical strengths. With conviction in my leadership abilities, I seized a new opportunity, embracing the challenge of Chief Operating Officer, poised to bring prosperity and growth to the company.” Ivo Cuci added.
Embracing Challenges
Challenges are a part of every journey. To learn how Ivo Cuci overcame the same, we asked, “Throughout your career, what has been one of the major challenges you’ve faced, and how did you overcome it?”
Ivo Cuci responded, “For me, the real challenge is life itself and all the difficulties associated with it that we encounter every day. This is why I cannot choose a particular moment to make it more important than other moments experienced in my career. I consider myself a workaholic always looking for a professional challenge. Having new challenges gives me adrenaline like a lover of extreme sports. I depend on challenges because I believe they make life at work more interesting as well as make you grow both as a person and as a professional.
I always look for new challenges and a company with a dynamic work environment that always gives us new situations to manage and solve. Just like in real life, during the career path, we encounter continuous challenges of unexpected moments and unforeseen situations that put us to the test. There is not always a solution that can be found in books or downloaded from a manual by searching online, to overcome these difficult moments, since each challenge is different and must be faced differently by giving different solutions to the problem.
To overcome challenges, I believe a mix of experience, creativity, and out-of-the-box thinking is essential. A positive mindset and resilient psychology also enable successful navigation of stressful events. As a leader, my daily challenge is finding the optimal balance between company performance, employee satisfaction, and exceptional customer service. My goal is to maintain high standards while exceeding customer expectations, ensuring the company’s continued success and happiness for all stakeholders.”
Leadership Transformation With The Years
To gather Ivo’s perspective on the evolving leadership approach, we asked, “How have you approached leadership and personal growth over the years, and how has your philosophy evolved?”
Ivo Cuci replied, “When I started working, in my first work experience, seeing things from the eyes of a simple inexperienced worker I thought that in some cases the manager was practically useless and that he was only there to cover a role. Partly it was because that particular manager was not able to inspire me as a model and I did not consider him better than the other team members, partly it was because I did not have enough experience to be able to fully evaluate the work of a manager at that time.
After many years of work, my point of view has changed partly but not completely. It does not matter if you are a manager or not, I firmly believe that in each of us, there is a part that has to do with the natural leader hidden in our deepest self, waiting to be unlocked by some kind of event. A true leader must be able to inspire others and make them feel safe. Part of my job is to make the team understand that they are supported and accepted but at the same time support them to take care of each other while working towards a common goal.
Good teamwork is made of team members who use the proactive approach to achieve company goals and go above and beyond expectations. That is why I believe that enabling employees to be the best they can be in an environment where team members learn and receive advice from more experienced members and at the same time are free to inspire and be a role models for less experienced members is one of the most important aspects of teamwork. Being effective and reliable is also an important part of the individuals that make up the team. We should give team members the right tools to work independently and the right inspiration to enjoy team-oriented results.
By doing so, they will be more confident in their positive contribution to the company, and knowing that they are appreciated will give them more motivation to continue in that direction. Last but not least, I would add that it is very important to be dynamic and never stop growing professionally. The true value of a leader comes from his team and how they perform. It is very important to invest in continuous training and refresher courses for staff to improve their performance and skills. Updating and learning new things are seen as new challenges. It has the goal to evolve, propose, question ourselves as well as to give the best of ourselves to the company.” He added.
A Lifetime Of Learning
We were intrigued to learn more about the lessons learned from Ivo’s journey. So, we inquired, “What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned throughout your professional journey?”
Ivo Cuci shared, “One of the first things I would like to draw attention to is that when we manage an entire production chain like a restaurant, we cannot help but necessarily interact with three different groups of inhabitants who are part of the most complex and intelligent species on planet Earth, namely human beings. The first group is characterized by the owners, the second by the workers, and the third by the customers.
All three groups share the same characteristics that all living beings have, that is, they all have physical and psychological needs, desires and/or necessities, personal and/or interpersonal problems, and various family situations that are more or less complicated to resolve. This is why being empathetic and kind as a top manager is very important to be able to understand and best manage all the members of these three different groups. As human beings we all have the same rights, more or less the same physical strength, and the same importance in any activity we carry out, no individual is better than the others.”
Ivo Cuci added, “In fact, I can say with certainty that the company is not more important than all the people who work there, if all the staff members suddenly stopped working from one day to the next, the company would also stop working inadvertently and the business would be negatively affected. At the same time, no one as an employee is above the policies and rules that the company has established to function properly. That is why we can say that professional ethics are essential to regulate the functions, rights, and duties of any business and its employees.
In the restaurant industry, a delicate balance exists between owners, staff, and customers. Managing this triad can be complex, as customers don’t follow traditional professional ethics. Success hinges on understanding their rapidly changing needs. Objective data, not prejudices, should guide our actions. Supporting our team and grasping the nuances of customer satisfaction are crucial. Ultimately, customer appreciation holds the power, as it did for Roman gladiators, whose fate was sealed by public opinion. Today, social media amplifies this phenomenon, making customer satisfaction paramount. As the ancient phrase goes, ‘Mors aut Gloria’ – our reputation echoes through eternity, and customer approval is the key to triumph.”
Potential Trends Of The Industry
To learn about the emerging trends in Ivo Cuci’s industry, we asked, “What major trends do you see impacting your industry, and how do you envision adapting to them in the future?”
Ivo Cuci replied, “I am a great admirer and appraiser of new technologies and their rapid implementation in the company, as well as being very attentive to new market trends that can benefit from new technologies. This will serve the ultimate goal of reducing expenses, optimizing resources, and increasing profits through the possibilities that the new era provides us with. We could spend hours talking about all the major trends of the moment that will increasingly gain ground in today and future markets but I will resume it quickly basically in 4 groups;
Menu with Wellness Solutions and next-gen ingredients. A healthy low-calorie diet, zero sugar diet, gluten-free, and low fat are some of the most common names we see on the most popular menus in recent years. New functional foods that promote immunity, anti-aging, and cognitive health are attracting the time-hungry and health-focused elite. Ingredients such as medicinal mushrooms and adaptogens, but not only that, plants and flowers, synthetic meat, and even insects will also dominate the menu of the future.
Sustainable products and green solutions: Consumers are increasingly demanding ethical and eco-friendly practices. Organic, locally sourced, seasonal and regional, fair trade, and zero waste. Companies that develop these types of products or those that adapt first to environmental sustainability will connect with luxury buyers who are more concerned about the health of the planet and the environment. The restaurant industry alone contributes 1.5 billion pounds of paper waste per year, in receipts alone. Transitioning to digital solutions can significantly mitigate this issue without compromising sales or customer loyalty. Embracing sustainable technologies not only reduces waste but also maintains efficiency, saves costs, and enhances brand reputation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also revolutionizing the industry by personalizing marketing, forecasting demand, and providing valuable customer insights. AI-driven analytics inform purchasing and advertising decisions, optimize employee training, and minimize food waste, ultimately reducing costs. To maximize ROI, restaurants must integrate AI with customer and employee experiences.
Cryptocurrency payment are gaining traction, particularly in Dubai, the ‘crypto capital’ of the world. Following the UAE’s landmark ruling allowing cryptocurrency salary payments, restaurants can attract tech-savvy customers and streamline transactions by adopting this innovative payment method. By embracing digital transformation, AI, and cryptocurrency payments, forward-thinking restaurants will thrive while contributing to a more sustainable future.” He shared.
The Innovation Mindset
We asked, “What is your approach to staying innovative and driving success, regardless of the company you work for?”
Ivo Cuci responded, “The main goal of any career at any level that we are about to embrace is success. I always aim for both individual and business success, the two are closely linked and cannot be separated from each other. To achieve this goal there are necessary aspects that should be taken into consideration. Owners/shareholders, are rightly only interested in the ROI and the profit, usually, they have no idea about all the details needed to run operations and day-to-day business.
They only ask for numbers and numbers must be positive, how we got those numbers and what we did to get to those numbers is normally not very important to them. On the other hand, employees only pay attention to their daily routine at work, how to pay their debts at the end of the month, when they will get their salary deposited in their account, and how to take care of their responsibilities with their families. As we can easily understand, these are two different worlds, with two different mentalities and two different languages, which do not have the slightest possibility of communicating with each other directly without there being misunderstandings between one of the two parties.”
Ivo Cuci further mentioned, “As Chief Operating Officer, my core task is bridging the gap between employee satisfaction and business sustainability. I believe happy employees are the key to success, and achieving this balance is crucial. To accomplish this, I focus on sharing cost awareness, offering flexible working hours, setting common goals, and prioritizing customer care.
Communicating the company’s vision and mission, ensuring a safe work environment, and fostering open feedback channels are also vital. Positive and constructive feedback encourages growth, innovation, and improvement. By striking the right balance, we create a thriving ecosystem where employees and owners benefit equally. This delicate balance is challenging to achieve, but when successful, it yields a sustainable business model.”
Core Values Driving Success
We asked, “What guiding principles have shaped your career, and how do they continue to influence your decisions?”
Ivo Cuci replied, “Guiding principles are not only moral values that set a standard for behavior and attitude within a workplace, but above all, they make up the professional DNA that distinguishes the attitude that a great leader must never fail to maintain in the workplace. As we grow and gain experience in the professional field, our opinions broaden, and also the ways and behavioral guidelines that we follow change with it.
For example, now at 43 years old, I am no longer the same young and inexperienced boy that I was when I started working at 16 years old. As time passes, we become aware of all the aspects that a company needs to function and all the details related to it. With this new knowledge that is added from time to time, new ways of understanding professional life and new behaviors to adapt to new needs develop quite naturally.”
Ivo Cuci added, “For this reason, for me as COO, it is very important to communicate to my team and department heads all the details and information that can allow them to understand and have greater knowledge of the company details to understand and follow the guiding principles correctly. Companies establish guiding principles to shape their workplace culture and ensure that their employees understand what moral behavior they expect.
After 27 years of professional experience, my guiding principles remain steadfast, driving my daily decisions and leadership approach. These core values include emphasizing quality and efficiency, collaborative leadership, continuous learning, accountability, respect, effective communication, honesty, prioritizing workplace safety, customer-centricity, fostering creativity and adaptability, and fairness. By adhering to these principles, our management team maintains professional integrity, consistency, and harmony, ensuring seamless collaboration across departments and positioning us for long-term success.”
Plans We Asked Ivo Cuci
To get a view of Ivo’s plans for the future of his career and business, we inquired, “Looking ahead, what personal goals and aspirations do you have for the future of your career?”
Ivo Cuci shared, “One of my biggest aspirations for my career is to become a General Manager of a 5-star luxury hotel. In the past I have been working in Turkey for 8 years in a 5-star luxury resort hotel chain that also operates here in UAE, organizing cooking shows and workshops for VIP guests.
On that occasion I had the opportunity, apart from the F&B department, to collaborate with several other departments which gave me a multidisciplinary knowledge that I have now used to better manage Marketing, Finance, Procurement, and Entertainment in my current job. If I were to advise someone who wants to invest, I would say that the only 100% safe investment is to invest in yourself. For this reason, I have planned to take up an MBA in Luxury Properties Management in the next 2 years and be eligible in the future to fulfill my dream and become a Hotel GM.”
Words Of Wisdom For Beginners
Addressing the beginners, we asked, “Do you have a piece of advice that you would like to say to people just starting on their business journey?”
Ivo Cuci shared, “My advice is to be brave and remember, business comes first. After saying this I would like to refer to a famous quote “The important thing is not how long you live, but how you live the time you have.” attributed to a Roman philosopher, playwright, and politician known simply as Seneca. As humans, we are by nature individualistic and selfish and think only of our interest and momentary pleasure.
We take everything we can by consuming recklessly and without worrying about the consequences we create for a much larger organism that continues its cycle even after we die in the vast world of nature. Business in the same way is sometimes mistakenly identified with a single individual who only carries the name of the company but in reality, is made up of multiple components and multiple people working for it and should not be understood as something that is done to satisfy just a personal need, but to create something bigger, something that can greatly benefit multiple individuals over time.”
“For this reason, we should conscientiously consider it as a more complex organism, an indefinite entity that transforms but never ages and never dies, and for which we must make daily decisions to direct its growth with the awareness of knowing what we are thinking about the future while living in the present with the knowledge coming from the experience of the past.
Consequently, if we consider the company as a complex and timeless organism, composed of different parts that constitute its functions, we should have the courage and be strong when necessary to make sharp and drastic decisions that are beneficial for the entire company and for the community that is part of it, even if, as a result, other individuals may be disadvantaged in the process.” He concluded.
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