Meet the Team

Chef Richard Sandoval is a global pioneer in contemporary Latin cuisine. His career as a chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur also includes serving as a television personality, cookbook author, brand ambassador and philanthropist. He is internationally acclaimed for his innovative approach in combining Latin ingredients with modern culinary techniques to create award-winning flavors that span 60 locations and 4 continents. 
 
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Sandoval has earned many accolades over the course of his career including Mexico's "National Toque d 'Oro," Bon Appetit's "Restauranteur of the Year," Cordon d'Or's "Restauranteur of the Year", one of The Inc Magazine's 10 Most Inspiring Business Leaders, a James Beard Semi-Finalist for "Outstanding Restaurateur" and received an Honorary Doctorate for Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University.  
 
Chef Sandoval is commended for elevating Latin American dining in each market he has a presence with best-in-class concepts, with regular features in publications like The New York Times and People. Sandoval is also credited for introducing Latin cuisine to the UAE, Qatar and Serbia. 

Yerson, originally from Indonesia, began his culinary career as a Chef in Jakarta's luxury hotels. In 2000, he relocated to Dubai seeking greater opportunities. Following years of dedicated work, he earned recognition as one of Dubai's Best Gastronomists at the Salon Culinaire. In 2014, Chef Yerson embarked on a global journey to explore diverse cultures and culinary traditions. He returned to Dubai and joined Zengo in 2020.