De Rican Chef

What De Rican Chef does

De Rican Chef is a privately held, independent full-service Puerto Rican restaurant founded in 2004 and headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The company operates dine-in service at two physical locations — the original Holland Road site (3208 Holland Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23453) and a newer Oceanview site at 401 West Ocean View Ave in Norfolk — following the permanent June 1 closure of its Oceanfront location. The menu centers on traditional Puerto Rican dishes (Mofongo, Bandeja Boricua, Pernil, Arroz con Gandules, whole fried snapper, Cubano sandwiches) with explicit vegan and vegetarian options, complemented by a full beverage program featuring a Rican rum punch, mojitos, margaritas, and a 3:00-6:00 PM happy hour.

The company's product surface spans three modular lines: (1) sit-down restaurant dining, (2) online ordering for takeout and delivery via the ToastTab platform integrated at both locations, and (3) full-service catering with 20+ years of experience covering weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, and holiday gatherings, with pick-up, delivery, partial-service, and full-service offerings including event coordination and on-site venue space. Supporting infrastructure includes HoneyBook for catering/event inquiry management, SpotHopper for website hosting and social/email marketing, and ToastTab's reservation management system (Tables) for table bookings. No proprietary technology is built in-house beyond standard restaurant SaaS integrations.

De Rican Chef generates revenue through four transaction-based streams — dine-in service, online food ordering, full bar/beverage sales, and quote-based professional-services catering — priced on a unit-pay-as-you-go basis for retail and through custom inquiry-based quotes for events. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer across physical storefronts and digital channels (Facebook, Instagram, Yelp, ToastTab, HoneyBook), targeting individual diners and families, corporate event organizers, and private event hosts (weddings, birthdays, holidays) in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk corridor. The company is privately held with no disclosed investors, funding history, or management team details, and reports 1-10 employees.

Name

De Rican Chef

Legal name

De Rican Chef

Website

https://dericanchefva.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

De Rican Chef is a privately held Puerto Rican restaurant operating dine-in, online ordering, and full-service catering in Virginia Beach and Norfolk, Virginia. With 20+ years of catering experience, the company serves individual diners, families, and corporate event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Puerto Rican Restaurant Services

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty & Dietary Catering (Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Allergen-Free, Medical) (THAHAKAK), Fine Dining Restaurants (THAFACAA)

Keywords

• Puerto Rican restaurant
• Ethnic cuisine dining
• Catering services
• Private event catering
• Online food ordering

Headquarters

HQ city

Virginia Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Service: Traditional restaurant service at physical locations offering full Puerto Rican menu including appetizers, entrees, drinks, and desserts. Revenue generated through customer purchases at table.
2. Online Food Ordering: Digital ordering through ToastTab platform for takeout and delivery. Customers place orders through website links for Holland Road and Oceanview locations.
3. Catering Services: Full-service catering with 20+ years experience. Services include pick-up, delivery, partial-service, full-service including event coordination. Custom dishes available to fit client needs. Covers weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, and holiday gatherings.
4. Beverage Service: Full bar service including cocktails, Rican rum punch, mojitos, margaritas. Happy hour program from 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

De Rican Chef operates a Puerto Rican restaurant business offering dine-in service at two Virginia Beach/Norfolk locations with a menu of traditional dishes such as Mofongo, Bandeja Boricua, Pernil, and whole fried snapper, alongside vegan and vegetarian options and a full bar. The company also provides full-service off-premise and on-site catering for weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, and holiday gatherings, supported by online ordering through ToastTab and event inquiry management through HoneyBook.

Product overview

De Rican Chef is a Puerto Rican restaurant operating as a unified dining concept with multiple service offerings. The core product is sit-down restaurant dining at two locations (Holland Road in Virginia Beach and Oceanview in Norfolk), supported by modular add-on services including catering with 20+ years of experience, online ordering via ToastTab, table reservations, and private event hosting. The company also offers specialized menus for lunch, catering events, and holiday celebrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restaurant Dining Full-service dine-in Puerto Rican restaurant service at the Holland Road location (Virginia Beach, VA) and the Oceanview location (Norfolk, VA), offering traditional and vegan/vegetarian dishes, a full bar, and a daily happy hour from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM; serves individual diners, families, and small groups in the Hampton Roads area.
• Catering Services Full-service off-premise and on-site catering for weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, and holiday gatherings, offering pick-up, delivery, partial-service, and full-service options with custom menus and event coordination; quote-based pricing via HoneyBook inquiry form.
• Private Event Hosting Private event venue rental and all-in-one party packages at the Holland Road and Oceanview restaurant locations, designed for birthday parties, office functions, and other special occasions with event planning support.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ToastTabcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline ordering and reservation platform partner. Provides digital ordering infrastructure for both Holland Road and Oceanview locations. Customers can place orders and make reservations through ToastTab platform integrated into De Rican Chef website.
• HoneyBookcoreTechnology or IntegrationCatering and event management platform used for handling catering inquiries, event coordination bookings, and private event forms. Enables customers to request catering services and event planning assistance.
• SpotHoppercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWebsite design, social media marketing, and email marketing provider. Powers the restaurant's digital presence including website hosting, online menu management, and promotional content delivery.
• FacebookminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial media marketing channel for customer engagement and brand awareness. De Rican Chef maintains an active Facebook page.
• InstagramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVisual social media marketing platform for showcasing food items, restaurant ambiance, and engaging with customers. Instagram page at @dericanchef_restaurant.
• YelpminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReview and rating platform where customers share dining experiences. De Rican Chef maintains a Yelp business page for customer reviews and visibility.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar: Multi-location Latin Caribbean full-service restaurant and rum bar with dine-in, private events, and catering offerings. Comparable to De Rican Chef in the Latin-Caribbean full-service dining plus bar experience category, though broader in cuisine scope and national in footprint.
• Havana Central: Multi-unit Cuban-Caribbean restaurant chain offering dine-in, full bar, and group/private event services. Comparable to De Rican Chef on Caribbean full-service dining plus bar plus event hosting, but broader in cuisine and larger in footprint.

Direct peers

• Sazón Latino Restaurant: Latin-Caribbean full-service restaurant specializing in Puerto Rican and Latin American cuisine with dine-in and catering services. Directly comparable to De Rican Chef on cuisine authenticity, family-style positioning, and catering/event offerings.
• Mofongo Restaurant: Independent Puerto Rican full-service restaurants (regional operators) sharing the same cuisine category and family-style dining format as De Rican Chef. Comparable on menu signature dishes (Mofongo), ethnic authenticity, and local community positioning.
• Havana 59: Cuban-Caribbean full-service restaurant offering authentic cuisine, full bar, and event/catering services. Comparable to De Rican Chef in ethnic Caribbean dining, full-bar service, and private event hosting for the celebrations market.
• Isla Bonita Restaurant: Puerto Rican and Latin Caribbean full-service restaurant with dine-in and catering offerings. Directly comparable to De Rican Chef on cuisine category, family-style service, and community-rooted positioning.
• Latin Bites Catering: Catering-focused Latin/Puerto Rican food service business offering pick-up, delivery, and full-service catering for weddings and corporate events. Directly comparable to De Rican Chef's 20+ year catering business model and target event segments.

Emerging players

• Borinquen Soul: Authentic Puerto Rican restaurant concept emphasizing traditional flavors and modern presentation. Comparable to De Rican Chef on Puerto Rican authenticity focus, though more recent in operating history and more urban in geographic positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DeRicanChef
• Instagraminstagram.com/dericanchef_restaurant
• Xx.com/dericanchef880
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/de-rican-chef-inc.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about De Rican Chef