Reif Japanese Kushiyaki

What Reif Japanese Kushiyaki does

Reif Japanese Kushiyaki is a multi-venue Japanese kushiyaki restaurant concept founded and entirely self-funded by Singaporean chef Reif Othman, operating six physical restaurants across the UAE (Dar Wasl Mall, Dubai Hills, and Time Out Market Dubai at Souk Al Bahar) and Egypt (5A By The Waterway in Cairo, Marassi Marina on the North Coast, and Seasons Compound in Cairo). The brand positions itself as 'unconventional Japanese,' combining Japanese sensibilities with Italian and French culinary fundamentals, and is known for signature and viral dishes such as the Wagyu sando and toilet-roll yuzu lemon cake, with daily menu reinvention as a creative discipline. The group sits under parent Hotaru Holdings, which also houses chef Othman's other concepts TERO, Hoe Lee Kow, and Kushi.

The business operates a diversified revenue model spanning dine-in restaurant service, private home catering (chef-led in-home dining and curated canapés), click-and-collect online ordering (Dubai Hills and Dar Wasl), branded merchandise (T-shirts, caps), and gift cards. Distribution relies on physical storefronts, a curated food-hall presence at Time Out Market Dubai, a Wix-hosted click-and-collect platform, and direct sales catering bookings via [email protected]. The target customer is the experiential diner and food enthusiast seeking creative Japanese cuisine for casual dining, social gatherings, celebrations, and private events.

The core 'technology' is culinary rather than digital: Japanese grilling techniques (kushiyaki, charcoal-grilled skewers) executed by a branded chef-owner with viral social media reach across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter. There is no disclosed AI, software platform, app, or proprietary data asset; ordering, marketing, and brand presence are conventional. No external institutional funding, M&A activity, or enterprise customer concentration is present, and growth to date has been financed entirely by the chef-owner.

Name

Reif Japanese Kushiyaki

Legal name

REIF Japanese Kushiyaki

Website

https://reifkushiyaki.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Reif Japanese Kushiyaki is a self-funded, multi-venue Japanese kushiyaki restaurant chain founded by Chef Reif Othman, operating six venues in the UAE and Egypt with catering, click-and-collect, merchandise, and gift-card revenue lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Japanese Restaurant

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)

Keywords

• Japanese kushiyaki restaurants
• Japanese fusion dining
• Private catering services
• Experiential Japanese cuisine
• Skewer grill concepts

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Dining: Revenue from dine-in customers at multiple venue locations across UAE and Egypt. Customers pay for food and beverages consumed on-premises.
2. Catering Services: Private catering experiences where skilled chefs create personalized dining in customers' homes or curated canapes for gatherings.
3. Click and Collect: Online ordering for food pickup, offering convenience for customers to order favorites and collect fresh-prepared meals.
4. Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including T-shirts and caps.
5. Gift Cards: Gift card sales for exceptional dining experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Reif Japanese Kushiyaki operates multi-venue Japanese kushiyaki restaurants serving unconventional Japanese cuisine with Italian and French influences, featuring signature items such as Wagyu sando, Battera, and charcoal-grilled skewers. The brand also provides private in-home catering experiences, click-and-collect online ordering, gift cards, and branded merchandise across six venues in Dubai, UAE and Egypt.

Product overview

REIF Japanese Kushiyaki is a Japanese kushiyaki restaurant chain with multiple venues across Dubai (Dar Wasl, Dubai Hills, Time Out Market) and Egypt (Cairo, Marassi, Seasons Compound). The core offering is unconventional Japanese dining featuring signature dishes like Wagyu sando, Battera, and charcoal-grilled skewers. The portfolio includes the main restaurant brand, catering services for private dining experiences, gift cards for gifting, and exclusive merchandise (T-shirts and caps). Additionally, the company offers click-and-collect online ordering for convenience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• REIF Japanese Kushiyaki Restaurant Dining Unconventional Japanese kushiyaki restaurant dining across six venues in Dubai (Dar Wasl, Dubai Hills, Time Out Market) and Egypt (5A By The Waterway Cairo, Marassi Marina, Seasons Compound), offering signature dishes such as Wagyu sando, Battera, and charcoal-grilled skewers with daily new menu items for individual diners and small groups.
• Private Catering Services Private dining experience where skilled chefs create a personalized meal at customers' homes, or curated canapés for gatherings and events, blending traditional Japanese techniques with innovative flavors; bookings via [email protected].
• Gift Cards Gift cards that provide recipients with access to bold flavors, creative dishes, and dining experiences at Reif Japanese Kushiyaki venues.
• REIF Branded Merchandise Reif-designed branded T-shirts and caps sold to customers who want to engage with the brand beyond the dining experience.
• Click and Collect Online Ordering Online ordering service available at the Dubai Hills venue that lets customers select favorite dishes, choose a pickup time, and collect freshly prepared meals at their convenience.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Time Out Market DubaicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorREIF Japanese Kushiyaki operates a venue within the Time Out Market Dubai food hall at Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai. The location brings REIF's bold and playful creations to the buzzing atmosphere of this iconic food hall, featuring a selection of most-loved dishes made fresh to order.
• Dar Wasl MallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst and most intimate REIF venue nestled in Dar Wasl Mall at Shopping Entrance 3, Al Wasl Road. Features terrace dining during cooler months. Venue operates on walk-in basis only.
• Hotaru HoldingsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of REIF Japanese Kushiyaki and other restaurant concepts including TERO, Hoe Lee Kow, and Kushi. Chef Reif Othman is a chef-owner with several restaurants to his name, entirely self-funded.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Sumibiya: Japanese robatayaki concept operating in Dubai; comparable as a regional Japanese experiential concept competing for the same Japanese dining demand pool in the UAE.

Broad incumbents

• Benihana: Long-established Japanese teppanyaki chain operating internationally; comparable as a multi-venue Japanese experiential dining concept with showmanship at the table.
• Yo! Sushi: International Japanese conveyor-belt and casual dining chain; comparable as a multi-venue Japanese brand focused on accessible, casual experiential dining.
• Nobu: Celebrity-chef-led Japanese fusion brand (Robert De Niro and Nobu Matsuhisa) with a Dubai presence; comparable as a globally scaled Japanese experiential dining concept leveraging chef-led brand equity.
• Katsuya by Star Kitchens: Celebrity-chef-driven Japanese concept by master sushi chef Katsuya Uechi with international presence; comparable as a chef-branded upscale Japanese dining concept.

Direct peers

• COYA Dubai: Celebrity-driven upscale experiential Latin dining concept operating in Dubai with a similar premium experiential positioning, design-led venue, and affluent experiential diner target.
• LPM Restaurant & Bar: Upscale experiential French-Mediterranean restaurant with a major Dubai presence; comparable as an experiential, design-led fine-casual concept targeting affluent diners in the same UAE dining market.
• Din Tai Fung: Globally scaled Asian experiential dining brand (Taiwanese dumplings) operating in the Middle East; comparable as a chef-engineered, design-led Asian concept with international expansion.
• Zuma: Globally recognized upscale Japanese izakaya concept operating in Dubai and across international markets with a similarly experiential, design-led dining approach and similar target customer of affluent experiential diners.
• Clap Dubai: Premium experiential Japanese restaurant in Dubai; comparable as a design-led, experiential Japanese concept competing in the same upscale UAE dining market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/wix
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Wix
• Facebookfacebook.com/wix
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reif-kushiyaki-restaurant-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/reifkushiyaki
• TikToktiktok.com/@wix

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Reif Japanese Kushiyaki