Executive Impact: Pirata Group CEO Christian Talpo on Investing in People
Have you ever wondered what it takes to make it to the C-suite? We sit down with corporate leaders and changemakers to get to the heart of their success. What was their first job? What does it take to found your own company? We cover all of these questions and much more in Executive Impact, our interview series that explores actionable advice, corporate social responsibility, leadership challenges, and building on a legacy that will have a tangible impact on the future.
In the inaugural edition of our Executive Impact interview series, which highlights corporate executives who are making a tangible impact on younger generations and the wider community, The Beat Asia dives into the story of Christian Talpo, Co-Founder of Pirata Group, who had a jubilant homecoming when he returned as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in early 2024. Christian offers a unique perspective into his personal life, his philosophy that has brought Pirata to its status as a leading restaurant group in Hong Kong, and key learnings from his early start as an F&B entrepreneur to today.
While Pirata holds its status as an industry giant, Christian is very humble and always brings the conversation back to his roots. His amicability translates into the Group's reputation for industry-leading hospitality, a standout achievement in Hong Kong. Christian also has a long history in F&B, from his first job at a hotel as a teenager to helming notable names like Aqua Restaurant Group, Zuma, and Gaia Group, to opening his first restaurant and founding Pirata Group.
A year after Christian's return as CEO, he has successfully brought the magic back to Pirata, reinvigorating their brands and leading celebratory activations for the Group's 10-year anniversary. Guests have been delighted with new menus and their recent popular Chinese New Year crossover between Pici and The Chilli Lab.
Believe it or not, to this day, Christian meticulously makes sure to sample every single dish that is served across the Group's 16 brands. Not only does he share his joy for service with his front of house staff, but he works closely with his chefs, constantly updating the menus even when they are live. After our conversation with Christian, he was on his way to workshop Honjokko's latest menu. His "people first" approach is truly the beating heart of Pirata and key to the Group's legacy.
Read on to explore Christian's origins- and surprising hobbies- personal advice on success, growth mindset, and a very exciting year ahead for Pirata Group! Kicking off the interview, we ran 10 questions from the Proust Questionnaire by Christian:
1. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Straight for the jugular! My greatest achievement would be my kids — I have three children: 17, 10, and 4. They bring me a lot of joy in life. I'm very proud and a very happy father.
Second, building a business. We started with next to nothing, so to build it to 26 restaurants, I'm very proud.
Also, other things that are not business related. I'm an around-the-world sailor; I'm very proud of that achievement because it was a 4-year commitment. So, to get to the start line and compete in an Around the Word Yacht Race was significant. I’m very happy to report that I survived and placed on the podium!
2. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A lot of things make me happy — my kids laughing, a happy guest, when my restaurants work and they're full and profitable. I try to remind myself that nothing is permanent and everything is changeable. So I don't get super elated or desperate; I tend to be very stable. I sometimes have to remind myself to celebrate.
3. What was your first job?
I started work at 14 years old in a local mountain hotel. I was a waiter, dishwasher, stable boy, and room service attendant, depending on the time of the day. It was a seasonal job, and I worked basically all throughout the summer without a day off from six in the morning until 11 o'clock at night. And then with my friends, we would scale the wall of the hotel and go find a bar where we would drink a couple of cheeky beers at two in the morning.
4. When and where are you the happiest?
I ride motorcycles; a full tank of gas, an empty road, and the longer way to a destination make me truly happy. I lived in Singapore for a few years, and nothing made me more happy than getting up at four in the morning and then riding all the way to Thailand, or we rode all the way to Vietnam [one time].
Of course, there are other things, but if you put me on a motorcycle, I’m happy.
5. What is it that you most dislike?
I don't think there is one thing that I particularly dislike. I'm quite understanding when it comes to the day-to-day, but I don't like people who are mean-spirited or who bully weaker people.
6. What is your greatest fear?
I fear nothing when it comes to myself, but I am scared for my kids. I'm conscious of the fact that they will go through hardships in life, we all do eventually, and that scares me.
7. Which talent would you most like to have?
A certain amount of carefree and cheerfulness. I surround myself with people who are carefree and happy; these kinds of people I really envy. I really like that attitude in life, and sometimes I take myself a little bit too seriously.
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
My godfather said this to me when I was younger, and I didn't believe it [at the time], but he told me intelligence. But in life, eventually, I came to realize that one of the most overrated [virtues] is intelligence. A lot of people who are very intelligent are failing in life because they don't have the right determination or courage to put things in motion. So intelligence, by itself, is not enough.
9. Which living person do you most admire?
There is one person I truly admire. Unfortunately, he passed away not so long ago and his name was Bernard Moitessier, who was a sailor.
Sir Charles (Chay) Blyth is also a sailor, and he was the first person who sailed around the world single-handed in 1968. He was an ex-paratrooper, had never sailed before, and decided one day, I can do this, and taught himself how to sail, sailed around the world, unassisted, against the currents and the winds alone.
I met him a couple of months ago, for the reunion of my sailing race and I bumped into him in a lift. It's quite a funny experience to bump into my hero in a lift in a hotel, and we had a very good chat. I love this man a lot. He’s a very strong and determined person.
10. What is your motto?
I have two — one I use a lot. I asked my wife, and she told me: ‘You can lead a donkey to the water, but you can't force it to drink.’ Apparently, I use that a lot.
And then, ever since I was young, I fell in love with a motto I heard in history class, which was ‘Aut viam inveniam aut faciam,’ which is Latin meaning, ‘I'll find a way or I'll make one.’ It was a statement by Hannibal, a general in the Phoenician Empire invading Rome in the Second Punic War. He was leading elephants from Africa into Northern Italy, through the Alps. Eventually, they found a way and invaded Italy for four years, so they were a menace. I [even] have a tattoo on my arm somewhere of it!
As we transitioned from the Proust Questionnaire for Christian’s in-depth profile, his impeccable hospitality skills shone through as he made sure we were comfortable and all settled in the venue.
Reflecting on your journey co-founding Pirata Group to your return as CEO, how does it feel to look back and celebrate the Group’s growth?
It’s been a crazy journey; we never imagined we would be a group, and that we'd grow to this size.
In the beginning, our goal was to start a restaurant that we would be proud of. We started a second restaurant because the first one was successful, and it wasn't until our sixth that we realized maybe we should start considering ourselves a group and thinking about the business in a different way. The good thing about this growth is that it hasn’t felt forced, but natural and ergonomic.
What is a crucial piece of leadership advice you wish had been shared with your younger self?
Start earlier and have no fear.
I tried several times to [make] my own restaurant, prior to starting Pirata, and for one reason or another, I never really went through with it. Have no fear and just roll with the punches.
What is an unexpected aspect of your role that would surprise your younger self?
Back in the day, when I looked at people at the top, I used to think they must be geniuses [and] I’ll never get there. And when you get there, you realize you’re just a bunch of people trying your best. We’re not geniuses; we’re just normal people who followed through with their ideas and dreams. It’s just determination, hard work, and a little bit of carefulness.
Congratulations on hitting the 10-year milestone in 2024! What's a memorable experience in Pirata Group’s history you’d love to commemorate?
Opening my first restaurant and the joy it gave me, getting to turn the key and say we are here, entering the first service on the first night was a particularly proud moment.
But be careful what you wish for — [by] day two, we started worrying about payroll, rent, marketing, food, the location. You start to have so many other worries, especially for people who depend on you for their livelihood, and that has never gone away.
The second proudest [moment was] probably when I paid back the total investment within the first year. That’s when I [knew] we were on our way.
Coming to a year following your return as Group CEO, what impact are you looking to make?
[2024] has been all about rebuilding the engine. I think we lost our way in the last couple of years. We felt we were losing the magic ingredient that made us special, and most importantly, our team was not super happy. Our creed has always been staff first.
Coming back last year was about making sure that I fixed the fixable and prepared the company for the future. This year, I'm going to be focusing on expansion and growth.
Do you have a personal favorite out of all the establishments?
It’s like asking who’s my favorite kid! I do, but I'm not going to tell you. *laughs* Different restaurants bring different memories, and I have a soft spot for all of them but for different reasons.
With Hong Kong just entering its post-pandemic recovery, how is Pirata Group looking to distinguish itself and be at the forefront of the city’s hospitality industry in 2025?
Hospitality in Hong Kong is one of the best, and I'm blessed to be even considered in the same realm as some of the heavyweights. There are some real capable people working in the industry and really smart people in this business.
The nature of Hong Kong, because it's so fast-paced and constantly evolving, makes us never stop innovating. If you stop innovating, growing, and investing in your restaurant, you won't last very long. Some of my restaurants are now 10 years old, and for Hong Kong standards, that's dog years. So I’m looking forward to Pirata Group achieving, as well as my friends in the industry.
For us, we’ll stay true to the three pillars of Pirata Group: good food, good service, and good value for money. This is something we established very early on and what made us different at the core.
For emerging F&B entrepreneurs looking to tackle this tough market and make a difference, do you have a main takeaway to share with them?
Just be bold, stick with it, be creative, and let go! You cannot know all the answers, but you need to have confidence that you will figure it out as you go.
Pirata Group is renowned for its superb hospitality and service offered by your “Pirates,” what is the key to inspiring and building such a dynamic and engaged team?
First of all, it's not just telling people, but living what we say we're going to do. When I say 'team first,' I really mean it, and we live by it.
We try to hire people who have hospitality in their blood already or are cheerful people. We need creativity and a lot of other qualities like toughness. And we want our team to grow and do well in life. We have a lot of old managers who started their own restaurants, so it’s really been sensational to follow their careers.
What’s your favorite part about working in F&B in Hong Kong?
To tell you the truth, I hated most of it for the longest time. When I got to my twenties and was thinking I really don't like this job, I did start a business importing food and wine in Hong Kong. We did that for a couple of years, but I really missed being on the floor with guests and being part of a restaurant. It’s one of those things where you know you don't realize how good you had it until you don't have it anymore.
When I became an owner, I learned a whole number of things I didn't know before. I opened and ran Zuma for several years, worked in hotels and independent restaurants, and was a COO of multiple outlets. I thought I had it all figured out until I became an owner, and then I realized that that was only one-quarter of the job; there was so much more I had yet to learn.
Right now, with these many restaurants under my belt, I still feel I have so much to learn.
What’s something unique you’ve discovered about serving Italian food to Hong Kong people?
Oh, that's very easy. There are so many things in common. Look at the noodles, dim sum, and pocket pasta. The love and joy that we have when we sit around a table. We love everything about food. It’s very easy to see the bridge between the two cultures.
What can we look forward to seeing from Pirata in 2025?
Growing Pane e Latte, Pizza Project, and definitely Pici.
Are there any last words you’d like to share?
Thank you. That's all I can say. Thank you for believing in us, and thank you for thinking that we deserve attention.
Learn more about Pirata Group here, and follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for more updates!
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