IchiRyu owners share learnings at PSME 2026; teases opening of new branches in Dubai and Japan
MANILA - Last May 22, 2026, IchiRyu Ramen House’s Chairman and Chief Design Officer Nico De Guzman and President and Chief Operating Officer Karl De Guzman were invited to share their business insights, challenges, and learnings at the Philippine Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (PSME) Business Expo.
PSME Business Expo is one of the most anticipated business events in the Philippines that aims to take strategic action to immediately improve and grow business in the country. It is attended by 12,000 entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners.
During their panel discussion entitled ‘The Overseas Filipino Advantage: What Working Overseas Teaches about Entrepreneurship,’ Nico and Karl talked about the challenges they faced when they opened a startup Japanese restaurant in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“We did a lot of mistakes at first. We have a little background in a restaurant because we used to work in fastfood chains and Chef Touru has experience running a restaurant. The good thing is we are willing to learn. We are open to adapt. Not all the things you will try will work. Find that sweet spot that works,” Nico said.
“The challenging part is handling the manpower. When they go to a different country, they have no family members. It's you, as their family. So we treat them as a family member. We make sure that no matter what happens, there is someone here who's helping them,” Karl added.
When asked about their inspiration in opening their own business, Karl shared, “The last job I had was senior account director for an agency, but then I was thinking, my kids are growing, is that really something I wanted to do my entire life? I don’t see my family that much because my job is into events and it takes so much time. Why not be the boss of my own company?”
The De Guzman brothers, along with their older sibling Chef Touru De Guzman (Executive Chef of IchiRyu), own five companies in the UAE. Besides IchiRyu, they also own Tako Ichiban House (another Japanese food brand), House of Hannya (a clothing brand), Okiru (Events Management), and Kizuna General Trading.
Currently, IchiRyu has two branches: one in Jumeirah 1 which celebrated its third anniversary last May 18 and the second in Dubai Marina which will welcome its first year in October. This year, IchiRyu will be opening two new restaurants: a third branch in Dubai located at Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) and a branch in Chichibu, Saitama, Japan.
The JVC branch will draw inspiration from the iconic Showa era - a defining period that shaped modern Japan through resilience, reinvention, and cultural transformation. It is set to open this September 2026. Meanwhile, IchiRyu’s first ever international branch will open in Chichibu, Japan. IchiRyu Chichibu is nestled along Bamba Street, known for its charming retro-style cobblestone path lined with a blend of traditional and modern architecture. It’s just a 3-minute
walk from the 2,100-year-old Chichibu Shrine and only 7 minutes on foot from Seibu-Chichibu Station. Its doors will open starting June 27, 2026.
In light of the current situation in the Middle East and IchiRyu’s continued expansion, what advice do Nico and Karl offer aspiring business owners?
“I was 46 years old when we started our business but it’s never too late. If we did it, you can, too. Believe us, there’s nothing special about us. We are ordinary people as well. One day, who knows, you’ll be here as a panelist and we’ll be the one listening to your stories,” Karl said.
“Stop thinking about things you cannot control; especially with what's happening to us in the Middle East now. These are some unique times and we cannot do anything about it. What we can do is how we react to it. We just make sure that our staff are safe and our livelihood is secure. Together, we can survive this,” Nico shared.