With a background in science, music, and psychology, he was drawn to the precision of culinary chemistry, leading him to train under Marco Pierre White and stage at some of the world’s most renowned restaurants, including The French Laundry and The Fat Duck.

His career took him across Europe, New Zealand, Asia, the U.S., and Scandinavia before he returned to the UK in 2012 as Executive Chef of Merchants. A finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2015, his inventive approach to food was widely praised. In 2016, he moved to Cape Town, transforming South Africa’s fine dining scene with his molecular and avant-garde techniques.

After launching multiple acclaimed restaurants, including GÅTE and EXHIBIT A, he expanded to the U.S., leading Amorette to national recognition and later helming Michelin-starred Adams and Doshi. Now back in South Africa, Rikku has opened RIKŪ Chef’s Counter, a 12-seat omakase-style restaurant blending Scandinavian and Asian influences, continuing his journey of culinary innovation.