Chef David is an advocate for cruelty free and sustainable ingredients and is a firm believer in letting the ingredients speak for themselves. He creates a broad spectrum of flavour profiles drawing from his global travels and love of ethnic cuisines. Davids culinary creations are a combination of the classic married with the contemporary, his approach to avour pro ling is more driven by his imagination than the conformity of the expected but also aesthetically real.

Laris first gained public acclaim in London while heading up Mezzo, Sir Terence Conran’s flagship restaurant. Noted for his talent in mixing fresh ideas and classic dishes, Laris elevated Mezzo to world- renowned status and won the restaurant countless accolades for inspired dining.

Arriving in Shanghai in 2003, he launched his namesake restaurant Laris at Three on the Bund designed by Michale Graves, which quickly became a landmark in the city’s contemporary fine-dining scene and has been credited with being one of the founders of the western dining scene in China. Laris later created a variety of exciting new concepts for the local market, bringing everything from Greek, Italian, Mexican, Healthy as well as bars and retails products, Laris founded one of the first independent Chocolate shops in China not to mention the creation of Le Sheng, a modern Shanghainese restaurant that won Best Shanghainese Cuisine in Shanghai two years in a row.

Besides his own restaurant creations, Laris has developed original food and beverage concepts for many renowned international brands, including Baccarat, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Dunhill, and most notably Swire Hotel Group. In 2012, Laris was instrumental in developing multiple F&B brands for the Swire Group including the award-winning Bei and Sereno at properties in Beijing, Hong Kong and Chengdu. Laris’s work keeps him constantly busy in cities all over the globe and has continued to leave his mark on home cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Macau, Hanoi, London and Sydney and now is spending time developing new products for the US and Mexican markets.

Business aside, Laris has also been a actively involved in philanthropic activities for non-profit organisations. He is also a spokesperson for The Strawless Ocean.