Evgeny Kuzin is a man of few words. He prefers to let his multi-million dollar hospitality empire do the talking. At just 31 years old, the young Russian is responsible for introducing Dubai to some of the world’s most elite restaurant and nightclub brands — all through global hospitality firm Bulldozer Group, where he acts as founder and managing partner of the group’s Middle East operations.
Under its umbrella, Kuzin’s money maker runs restaurants designed for the ultra-rich. These include Monte Carlo’s famous Sass Café, London’s celebrity hangout Novikov, Sydney’s prominent Toko, and Venice’s legendary Cipriani, where Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum is a regular.
If that’s not impressive enough, the group is the force behind the city’s major players in luxury nightlife, having imported London-concept Movida, Saint Tropez’s VIP Room, as well as developing Dubai’s own home-grown Hobo.
Quite the portfolio for a six-year-old company situated in one of the most sought-after nightlife cities in the world — but Kuzin’s expressionless face and laid-back attitude makes it look like a piece of cake.
“We took a shot at it,” says the Russian, simply. “Movida was our first concept — just to try and see if it works. And it did. We didn’t try to make it very commercial. It just turned out very successful.”
Successful might be an understatement considering the club cost the magnate a staggering $10m to fit out, a figure he reportedly recouped within a year.
Following Movida in 2011, the only way was up for Kuzin and his empire. Soon after, he launched Saint Tropez brand VIP Room in Dubai, arguably making it the first high-end European nightclub marque to hit the city.
But it was in 2014 and 2016 that the Russian took the dining scene by storm, launching Sass Café and Toko in 2014 followed by Arkady Novikov’s Novikov and Cipriani just two years after. And while it helps having globally recognised concepts, Kuzin insists other factors are in play.
“It’s always important to analyse the market. In this business, concept is very important, but location is also very important,” he says.
It’s no surprise then that the group’s venues are located in the city’s most-wanted spots such as Downtown’s Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Sheikh Zayed Road. But the question remains: why Dubai?
“When I came first time to Dubai in 2005 I really liked the city. I felt that it had a lot of opportunity in the [hospitality] market. So I decided to stay here and develop this opportunity,” says Kuzin.
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