Some chefs build menus; Pedro Goizueta builds worlds around them. Since arriving in Vietnam, he has transformed Michelin-trained precision into a growing collection of restaurant concepts shaped by cultural exchange, commercial instinct and an appetite for experimentation.
.jpg)
When Pedro Goizueta arrived in Vietnam in late 2017, he brought with him the discipline of one of Spain’s most respected kitchens. His previous chapter at Casa Marcial, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Asturias, had sharpened his culinary technique and deepened his understanding of regional identity. Vietnam, however, offered a different kind of opportunity: the freedom to build.
The country quickly became his second home and the setting for an increasingly ambitious hospitality career. Although Goizueta’s foundations are firmly rooted in cooking, his work in Vietnam has moved well beyond the traditional role of a chef. He has become a restaurateur, creative director and operator, developing concepts while overseeing the structures required to make them sustainable.
His first independent venture, KiBa, opened in 2019. Conceived as a fusion restaurant, it featured an indoor hydroponic garden that brought a visible sense of freshness and experimentation into the space. The project was ambitious and forward-looking, yet its timing proved difficult. KiBa closed in May 2021 as the pandemic continued to reshape Vietnam’s dining industry. Yet KiBa proved formative, giving Goizueta the practical experience and clarity that would guide his next ventures.
Later that year, he launched Ibérico Vinos y Tapas. Opening a restaurant in October 2021, while the hospitality industry was still recovering, required both confidence and flexibility. Built around Spanish wines, convivial plates and the informal energy of a tapas bar, Ibérico found an audience among international residents and Vietnamese diners alike.
Its early success led to expansion beyond a single address. Today, the brand operates three locations across Vietnam, making it the clearest example of Goizueta’s evolution from chef to multi-unit operator. Expansion required more than repeating a successful menu. It demanded systems, training, quality control and the ability to preserve a brand’s personality across different teams and cities.
His portfolio has since broadened through Churros Club, a Saigon-based concept centred on one of Spain’s most familiar street treats. Accessible and focused, the brand reveals his ability to translate cultural references into formats suited to a contemporary urban audience.
Seedeats, his latest project, turns towards healthy Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant brings together fresh ingredients, balanced cooking and a relaxed approach to everyday dining. Its positive reception suggests that Goizueta’s strength lies not in repeating a single formula, but in recognising how different concepts can respond to changing lifestyles.
Across these ventures, he has developed local teams, managed multiple operations and built brands that communicate naturally with both Vietnamese and expatriate communities. His work reflects an understanding that a successful restaurant depends on more than a compelling menu. It also requires positioning, consistency, financial awareness and a team capable of carrying the original vision forward.
Pedro Goizueta’s story in Vietnam is therefore not simply one of a European chef working abroad. It is the evolution of a culinary professional into a hospitality entrepreneur, someone who understands the kitchen intimately, but is equally interested in everything that allows a restaurant to grow beyond it.