Nikolay Nikitenkov
Ukrainian restaurateur based on the Costa del Sol since 2022. Three restaurants in Spain: Luini San Pedro, Luini El Fuerte in Marbella, and Luidze in Estepona.
Trained at ALMA La Scuola Internazionale di Cucina Italiana in Italy. Arrived in Spain in early 2022 with no Spanish and no local contacts. During the first year, founded a Spanish language school for Ukrainian immigrants, built a community of 570+ members, found the right chef, and opened the first restaurant.
I consult restaurateurs opening venues abroad or trying to fix what is not working in an existing business. I share my experience through a blog and speaking engagements.
By the Numbers
Journey
School №67, Faculty of Management and Administration, Ukraine
ALMA La Scuola Internazionale di Cucina Italiana — Italian cuisine and gastronomy
Moved to Spain, Costa del Sol. Paperwork via Red Cross, adaptation
Founded Spanish language school for Ukrainian immigrants; 570+ member community
Luini San Pedro opens — Calle Andalucía, 6, San Pedro de Alcántara
Luini El Fuerte opens — Hotel El Fuerte, Marbella, beachfront
Brand chef Oleksii Dolbniev wins televised chef battle against Puerto Banús rivals
Luidze (Cortijo Luidze) opens — Estepona, open-fire grill restaurant
Expertise
Concept & Opening
From idea to first guest: concept, location, team, operating model.
Unit Economics
Food cost, labour cost, EBITDA — tuning the financial model for sustainable profit.
Team & HR
Hiring, onboarding, motivation and retention in a high-turnover industry.
Service & Standards
Developing service standards and loyalty programs to grow average check.
Operations Optimization
Process audit and rebuild: kitchen, floor, logistics, suppliers.
International Expansion
Opening a restaurant in a foreign country without language or contacts. Personal experience: Ukraine → Spain, three venues from scratch.