“Cyprus has a lot to offer: the sun, the sea, a great position between Europe and the Middle East, and an international community that lives there all year round. Limassol especially has grown a lot, with guests who travel and appreciate quality. It's natural that brands want to be part of that. I'm happy to see the scene growing. More good restaurants is good for everyone, and above all for the guests,” Riccardo Giraudi, also known as ‘Beefboy’, says.
The world-renowned restaurateur and founder of Beefbar, a luxury restaurant chain, speaks to CBN about the restaurant’s success ahead of its second anniversary. Located inside the Amara Hotel in Limassol, it opened its doors in 2024, with the Cyprus venue marking another milestone for the internationally recognised brand.
Beefbar will celebrated its second anniversary in Limassol this month. How have the first two years been? How does it feel to see another Beefbar welcomed so successfully?
Two years already, it went very fast. I'm really grateful to the people of Limassol, who welcomed us so warmly and made Beefbar part of their city. That's the best thing that can happen to a restaurant: when the locals come back, again and again. The credit goes to the team on the ground, who work very hard every single day. Opening a restaurant is always a risk, and you never take success for granted. So seeing it full two years later is a real joy.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently within AMARA?
Honestly, not much. AMARA was the right partner from the start, and we share the same idea of hospitality: warm, generous, never pretentious. Of course, we learned along the way. Limassol goes out later and celebrates more than we expected, so we adapted. We listen to our guests and keep improving. That never stops.
Are you considering expanding Beefbar to other cities in Cyprus?
No, I think one Beefbar in Cyprus is the right balance. We prefer to do one place very well. But we love the island, and we have other brands in the group that could find a home there one day. If it happens, I would love to do it with the same partners. When you build a good relationship, you want to continue together.
What do you feel when you visit one of your Beefbar locations, particularly one as well received as Cyprus?
Mostly gratitude. I opened the first Beefbar in Monte-Carlo in 2005, a small restaurant with a big dream. Twenty years later, walking into a full room in Limassol and feeling the same spirit, it still moves me. It's not about me, it's about the teams who carry the brand every night. And yes, I still go to the kitchen to check. Old habits.
Since Beefbar arrived, more international fine-dining brands have come to Cyprus. What's driving this interest?
Cyprus has a lot to offer: the sun, the sea, a great position between Europe and the Middle East, and an international community that lives there all year round. Limassol especially has grown a lot, with guests who travel and appreciate quality. It's natural that brands want to be part of that. I'm happy to see the scene growing. More good restaurants is good for everyone, and above all for the guests.
Read also: World-famous restaurateur Riccardo Giraudi talks about opening his new Beefbar in Limassol (video)
Read also: Beefboy Returns to Beefbar Cyprus at AMARA
