RAPH REGAN
I’m Raph Regan, an Italian chef and consultant specializing in menu development, ingredient-driven cuisine, and innovative pizza toppings. I started cooking in Oslo in 2012, moving from one kitchen to another, including Michelin-starred spots, always pushing myself to learn and evolve. Over the years, I’ve worked in Norway, Italy, and Japan, refining my style and shaping my philosophy around sustainability, bold flavors, and ingredient integrity.
ROOTS
Growing up in Naples, I was always close to the pizza world, working with local pizzerias and exploring how simple ingredients could be transformed into something extraordinary. In the last 3–4 years, I’ve deepened my focus on pizza topping innovation, helping pizzerias and restaurants craft unique menus that respect tradition while bringing something fresh to the table
EXPLORATION
My cooking is casual yet contemporary, with a strong emphasis on acidity, umami, and balance. I love working with often-overlooked ingredients—the cuts of fish and vegetables that many ignore but actually carry the best flavor. Over the years, I’ve gained hands-on experience in fermentation, cured fish, biodynamic farming, and natural wine, all of which have shaped how I think about food today.
TODAY
Recently, I ran the kitchen at Milky House in Hokkaido, Japan, developing a menu that blended local ingredients with my personal approach. Now, I’m based in Dublin but continue to consult for restaurants worldwide, helping chefs and businesses refine their menus and bring new ideas to the table.
WE ARE WHAT WE EAT
Believe in a new vision of restaurants and food services that shared the great duty of sustainability, Zero Waste and inner-recycling.
Cooking Skills
My journey in the kitchen wasn't exactly a straight line. From a chaotic start washing dishes to the intense pressure of Michelin-starred service, those early years were a real baptism by fire. But that's where I truly learned the nuts and bolts – the speed you need, the organization that saves your sanity, and the almost obsessive way you have to handle ingredients. It wasn't just about following recipes; it was about understanding the rhythm of a kitchen, something that sticks with you.
Italian Heritage
While my culinary background in Italy didn't follow the stereotypical "Nonna cooking all day" narrative, food was undeniably the central current of our daily lives. It wasn't just about meals; it was a constant topic of conversation, a shared language that connected us. Discussions about what we were eating or planning our next meal, can be a typical conversation subject during a meal itself. This immersion in a food-centric culture instilled in me a deep appreciation for its power to bring people together, where food is the leitmotif of the going out, the gathering, the holiday, or even a beach excursion.
Nordic Mindset
My time in Norway wasn't just about surviving the long winters! It actually shaped a fundamental part of my culinary approach. There's a real ingenuity there, a way of looking at ingredients with a resourceful eye. It's about making the most of what you have, minimizing waste not just for cost savings, but out of a genuine respect for the ingredients themselves. That practical, almost philosophical approach to food – making delicious things by being smart and valuing every part of the process – that's something I carry with me; and eventually made me prefer butter over Olive oil in few circumstance.
Other Skills
My brain's always buzzing with ideas, and that definitely isn't limited to just food. I've always been drawn to creative outlets, whether it's getting lost in music, experimenting with writing, or even dabbling in theatre. I think all those different ways of thinking and expressing myself actually feed back into my culinary work. It's about seeing things from different angles, finding unexpected connections, and bringing a fresh, maybe even slightly unconventional, perspective to the table. This curiosity and drive to create in different areas definitely shapes how I approach culinary challenges.
Before and during my time as a chef, I've also immersed myself in a fascinating range of related and seemingly unrelated fields. From the intricate processes of natural winemaking and the grounded principles of biodynamic gardening to world of specialty coffee , these diverse experiences have broadened my understanding of ingredients, and production. This eclectic background enriches my culinary perspective and allows me to bring a more creative and innovative approach to my consulting work.
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Menu & Recipe Development
From pizzerias to restaurants, bistrot or modern cafés, I turn seasonal ingredients and concept ideas into real menus that flow in the kitchen and shine at the table. Custom recipes, smart prep methods, and flavors that speak your brand's language.
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Signature Pizza Topping
Stand out in a saturated market with signature toppings and sauces rooted in Italian tradition, reimagined through new textures, global touches, and seasonality. From idea to test kitchen, I help bring your next best-seller to life.
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Food Product Formulation
Want to launch your own sauce, seasoning, or ready-to-eat line? I help food brands build and refine recipes for small-batch or scalable production, combining culinary creativity with production logic and food engineering.
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Culinary Consulting Services
Opening a new concept? Refining your workflow? I support restaurants and food ventures with menu strategy, kitchen layout and operational guidance to make great food simple to serve.
Updates, upcoming projects, and moments from the kitchen
Tell Me about your project
Interested in working together or just want to ask a question? Whether it’s menu development, consulting, or simply exploring a project idea, book a free discovery call or send me a message, I’d love to hear from you. The service you need is not on the list? Fill out the form with your information and we’ll be in touch shortly.