{"id":358,"date":"2025-09-17T17:21:36","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T09:21:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/?p=358"},"modified":"2025-10-14T17:39:41","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T09:39:41","slug":"data-to-dining-how-gennadii-bochkar-is-building-asias-culinary-staycation-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/data-to-dining-how-gennadii-bochkar-is-building-asias-culinary-staycation-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Data to Dining: How Gennadii Bochkar is Building Asia\u2019s \u201cCulinary Staycation\u201d Group"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When asked what advice Gennadii Bochkar has for those considering the\u00a0 NUS Executive MBA (EMBA) programme, he replies with conviction<\/span><b>.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u201cYou\u2019ll get as much as the effort you put in and how smartly you take advantage of it. Do your homework. Think ahead: what are your KPIs for a successful EMBA? You\u2019ll probably redefine them along the way, but having clarity helps. And always ask if it\u2019s aligned with your long-term dream.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For him, that alignment was clear. \u201cI chose NUS EMBA because it\u2019s based in the heart of Asia, and I\u2019m on a mission to grow across Southeast Asia.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">With this clarity, it\u2019s no wonder that Gennadii, a current candidate in the 2025 program, has charted an unusual but successful culinary journey<\/span><b>. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most people think of food and beverage entrepreneurs as seasoned chefs or hospitality veterans. For Gennadii, the journey was far less traditional. After nearly a decade in data analytics, working with Fortune 500 brands in China, he traded reports and insights for restaurants and brand experiences. Today, he is Founder &amp; CEO of BIBIMI F&amp;B Group, operating in both Singapore and Shanghai.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-395 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/shanghai-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"465\" height=\"310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/shanghai-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/shanghai-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/shanghai-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/shanghai-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/shanghai-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 465px) 100vw, 465px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>From Analytics to Entrepreneurship<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gennadii\u2019s goal is to shape what he calls Asia\u2019s first \u201cculinary staycation\u201d group. So what exactly is a \u201cculinary staycation\u201d? Gathering from his story, it becomes clearer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In 2016, while still working at Meltwater, Gennadii co-founded BIBIMI. By day, he continued in corporate analytics; by night, he experimented with restaurant concepts. Drawing on years of social media listening and consumer insight, he and his co-founders launched their first brand, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bites &amp; Brews<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, in Shanghai\u2019s Jing\u2019an district.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-393 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/gene-fiona-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"482\" height=\"321\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/gene-fiona-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/gene-fiona-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/gene-fiona-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/gene-fiona-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/gene-fiona-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 482px) 100vw, 482px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This decision to step into entrepreneurship was driven less by ambition than by the urge to create. The method was simple but effective: standing on the corner of Wuding Road and Jiaozhou Road, they handed out beers, intercepted passersby, and ran informal surveys. \u201cNo arrogance. Just real data and a real understanding of the community,\u201d he says. \u201cWe listened closely and built a concept around needs people didn\u2019t even know they had.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cI never really left analytics,\u201d he reflects. \u201cI just started using it differently \u2014 always asking: what do people want before they know they want it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Expansion Aided by the EMBA Advantage<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-359 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/bites-brew-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"482\" height=\"321\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/bites-brew-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/bites-brew-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/bites-brew-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/bites-brew-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/bites-brew.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 482px) 100vw, 482px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When BIBIMI expanded into Singapore in early 2024, Gennadii faced an un<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">expected challenge: what had resonated with consumers in Shanghai did not translate easily in Singapore. \u201cPeople here noticed different things, responded in different ways. Our positioning felt unclear,\u201d he explains.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was a fortunate coincidence that his first NUS EMBA class was Marketing Strategy with Professor Prem Shamdasani. \u201cThat course was an absolute goldmine,\u201d Gennadii recalls. Armed with fresh frameworks, he conducted a brand perception audit, analysing Google reviews, offline feedback, and customer conversations. The findings allowed him to sharpen the brand\u2019s positioning and messaging for the Singapore market.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-397 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/food-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"390\" height=\"520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/food-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/food-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/food-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/food.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 390px) 100vw, 390px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What stood out most for Gennadii was the EMBA\u2019s ability to apply lessons immediately. \u201cAs founders, we have the luxury of testing and implementing changes across departments in real time. That\u2019s powerful. And if you\u2019re in F&amp;B, with physical outlets, it\u2019s even more special \u2014 your restaurants become living case studies for your classmates and alumni community.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The impact of his first class was immediate. Foot traffic and engagement improved. More importantly, the group made a pivotal decision: to unify all its concepts under one clear mission to become Asia\u2019s leading \u201cculinary staycation\u201d group<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-394 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/babarian-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"476\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/babarian-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/babarian-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/babarian-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/babarian-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/babarian-2048x1366.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 476px) 100vw, 476px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gathering from his response, a culinary staycation is not merely about eating out. Restaurants like Barbarian and Nomad aim to \u201ctransport you somewhere \u2014 a different country, a different time, even a different mood.\u201d In other words, BIBIMI\u2019s restaurants are designed to offer guests a brief escape from everyday life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThat first class was unforgettable. I felt the power of the EMBA right away,\u201d Gennadii reflects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Where Data Meets Dining<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When asked about the role of AI in his business, Gennadii lights up. \u201cI love this question,\u201d he says. \u201cBecause this is exactly where data, technology, and creativity converge, and that\u2019s the space I enjoy most.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For him, there is no conflict between AI and hospitality. \u201cRestaurants are one of the most labour-intensive industries, and ironically, the thing customers value most in casual or fine dining is the human touch. We don\u2019t see AI as a threat to that. Instead, we use it to free up our people for what matters: creativity, quality, and guest experience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-361 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/w-customers-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"467\" height=\"311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/w-customers-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/w-customers-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/w-customers-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/w-customers-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/w-customers.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 467px) 100vw, 467px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">At BIBIMI, AI has become integral to both creativity and operations. It supports menu innovation. \u201cI\u2019m not a chef, but with AI and imagination, I can co-create with my team to design dishes that are trendy, cost-effective, and aligned with our brand\u201d, \u2014 and helps analyse social trends that inspire new flavours and presentations. On the operations side, AI now handles inventory, recipe documentation, and staff scheduling in hours instead of days.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-398\" src=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/indoor-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/indoor-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/indoor-1-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/indoor-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/indoor-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/indoor-1.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The turning point to integrate AI into all of these, he says, was the EMBA. \u201cBefore, these were scattered experiments. The EMBA gave me the frameworks to turn them into a core business strategy.\u201d Courses like <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">AI Opportunities<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> with Professor Tan Hong Ming broadened his view of how AI could transform business far beyond dashboards. Looking ahead, he is eager to take Technology, Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship with Professor Virginia Cha. \u201cI know that course will help me push this even further.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What excites him most is how it has shifted his role. \u201cWith AI, I\u2019ve been able to shift from a CEO focused on managing operations to a CEO acting as product manager for the brand experience. That\u2019s where I want to be. The EMBA gave me the confidence and tools to make that leap.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Rethinking Leadership<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Leadership was another area of transformation. In the<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Service Management<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> course with Professor Jochen Wirtz, Gennadii came to see customer experience not as an afterthought but as a strategic asset. \u201cDuring a group project on loyalty, my peers challenged me to go deeper. We uncovered that true loyalty isn\u2019t built on discounts or points, but on core experience and love, why people chose you in the first place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This discovery humbled him. \u201cI didn\u2019t fully like myself as a leader before the classes started,\u201d he admits. \u201cI had been too focused on fixing problems and pushing efficiency, without recognising positives or empowering the team.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Today, he emphasises empowerment over control, pairing operational excellence with what he calls \u201cemotional excellence.\u201d One memorable outcome is the creation of the Culinary Staycation Index (CSI). A tongue-in-cheek name, but a serious measure of how well the dining experience reflects the group\u2019s mission of offering guests a mini-vacation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Among the most defining moments of his EMBA leadership journey was the Mumbai immersion, particularly a conversation with Suresh Narayanan, Chairman of Nestl\u00e9 India, who shared how he led through the Maggi noodles crisis. \u201cHe said, \u2018You don\u2019t have to be loved as a leader, but you must be trusted.\u2019 That stayed with me,\u201d Gennadii recalls. Hearing from Ravi Kant of Tata Motors further reinforced the idea of \u201cleading from the back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-399\" src=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/1750160691226-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"410\" height=\"547\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/1750160691226-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/1750160691226-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/1750160691226-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2025\/09\/1750160691226.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 410px) 100vw, 410px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These lessons crystallised into what Gennadii now calls Presence Leadership. It involves being present at every level, working hand-in-hand with teams, providing support from the back, and leading from the front with vision and trust.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Advice for Future Candidates<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We asked what other advice he had for future F&amp;B founders considering the EMBA.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Apart from clarity on what they want from the programme, he stresses that openness is essential. \u201cIf you think you\u2019re already perfect, don\u2019t come. Your ROI will be minimal. But if you\u2019re even slightly open, the program gives you a lot. People will challenge you \u2014 sometimes you won\u2019t see the change immediately. But the transformation is real.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">He also highlights the value of how well the programme is run. \u201cThe NUS leadership and EMBA team do an excellent job. The program runs so smoothly, you almost take it for granted. But when you think about how much work goes into it\u00a0 from speakers to immersions to feedback loops, it\u2019s impressive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Gennadii, the EMBA has broadened his perspective, sharpened his strategy, and connected him to a network that extends far beyond the classroom. \u201cNUS EMBA broadens your lens. You start to see the bigger picture in all the chaos, especially across Asian markets.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And his final advice is simple: enjoy it. \u201cSomeone in the MBA program joked that EMBA candidates are loud and outgoing, probably because we\u2019re finally learning what we need, at a time in life when we want it. You\u2019re not here to chase grades. You\u2019re here for growth. And you\u2019ll remember this time with a smile, so enjoy it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Ready to Take the Next Step like Gennadii?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">From data analytics to culinary innovation, from Shanghai street surveys to Singapore expansion, Gennadii Bochkar\u2019s story shows how insight, imagination, and the right EMBA program can transform a vision into reality. Today, BIBIMI is a vision of what food tech, creativity, and hospitality can achieve together.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For founders and executives ready to take the next step, the <\/span>NUS Executive MBA<span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> offers not just tools, but the frameworks, community, and perspective to lead with clarity in a complex world. <\/span><b>Find out more about the NUS EMBA<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/emba.nus.edu.sg\/\"><em>\u00a0<\/em><b><em>here<\/em><\/b><\/a><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gennadii Bochkar, NUS EMBA Class of 2025, advises candidates to enter the program with clear goals and alignment to their long-term dreams. His own mission to expand across Southeast Asia led him to NUS. After a decade in data analytics with Fortune 500 firms in China, he pivoted to entrepreneurship and is now Founder &amp; CEO of BIBIMI F&amp;B Group, running restaurants in Singapore and Shanghai.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":811,"featured_media":365,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-profiles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Data to Dining: How Gennadii Bochkar is Building Asia\u2019s \u201cCulinary Staycation\u201d Group - EMBA Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gennadii Bochkar, NUS EMBA Class of 2025, advises candidates to enter the program with clear goals and alignment to their long-term dreams. 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