Meet LOTTE HOTEL MOSCOW's new Executive Chef Ian Minnis
“For me, gastronomy is part of the atmosphere and memories that stay with people. It is crucial to create not just dishes, but experiences guests will want to return to.”
— Ian Christopher Minnis
From London, Cairo, and Dubai to the Seychelles and Moscow, Ian Christopher Minnis’s signature style was shaped by some of the world’s top gastronomic destinations. Today, he joins the LOTTE HOTEL MOSCOW team as Executive Chef aiming to reinvent the hotel’s culinary offerings and unite all restaurant concepts under a single philosophy.
Minnis studied hotel management and culinary arts at George Brown College in Toronto, one of North America’s leading post-secondary institutions for applied arts and technology. His career has evolved through projects defined by the highest standards of international hospitality — from organizing an official reception for a G7 summit to leading kitchens at luxury hotels across Europe, the Middle East, and the Indian Ocean.
Minnis’s international experience is reflected not only in the places where he has worked, but also in his deep understanding of contemporary gastronomy as part of global hospitality culture. Over years of working in numerous luxury hotels and gastronomic projects, he has developed an approach in which attention to detail and emotional connection form the foundation of every culinary creation.
Having worked in diverse cultural environments, Minnis brings with him a subtle balance between technical precision, respect for local produce, and the ability to create an exciting experience through taste, presentation, and atmosphere. For Minnis, gastronomy has long been more than just a craft: he sees it as part of the overall architecture of experience, shaping how guests remember the places they visit and the time they spend there. His passion for photography and watch collecting has also influenced his culinary philosophy. Photography has taught him to notice nuances of light, color, and composition, while his appreciation of fine watchmaking fosters a sense of rhythm and consistency — qualities he brings into the kitchen, creating dishes as “carefully calibrated mechanisms” of taste and aesthetics.
In his new role, the chef will oversee all food and beverage operations at LOTTE HOTEL MOSCOW — from restaurants and banquet menus to room service and special gastronomic projects. His ultimate objective is to build a cohesive concept in which every menu, presentation, and detail contributes to the culinary identity of LOTTE restaurants.
With Minnis at the helm, a new chapter in LOTTE HOTEL MOSCOW’s gastronomic story is about to begin, featuring updated concepts, signature menus, and new culinary experiences.