Former TIS student Daniel Ricardo (Class of 2009) is making a name for himself in Macau’s ultra competitive restaurant business.

After graduating with a double degree (Business Administration and Hospitality Management) from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, Daniel returned to Macau and began working at the popular Tuk Tuk Restaurant locations, owned and operated by his parents. It was there that he learned the ropes of the restaurant business and began taking on more and more responsibilities in an effort to reduce the burden on his parents. After a few years, he took the initiative to open and manage a brand new Tuk Tuk location in Faichikei.

“It was really daunting being thrust head first, but I had a lot of help along the way from my family and friends who guided me through it.”

His biggest challenge? “The constant pressure of thinking on your feet and the ability to have endurance,” he says, adding. “There cannot be a lull in the daily operation or the whole thing comes crashing down.”

Daniel has adapted well to life after university and is content with the choices he has made. “Abraham Lincoln once said ‘the best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time and this is my philosophy in life. Everything I do, I take in steps and I could not be happier to be blessed with such a life.”

As for the future, Daniel is in the process of drawing up plans for a food shipping business as well as other business ventures in Macau. “The opportunities are limitless so I am excited to see what the future will bring”