• Bogdan Panchenko and Ivan Kukarskih – Founders (shot by Glen Ballis)


    With a shared international background and a true ambition to excel in the food and beverage sphere, Ivan and Bogdan struck up a synergetic partnership from day one. In 2013, Ivan founded BB Burgers, which has quickly become one of the most successful burger restaurant chains in Russia. Meanwhile, Bogdan was having his own success becoming a key supplier to the nation’s capital, providing fresh vegetables and fruit from all over Russia.
  • Glen Ballis – Brand chef


    Born in Australia, upon finishing culinary school, Glen worked eight years domestically before moving to Southeast Asia, where he spent the next twenty years fine tuning his trade, before moving to London. In 2006, he was offered a position to open a restaurant in Moscow and he never looked back. From there, he has positioned himself as a business partner with some of Moscow's top restaurants, renowned for their delicious tastes and eclectic styles. In addition, Ballis owns three restaurants in Singapore, which are managed by his son.
  • Elizaveta Yakovets – Marketing


    Graduated from the Higher School of Economics. Since 20 years old has been engaged in marketing in the restaurant field. Having gained experience in a large advertising company, she opened her own agency and in 2018 moved to Lucky Group during their first Margarita Bistro project. Her value is working with mind and heart.
  • Maxim Gorelik – Chef Bartender

    Has been in the industry for 10 years. He started his career in Krasnoyarsk (2011-2012), then worked in bars in St. Petersburg (2013) with the future founders of the Imbibe bar. In 2014 he moved to Moscow and worked at one of the first Speak Easy in Russia - Jack Rose, then joined the team of Bruce Lee Bar (former Belka Bar), where six months later he became a bar manager at the age of 22. In 2016, he had experience in bar consulting, and at the beginning of 2017 he joined the team of opening the Cevicheria restaurant. In mid-2017, he received an offer to open a new project Margarita Bistro as a bar manager. A year later, he opened Lucky Izakaya Bar, afterwards - Eva and Loro, thereafter he became the chief bartender of the new restaurant group Lucky Group.

    Since 2017 he is also part of the Bacardi - Martini family. Since September 2017, he was the trade ambassador of Bacardi - Martini in Moscow. Since January 1, 2022, he has been the Patron tequila brand ambassador in Russia and Eastern Europe.

    Included in the Top 10 Russian bar managers according to Barproof 2017-2018 and the Top 3 Russian bar managers according to Barproof 2019-2021.

    Now he is a speaker at various restaurant and bar venues in Russia, such as the Roman Toroschin Training Center, Gastreet Show, Moscow Food Academy.

    The ideologist of the educational bar community at Lucky Group - Lucky Bar Skills.

  • Dmitry Nikitin - Chef


    He started his career in 2014 in Moscow at the “Fahrenheit” restaurant as a chef assistant (then the cook and the foreman of the hot shop). In 2018 he worked as a sous-chef at Choice. Healthy Social Club. In a year, he became part of the Margarita Bistro, where he went from sous-chef to chef. He believes that the main thing in his work is a strong team spirit. It is also important to give your love to guests in every dish.
  • Maxim Andreev - Head manager


    Has a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Credit. He began his career at the Coffeemania restaurant chain as a waiter assistant. After 3 years of working as a waiter, he obtain a manager position at the opening restaurant "Thirst for Blood". “3 years of experience in Coffeemania brought me to Lucky Group, where in 9 months I went from a manager of a new All Day restaurant to a head manager of Margarita bistro”, says Maxim.
  • Alexander Maltsev - Bar Manager

    Alexander Maltsev started his career back in 2018 in the Oryol region as a bartender. After working for a year, he decided to move to Moscow. He was waiting the occurrence for bartender vacancy at Margarita Bistro restaurant for 5 months. In March 2020, he became part of the Lucky Group team as a bartender. Two years later, he took up the position of bar - manager at Margarita bistro.

© 2021 Margarita, Malaya Bronnaya St 28