POETSHospitality Group
A private dining room at POETS Garden, Yihe Mansion: palms, orange armchairs and a set table

About POETS

Life Was NeverMeant to BeAll Work.

POETS

“Punch Off Early Tomorrow’s Saturday.”

POETS is more than a name. It is an attitude towards life — making time for good food, new places, new people and the moments that make life richer.

Work hard. Play hard.

Discover our story

01Our Story · Since 2012

It StartedWith an Idea.

POETS began in 2012 with a simple idea: hospitality should be part of a life well lived.

What started around food and bringing people together has grown into a hospitality group creating distinctive concepts across Asia — each different in character, but connected by the same POETS spirit.

The original POETS bar in 2012: red leather banquettes, walls of red cocktail shakers and a lit back bar of spirits
POETS · 2012

From One Idea to Many Tables

2012Today

One group. Different concepts. Different cultures. Different tables.

  • Chefs, managers and a flamenco dancer gathered around a paella at Brownstone
    PeopleThe heart of our journey.
  • The POETS Garden sign on the façade of Yihe Mansion, Nanjing
    PlacesFrom local roots to new horizons.
  • Glasses of sangria raised in a toast across a table
    MomentsA richer life, together.
The gold POETS crest on a dark wall behind palm leaves

The Founder’s Perspective

“POETS is an attitude,
a state of mind and a lifestyle.”

Jason CaiFounder & CEO
Meet our leadership
A set table in a POETS dining room with shuttered windows and botanical wallpaper

02Vision, Mission & Values

A Bigger Stagefor Brighter Times.

Our vision, mission and values guide everything we do — from the restaurants we create to the people we grow with.

  • Vision

    To be the No.1 restaurant & bar chain group in the world.

    Create great memories for customers.

  • Mission

    Build our stage, fulfil our dream.

    Feel proud of being in the F&B industry.

  • Values

    People. Places. Good Times.

    We believe in our people, in the power of great places, and in the moments that bring us together.

Different tables. One group.

03Leadership

The PeopleBehind POETS.

POETS is shaped by people with different backgrounds, perspectives and expertise — united by one ambition for the group.

“POETS is an attitude, a state of mind and a lifestyle.”

Jason CaiFounder & CEO
Portrait of Jason Cai holding his book The Art of Entrepreneurship

01Founder

Jason Cai 蔡勋程

Founder & CEO

Founder of POETS Hospitality Group in 2012, Jason Cai brings international hospitality experience and a passion for building distinctive restaurant concepts. His leadership shapes the group’s brand portfolio, long-term vision and international development.

Read profile

Born into a family of brewers and restaurateurs, Jason Cai earned an international bartending certification at 18, spent more than a decade in brand management with international restaurant brands and has travelled to over 60 countries.

He is a member of YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) and the author of The Art of Entrepreneurship (创业兵法).

The Founder’s Perspective

Executive Leadership

  • Portrait of Misa Mo in a POETS bar

    02

    Misa Mo

    Chief Operating Officer

    A long-standing member of POETS Hospitality Group, Misa Mo brings extensive experience in restaurant operations and multi-brand management. She has played an important role in developing the group’s operating systems and supporting the growth of its restaurant concepts, including GBJ Bistro.

    Read profile

    Part of POETS’ early core team, Misa brings experience with international restaurant brands, has overseen several of the group’s brands and now leads the development of GBJ Bistro and its Guangxi cuisine.

  • Portrait of Oli Liu in a dark jacket in front of a lit back bar

    03

    Oli Liu

    Chief Procurement Officer

    With nearly two decades of experience in international restaurant operations, Oli Liu has contributed to POETS Hospitality Group through performance management, supplier relationships and cross-border business coordination. His experience includes working with partners across Europe, Asia and other international markets.

    Read profile

    Oli manages performance, public relations and suppliers across the group’s brands, and looks after partner relationships in several countries.

  • Linda Cai holding a plate with a loaf of crusty bread

    04

    Linda Cai

    Board Member & Managing Director, Japan

    A board member of POETS Hospitality Group since 2012, Linda Cai brings extensive experience and a deep understanding of Japanese culture and business. She has been involved in developing the group’s presence in Japan since 2022, supporting its international expansion.

    Read profile

    Raised in a food and wine family, Linda studied in Japan from 2003 and worked for a listed Japanese company before rejoining the family’s food business in 2012.

  • Portrait of Daisy Li in a striped shirt at a POETS bar

    05

    Daisy Li

    Finance Director

    With more than a decade of experience in financial management within restaurant groups, Daisy Li oversees financial systems, reporting and financial management across POETS Hospitality Group. Her expertise supports financial oversight and the group’s operational development.

    Read profile

    Daisy holds a senior international financial manager qualification and oversees finance across the group’s brands.

Culinary & International Expertise

  • Valerio Izzo smiling as he holds up a small white sculpted creation

    06

    Valerio Izzo

    Culinary Partner · Monte Olive

    Italian Heritage. Mediterranean Inspiration.

    Valerio Izzo brings Italian culinary expertise and a contemporary Mediterranean perspective to Monte Olive. His connection to Piazzetta Milù, the two-MICHELIN-star restaurant in Italy, contributes to the culinary inspiration behind Monte Olive’s Mediterranean Low-Carb Kitchen concept.

  • Chef El Willy in the Brownstone Grill House kitchen, holding out a plate of grilled red prawns in front of the wood-fired grill

    07

    Chef El Willy

    R&D Chef · Brownstone

    The Creative Force Behind Brownstone’s Culinary Development.

    As Brownstone’s R&D Chef, El Willy develops and refines the dishes that shape the brand’s Spanish culinary identity. His work combines recipe development, culinary innovation and the ongoing evolution of Brownstone’s menu.

  • Portrait of Xavi Vargas in a navy blazer and white T-shirt, in front of a softly lit bar

    08

    Xavi Vargas

    Global Sourcing Director

    Based in Spain · Connected to Brownstone Since 2014

    Connecting European Origins with Asian Hospitality.

    Connected to Brownstone since 2014, Xavi Vargas brings more than a decade of experience with the brand and its development in Asia. Based in Spain, he serves as Global Sourcing Director for POETS Hospitality Group, supporting international sourcing, European producer relationships and business development between Europe and Asia.

Join usBuild your stage with POETS.

Careers

04Our Culture

Work Hard.Play Hard.

Different backgrounds.
Different cultures. One team.

POETS brings together people who share an entrepreneurial spirit, a passion for hospitality and the ambition to build something different.

People / Places / Good Times

A Brownstone chef with a microphone presenting a rack of lamb to guests
Same passion. Different stories.
Jason Cai with Brownstone chefs and managers presenting a giant seafood paella
Good people. Better nights.

POETS

Punch Off Early.
Tomorrow’s Saturday.

Not just our name. Part of our culture.

A flamenco dancer in a pink fringed dress performing between tables at Brownstone
A culture that brings us together.
A row of fresh sangrias garnished with fruit and mint on the bar
Create great times together.

05Awards & Recognition

Recognition,Earned Table by Table.

Awards are never the goal. They are a sign that guests keep coming back.

The covered terrace at POETS Garden, Nanjing, set for dinner among palms

06Our Growth Journey

From One TableTo Many.

Since 2012, POETS has evolved through new concepts, new cities and new opportunities — while keeping its original spirit at the heart of the group.

Same spirit.New places.A brighter tomorrow.

  1. 2012

    The Beginning

    POETS Hospitality Group is founded, and POETS Thai opens its first restaurant in Nanjing.

  2. 2014

    The First Brownstone

    Brownstone opens its first restaurant at Yongjia Court, Shanghai, on 1 November.

  3. 2022

    Brownstone Reaches Shenzhen

    Brownstone opens in Shenzhen on 29 June.

  4. 2023

    A New Brand

    GBJ Bistro is born in Shanghai, and Brownstone House opens its doors on 20 July.

  5. 2024

    Beyond China

    Brownstone opens in Ginza, Tokyo, on 21 March, its first restaurant outside China, then at Taikoo Li Sanlitun, Beijing, on 31 August and at iapm, Shanghai, on 12 December.

  6. 2025

    GATE M and Changzhou

    GBJ Bistro and Brownstone open at GATE M, West Bund Dream Center, in September. POETS Thai opens at ITC on 15 November and in Changzhou on 23 December.

  7. 2026

    A Fourth Brand

    Monte Olive joins the group on 14 August. POETS Thai opens at Xintiandi Dongtaili and POETS Garden in Nanjing, GBJ Bistro reaches Shenzhen Bay and opens at 96 Square, and Brownstone moves to ITC.

  8. Today

    Four Restaurant Brands, One Group

    POETS Thai, Brownstone, GBJ Bistro and Monte Olive.

An empty POETS dining room in the evening, tables set beneath pendant lamps

POETS Hospitality Group

The StoryIs Still Being Written.

2012Today

Different tables. One group.

Explore our brands