From pastry chef to Shanghai entrepreneur: Filipino businessman builds jobs, promotes Philippine tourism

A Filipino who started his career as a pastry chef is now building businesses, creating jobs for fellow Filipinos and promoting Philippine tourism in Shanghai. Ryan Amparo Otmana’s journey from employee to entrepreneur reflects how hard work, courage and the willingness to take risks can create new opportunities abroad. What began with a bakery eventually grew into a food and beverage venture that includes My Place, a Filipino-owned bar that opened in Shanghai in 2015. Otmana says his success is not measured by profits alone, but also by his ability to provide employment and help fellow Filipinos find opportunities in Shanghai’s food and beverage industry. Beyond business, Otmana has also become an informal bridge between China and the Philippines. Through his businesses, Chinese customers are introduced to Filipino food, hospitality and culture, while many also turn to him for travel recommendations to destinations such as Boracay, Palawan and Bohol. For Otmana, every customer interaction is another opportunity to showcase the Philippines and demonstrate the growing role of Filipinos abroad as entrepreneurs, employers and cultural ambassadors.