A father’s audio tapes, a son’s dream: How the UAE shaped success for these three brothers

Dubai: There was a time when home arrived not through a video call, but through an audio tape. For Nicolai De Guzman and his brothers, those recordings were the closest thing they had to their father, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Japan.

Every tape has carried stories from thousands of kilometres away, about work, life, and a country their father had come to admire. Those moments have stayed with them long after the tapes stopped playing.

“When we were kids, he used to send us audio tapes where he shared his experiences while working abroad. It is also through those tapes that he told us how beautiful it is in Japan and that is where our fascination and love for Japan grew,” Nicolai told Gulf News.

It would take decades before they understood just how much those recordings have shaped their future. One brother would spend 16 years in Japan mastering the craft of ramen. Two others would leave the Philippines for Dubai, where they would learn different lessons, not in kitchens, but in offices, on long workdays, and in the reality of building a life far from home while carrying the responsibility of those waiting back home.

The dream that demanded 16 years

Long before the family talked about opening a restaurant, the eldest brother Raul De Guzman, also known as chef Touru, has already decided what he wanted to do.

Even as a young man, he has dreamed of owning a ramen restaurant. To make that happen, he has moved to Japan, where reality proved far more demanding than the dream itself.

“He personally approached a ramen restaurant if he could work there as a part time and eventually hired him without salary and started off as a dishwasher,” shared Nicolai.

For years, Raul’s job has remained far from the kitchen station where ramen chefs worked.

“It took him eight years before finally he could hold a knife. He saw that ramen is not just comfort food, it is a craft that requires patience, attention to detail, and respect for tradition.”

Over the next 16 years, Raul has immersed himself in Japanese culinary traditions, learning that ramen was built as much on discipline as it was on flavour. Those years have later become the foundation of the family's business philosophy.

Starting over in Dubai

While Raul has been learning in Japan, his younger brothers were beginning journeys of their own. After graduating from college in the Philippines, Karl De Guzman has moved to Dubai in 2006 in search of opportunity. His first job was as a gym membership consultant, earning Dh1,800 a month.

“He needed to pay for rent, transportation, and other living expenses while continuing to send money for our mother back in the Philippines,” recalled Nicolai.

A year later, Nicolai has joined him. Like many expatriates arriving in the UAE for the first time, the transition has come with uncertainty.

“The adjustment wasn't that easy because the language and culture here is different from what we're used to in the Philippines. Those experiences taught us humility.”

Instead of discouraging them, those years have changed how they viewed work and themselves. By 2008, both brothers have found careers in Dubai's experiential industry.

Karl has become operations director, overseeing project management, operations, and events, while Nicolai worked as studio director, leading the creative department.

“We experienced the loneliness of being away from family, the pressure of starting over in another country, and the challenge of proving ourselves in unfamiliar environments.”

Journeys became one

Although separated by countries for years, the brothers have shared something that never changed, the fascination with Japan that began with their father's stories. Eventually, they have realised they wanted to build something together.

“Since we share the same fascination and enthusiasm for everything Japanese, it was our mutual decision to put up a Japanese restaurant here in the UAE,” stated Nicolai.

For them, the idea has been more than serving Japanese food.

“Japanese cuisine is deeply rooted in discipline, consistency, and passion, values we personally connect with. When we looked at the UAE market, we saw a growing appreciation for authentic dining experiences. Dubai, especially, is home to people from all over the world who are open to exploring different cultures through food.”

According to Nicolai, the goal has been to combine authentic Japanese ramen with the “warmth and heart” that Filipinos naturally bring to hospitality and offer it to the Emirates.

Staying authentic

Years of training in Japan did not automatically translate into success in the UAE. Raul has realised that recreating traditional ramen would require adjustments because some ingredients commonly used in Japan were not always practical in the Middle East.

“The biggest challenge for him was adjusting the recipe so that it will fit the Middle East market since there are certain limitations to the ingredients he can use, especially for his broth and chashu,” explained Nicolai.

He added, “It took him some time to perfect it but he was able to produce something that can cater both to people who are familiar with ramen and those who will eat it for the first time.”

Unseen side

Behind every successful family business have been conversations customers never hear. The De Guzman brothers have noted that working together has brought its own challenges.

“As a family business, we also had to learn how to separate emotions from decisions. There were long nights, stressful situations, and sacrifices behind the scenes that people do not always see,” revealed Nicolai.

When doubts have surfaced, reassurance came not from spreadsheets but from the people walking through the door.

“We know our product is good but the best way to gauge it is through the people who actually come into the restaurant. What helped us overcome those struggles was our shared belief in the dream we started together.”

Why the UAE mattered

When asked what the UAE gave his family, Nicolai has talked about possibility.

“Living in the UAE has transformed us in many ways. Personally, it taught us independence, adaptability, and perseverance,” described Nicolai.

Professionally, the brothers have highlighted that they learned to work together with people from different cultures while adapting to a fast-moving environment.

“What we truly appreciate about the UAE is that it gives expats the opportunity to dream bigger. It is a country where hard work is recognised and where entrepreneurs from different backgrounds are given the chance to build something meaningful.”

Even as their business expands internationally, the brothers have expressed continued confidence in the UAE where they built their lives.

“For us, the UAE is more than just a place to work, it has become a second home.”

Coming full circle

This year, the De Guzman brothers have prepared for a milestone they never imagined as children listening to audio tapes. Their UAE homegrown business, IchiRyu Ramen House, has opened a flagship branch in Japan, the same country their father once described through his recordings decades ago.

“Today, seeing that vision grow is something deeply personal for us. It feels like a full-circle moment for our family and our journey,” exclaimed Nicolai.

For many OFWs in the Emirates, parts of the brothers’ story will feel familiar such as leaving home, starting over, learning to celebrate small victories while carrying responsibilities that never quite leave your shoulders, and building a future in a country that is not where you were born, but has gradually become where you belong.

The De Guzman brothers’ journey is, in many ways, the story of countless expats who call the UAE home, not because the road has been easy, but because they chose to keep walking.

“There will always be challenges, sacrifices, and moments of doubt, but growth comes from staying committed to your purpose. Remember that success becomes more meaningful when you use it not only to uplift yourself, but also the people around you.”

Perhaps that is what those old audio tapes have been really carrying all along. Not simply stories about Japan, but a father’s quiet reminder that even when distance separates a family, hope has a way of travelling farther.