Wagamama /

Wagamama is a British-headquartered restaurant chain, serving pan-Asian food in the style of a modern Japanese Ramen bar. Created by Alan Yau, who subsequently created the Chinese restaurants Hakkasan and Yauatcha in London, the first Wagamama opened in 1992 off Gower Street in Bloomsbury. The chain presently includes 105 restaurants, with 66 across the United Kingdom, and a further 39 branches overseas in Ireland, the Netherlands, Turkey, Australia, Kuwait, the U.A.E., Belgium, Malta, New Zealand, Switzerland, Egypt, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece and the United States; the first three in Boston in 2007. After a failed IPO in 2004 under previous owner Graphite Capital, in 2005 Lion Capital LLP bought an 88% stake for £102M. In 2010 it appointed advisers N M Rothschild & Sons to put the chain up for sale for £250M. The chain's website defines wagamama as meaning "willful/naughty child"; however, a more accurate translation of the Japanese adjective わがまま (我侭, 我儘) is selfish.