At only thirty-three years old, Alfonso Toraya is far from your average restaurateur. The rapid growth his businesses have experienced – even in the midst of a global pandemic – has caught the attention of seasoned investors in Miami, Mexico City and other high profile markets, and with the spotlight also comes an unshakeable commitment to be the best.
That´s precisely how Toraya envisions his restaurants – hence the name G.O.A.T. which is an acronym for “greatest of all time”, a lofty goal indeed, but one that can certainly be accomplished.
With the world of fine dining taking on more experience and entertainment qualities than ever before, skillful and creative businessmen like “Chato” – as his friends affectionately call him - have undertaken the mission to raise the bar as knowledgeable patrons seek more intimate, unique and unquestionably “instagrammable” settings. But the ambiance would most.
definitely be thwarted if not for the top notch cuisine and mixology that is synonymous with all of Toraya´s establishments.
“My plans for 2022 are to close the year with 22 establishments between Mexico and Miami.” –Alfonso affirms.As consumption reaches its highest levels since before the pandemic, restaurants are now more conscious than ever of the need to deliver authentic and memorable experiences to keep customers coming back.
Maintaining superior sanitation standards has also become a paramount piece of the strategy implemented by elite venues around the world but in fact, few restaurants take their commitment to customer safety as seriously as Mr. Toraya´s – which applies weekly COVID-19 tests to its employees in addition to routinely observing and enforcing the highest disinfection standards.
But even the most experienced restaurant owners know that if the food doesn´t capture a customer´s heart and mind, having them return will be a complicated task. This is why at G.O.A.T. and Yakuza, one can consistently expect to be dazzled by unique culinary creations, the kind of taste experiences that one would normally find in San Francisco, Tokyo, London or Dubai.
