Anzanis now offer Italian cuisine to the mainstream

CEBU, Philippines - Couple restaurateurs Marco and Kate Anzani see promising market for Italian cuisine for the mainstream market in the Philippines.

After successfully establishing three high-end Italian restaurants in Cebu namely the Anzani, resto-bar Bellini and Dolce, the couple decided to provide food choices to the mainstream consumers, bringing good and authentic Italian cuisine into the affordable level.

The Anzani's La Cosa Nostra, Inc., the company that operates the restaurant chains, recently opened "Gusto Urban Cafe + Wine Bar at the Cebu IT Park.  It is the first restaurant chain of the couple that likened to the fast food serving culture while “quality and ambiance of the restaurant are not being compromised.”

Noting that non-Cebuano companies and restaurant chains are taking advantage of the good prospects for outside dining, Kate Dychangco-Anzani said that the company decided to invest at least P4 million to P5 million to make "Gusto" restaurant as its entry to the emerging middle income market.

"There is fast growth in the emerging middle class market. The acceptance of Cebuano market to Gusto’s entry is a clear evident that people crave for 'good food' without hurting their pockets," said Dychangco-Anzani in a press conference.

"We think the market of Cebu has expanded and it is really the best time for local businessmen to start investing and positioning ourselves before other investments from outside start pouring in," said Dychangco-Anzani.

Marco Anzani, who used to be the Italian restaurant chef of Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort & Spa before he married the Cebuana businesswoman Kate Dychangco, said that the company is planning to open at least three "Gusto" outlets this year within the Metro Cebu area.

While the couple considers franchising system for its long term and out-of-town expansion plan, they said they have to perfect the Cebu outlets first before going full-blast.

"Now we are working on to make the system work. We're using this as a platform to develop into something for franchising," said Dychangco-Anzani.

She added that "Gusto" aims to pioneer the introduction of good quality, authentic Italian cuisine not in imitating the price, but the quality of an expensive restaurant.

According to Marco Anzani, this is the first time for them to cater to the market and they are still trying to make more adjustments like their operations time to suit the market.

"Now we open at 8 a.m. and close at 2 a.m. and we offer breakfast combo meals. Also, we have coffee and teas and Italian dishes that are not as pricey as that in Anzani," said Anzani.

The couple entered into the restaurant business in 2008 opening the high-end Anzani Restaurant at the Dychangco estate at Nivel Hills in Lahug.

Since then, the couple started another two restaurant ventures, the Bellini which is a resto-bar and the café Dolce. /JMD (FREEMAN)