Couple restaurateur to invest P30M for new resto concepts

CEBU, Philippines- Couple restaurateur Marco and Kate Anzani are pouring at least P30 million investments to make Cebu a destination of "affordable luxury" dining and reinforcing Cebu's positioning as a diverse vacation and leisure haven.

The couple, whose company Anzani International Corporation, is making serious efforts to raise the bar of Cebu's dining industry, being in the forefront of providing wider options of luxury-dining facilities, bringing in "European dining" vibes to Cebu.

The company, which now operates four restaurant brands in Cebu, the Gusto Urban Cafe, Anzani fine dining restaurant, and the Bellini lounge bar, and Dolce Cafe,  is up to introduce three more restaurant concepts, all will be designed to offer luxury dining in a relatively affordable pricing.

"Cebu is becoming a destination of choice by travelers all over the world. We are contributing our part in providing dining outlets that are comparable with what we see in Europe, with careful attention on cost," said Kate Dychangco-Anzani.

Aside from strengthening its foothold in the attractive food and dining market in Cebu, Dychangco-Anzani said there is a need for Cebu to provide facilities that are in sync with the market's preference, and the top in-demand thing in dining service today is "experience" alongside with quality and affordability.

"Luxury [dining] doesn't have to be expensive. This is what we are investing in for Cebu. We are positioning and catching up with the changing lifestyle of both local and international diners," she said on the sideline of the opening of its latest concept the Gusto Mare, a seaside lifestyle restaurant located at the South Road Properties.

Currently, the company is working with design experts, and foreign creative teams to help them build another world-class concept for luxury dining outlets, of which the company hopes to open in the medium term.

"We are bullish about the lifestyle dining market in Cebu. Before other [non-Cebuano] investors could decide to bridge the gap, we are already making the move ahead," she added.

Based on the company's market assessment, Cebu needs to provide good choices of "lifestyle and luxury dining," while the province is gravitating affluent travelers from all over the world.

Besides, the dining market in general has grown to appreciate experiential dining, wherein luxury is not a threat to ones pocket.  (FREEMAN)