HOSPITALITY, THE ANDŌ WAY

At Andō, we pride ourselves on our unique way of viewing the restaurant's goals and purpose. Working in the hospitality industry can be all-encompassing, as we spend more time at the restaurant with the team than with our families and friends. In a way, the restaurant becomes our home, and we at Andō treat it as such. We work hard to have harmony within the team as we believe if we are not working cohesively together, it will have a knock-on effect, leading to guests noticing the disparity within the service and the food.

We at Andō are dedicated to perfecting our service and fine dining approach, adding personal touches where possible. We view welcoming guests into our restaurant in the same manner as welcoming friends to your house for dinner, which may sound simple in theory, however, it is more complicated than it would seem. We ensure that we as a team do not become complacent, maintaining our soul and personal touch when interacting with our guests because creating that connection is just as important as the food and surroundings.

I believe that hospitality is different from any other type of business, as genuine care comes from the heart. I learned my approach to hospitality from my grandmother, and after spending many years in fantastic restaurants, I realized that the purest form of hospitality was from her, as her only goal was to make me happy.

There were no expectations in my grandmother's house, with her only goal being to make me happy with her cooking. She would wake up early and go to the market to find the best produce and would then spend the entire morning whipping up a beautiful lunch, which would be waiting for me when I returned home from school. We would watch Karlos Arguinano together alongside a table full of Spanish food and enjoy the feast together, these are some of my most cherished memories.

SIN Lola, a tribute to Chef Agustin’s grandmother Lola

During the years I spent in Japan, I had the opportunity to learn about Omotensashi, a word that I would hear the front of house manager say repeatedly. At the time, my Japanese wasn't as strong as it is now, so I didn't understand the context of what Omotensashi meant; however, the word played over and over in my mind. 

In time, I understood that the phrase Omotensashi is derived from three Japanese expressions:

URA OMOTE NASHI, meaning being pure and genuine

MONO O MOTTE NASHITOGERU, meaning to have commitment, determination and wholeheartedly completing a task

MOTENASU, translating directly to entertaining

Together, these three principles combined create the term Omotensashi. This concept defines the spirit of Japanese culture that has been in place for more than five centuries, turning the simple act of serving a bowl of tea into a special moment between the host and the guest. The importance of the guest is marked by meticulous preparation and a beautiful presentation. This humble ceremony defines the three principles of Omotensashi.

Chef Agustin was briefing the staff before dinner service

At Andō we pride ourselves in...

Anticipating needs - we prepare to surprise and delight our guests, treating them as we would like to be treated.

Attention to detail - we create unique and beautiful experiences that display a great level of craftsmanship, making the guest feel valued and important.

Expressing gratitude - we display a sincere expression of gratitude, acknowledging that guests always have a choice. We show appreciation for their loyalty and patronage.

The principles of Omotensashi are much more than a set of rules, it is also a mindset that is fundamental to every encounter our host's share with guests.

After I learned these principles, my memory was jogged back to my grandmother Lola. She followed these rules without any idea about what Omotensashi was, however, she had the essence of hospitality within her blood and genuine care for people. There is something inside us that makes the act of taking care of other's very genuine.

My understanding of hospitality came from Omotensashi, and this is what we display at Andō. We are not only welcoming you into our restaurant, we are welcoming you into our home.