Downtown Salt Lake City’s newest restaurant to fire up the local dining scene, AQUA TERRA Steak + Sushi, is holding its grand opening on Dec. 1—this curated culinary experience is sure to delight all of your senses, leaving a lasting impression, not to mention the craving to return for more.
Covering an expansive 11,000 square feet of dining space, the aesthetically enticing restaurant features a dining room, a vast sushi bar adorned in blue-stone granite, a separate bar, hand-crafted lighting, a “tree room,” an outdoor patio (opening in the spring of 2023), and a gorgeous private dining room. The striking venue can be described as “experiential dining” at its finest.
AQUA TERRA Steak + Sushi is proud to be a part of the Stanford’s Family of Brands, which includes Stanford’s and Stanford’s Steak, and is operated by Ascend Hospitality Group (AHG). The collection’s concepts range from fine-dining to fast-casual, and employ over 700 people throughout Utah, Arizona, Oregon, and Washington.
“At AQUA TERRA, we believe in offering crafted dining experiences that pay homage to regional proteins, honor our past, innovate our present, and inspire the future of curated dining,” says Elaina Morris, AHG CEO and president. “We cannot wait to dig our roots deeper in the culinary arts scene of Salt Lake City and bring a concept unlike any other.”
A polished casual restaurant delivering vibrant cuisine of land and water, AQUA TERRA draws inspiration from big game—a reflection of the region—and fresh seafood from the Pacific Northwest. The alluring menu features premium cuts, contemporary sushi, seafood, Rocky Mountain-influenced game, dessert, a curated wine list, craft cocktails, sake cocktails, and a selection of zero-proof mocktails.
Jorge Coelho, AQUA TERRA’s general manager, has been the boots on the ground in Salt Lake City the last few months, perfecting every detail on behalf of the team and restaurant as they anticipate opening day.
“For us, every single guest touchpoint matters—from the dramatic lighting over the sushi bar to the precise plating of the dishes and the dedicated and knowledgeable service team,” Coelho says. “We have been working hard to create moments and memorable experiences for our guests.”
A Salt Lake City local and hospitality industry veteran, Coelho is a huge asset to the team, and has been pleasing guests in the hospitality industry for 21 years. Prior to joining AHG, he held the role of general manager of Spencer’s Steakhouse, located in the Hilton, in downtown Salt Lake City.
AHG is bringing its core values to Utah
According to Morris, AHG does a lot more than serve food. “We don’t just feed people, we nourish their souls,” she explains. “That’s the mom in me coming out and trying to do something a little bit better.” What does she mean? Morris is referring to AHG’s core values of YOU MATTER, TEAM MATTERS, and SERVICE MATTERS.
On their first core value, AHG wants their team members to know they matter. They have a management team led by Coelho that appreciates them, and is invested in their personal and professional growth. “You matter is really about you as an employee,” says Morris. “We want to hear from you. You have an authentic voice and a space here, and your difference makes us better.”
As it pertains to the second core value, “team matters,” Morris says AHG is a culture of “we,” not “me.” The organization thrives on empowering others and sharing the burden regardless of one’s title. They are inspired by a mission that’s bigger than themselves. Then the third core value is: “service to others before self.” With all three prongs of AHG’s mission, their mantra brings the message full circle to their guests, explains Morris.
A big piece of AHG’s third core value is the company’s philanthropic arm, AHG Cares, which elevates underserved populations through various programs and collaborations. Its two largest initiatives are 31 Lives, an internship program for inspiring culinarians, and AHG Has Your Back, an annual back-to-school backpack program which partnered with Amazon, international pop star Ciara and her Why Not Your Foundation in 2022.
“I made a commitment to myself and our teams that if we’re going to go into new communities, we’re going to land in an integrated way,” says Morris. “When we launch AQUA TERRA, we’ll do it like we’ve done the rest of our restaurants. There will be a ‘community menu feature’ in which a portion of those proceeds will go to a local nonprofit that aligns with our philanthropic efforts of education and fine arts.”
Education, she says, takes on many forms, such as support for underprivileged student athletes, students, or homeless students and families, as well as both culinary and fine arts. AHG will focus heavily on the fine arts for Utah. In fact, they’ve reserved a wall inside AQUA TERRA for a local artist to paint a mural live during the restaurant’s grand opening weekend—that will be the final piece of the décor.
Morris says she is very passionate about the next generation of workers, and it’s a huge piece of AQUA TERRA’s launch. “We’re bringing a restaurant to the market, but we’re also bringing our philosophy to the market, and I think that’s been sorely missing. Yes, feeding people is important, but we are dedicated to being a part of a community that’s growing and supports its next-generation labor force, in which education is the key to the future,” she says. “It’s about giving back to the community that takes care of us, and keeps us in business.”
AQUA TERRA Steak + Sushi is located at 50 S Main St, Ste 168, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. As of Dec. 1, the restaurant will be open for dinner Monday-Thursday from 4-10 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 4-11 pm. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are highly encouraged. To schedule a reservation, call (385) 261-2244 or visit their website to learn more.
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/H71kqnh
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