Heralded by many as the best Hispanic chef in America, Richard Sandoval has always had a taste for the artistry of the kitchen and a flair for hospitality. A native of Mexico City, Mexico, Sandoval grew up in an environment rich with the traditional Mexican culture. His father, a successful restaurateur in his own right, raised Sandoval with a profound appreciation for the Mexican cuisine and taught him the fine points of hospitality. Richard began working in his father's restaurants, Madieras and Villa Fiore, at the young age of 12, where his interest in becoming a chef grew as he matured. There, he developed his young skills and learned the various roles played in a kitchen, thus allowing him to test his mettle and find out whether or not this would truly be the road he should follow, for Richard would also become an accomplished tennis player while attending the University of New Mexico where he played on the tennis team. Sandoval has joked that he realized “there wasn’t much money in playing tennis” after playing professionally in Europe, and revisited his original passion: cooking, a very fortunate choice for all of us, indeed.
After attending high school in California, where he learned to appreciate the regional ingredients, incorporating them into his repertoire, Sandoval attended the Culinary Institute of America. After obtaining his degree, Richard returned to his father's restaurants to immerse himself in Mexican cuisine. There, he was awarded the National Toque d'Oro, Chef of the Year.
With his success and fame in Mexico growing, Richard felt the pull of the Big Apple and made his move to New York City where he took on a new challenge--the modern French cuisine at the successful Savann, soon followed by Savann Est. As word of his skills spread and the restaurants fame grew, Sandoval's heart felt a desire to return to the foods of his Mexico, and, in 1997, Maya, New York, was opened to widespread acclaim. Using Maya as a springboard, Richard Sandoval has been able to redefine and reinterpret Mexican cuisine into what has become known as Modern Mexican. He has shown New York and, indeed, the world how the exciting, bold, flavorful foods of Mexico have gained a level of sophistication that few would have ever thought possible. Maya, New York quickly earned a rave 2-star review from The New York Times, placing Sandoval and the restaurant atop the list of New York's celebrities. With his restaurant's success, Richard soon opened Maya, San Francisco where he earned a 3-star review from the ever-discerning San Francisco Chronicle, a feat in and of itself. Sandoval now has a third addition to the Maya concept with Maya Dubai at Le Meridien Beach Resort and Spa.
Having achieved such pronounced success with his Maya restaurants, Sandoval took his Modern Mexican style to Denver, where he
opened Tamayo, presenting refined Mexican cuisine in a casual style, soon followed by Zengo (Denver), which introduced the fusion of the complimentary flavors of Latin and Asian cuisines. Here, he received a marvelous 3 ½ -star review in The Denver. Next, Sandoval decided to ply his trade in Las Vegas with Isla Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar, a collaborative effort with world renowned hospitality designer, Jeffrey Beers, at Treasure Island. Since nothing breeds success like success, Richard next partnered with world famous tenor, Placido Domingo, to create Pampano, bringing Modern Mexican coastal cuisines to New York City. There, he has received a shining 2-star review from The New York Times and was voted one of "The Best New Restaurants in America" by Esquire magazine. This team of celebrities next took Latin Asian cuisine to Washington, D.C., with Zengo, and Mexican comfort food to Denver with La Sandia.
Today, Richard Sandoval is considered a pioneer in what is now known as modern Mexican cuisine by creatively blending authentic ingredients and fusing the innovative culinary techniques from Mexico, France and Asia. He is always looking to find new, innovative ways to expand his guests' dining experience by melding the modern with the traditional, taking advantage of the myriad flavors at his disposal. Sandoval has built his Modern Mexican empire to ten restaurants in a mere decade, and sees more expansion in the near future. This year will see the opening of Pampano in Los Angeles, in the Beverly / Wilshire area.
Sandoval has developed a strategy for his restaurant expansion. "We want to expand areas where we have restaurants already. For example, we have plans to open something in Tyson’s Corner, VA, which is not far from Zengo in DC." Still, Sandoval cannot wait to take his cuisine to the rest of the world. There has even been talk of opening the next Zengo in Mumbai, India. Other international plans appeal to Sandoval on an emotional level, such as taking over one of his father's restaurants in Mexico this year. Richard said, “My father has had it for 25 years. I will redesign it and reopen it with my interpretation." He is thrilled to carry on the family tradition of hospitality, a gift that he shares with his father. He reflects, "I am excited because it is where I started my career. It feels like everything coming full circle."
Richard Sandoval has received numerous awards and accolades over the years. These include: Bon Appetit's prestigious 2006 Restaurateur of the Year, National Toque d'Oro, Mexican Chef of the Year, and was named one of "Best Chefs of 2003" by New York Magazine and Bon Appetit's 9th Annual American Food and Entertaining Awards 2006 Restaurateur of the Year. Modern Mexican Restaurants consistently receives positive reviews by respected publications: The New York Times, Denver Post, San Francisco Chronicle, and Washington Post, and mentions in Food Arts, Food and Wine, Wine Enthusiast, and Hispanic Business magazines.
