Alfredo Sandoval
Managing Partner
Alfredo Sandoval’s life has always been intricately linked to the restaurant industry. Born in Mexico City, Sandoval grew up surrounded by food. Since a very early age, he has been motivated by the challenges inherent in managing a restaurant and its personnel. Sandoval’s vast experience opening and operating restaurants has taken him to numerous cities, enriching his know-how with every new challenge he has faced. The result of his hard work is best described through his own words: “My goal is to offer a special and unique dining experience…promoting the evolution of Mexican food so that it forms part of a younger generation. Mexican food should follow contemporary trends as any other cuisine does.”
Though his vision continually looks to the future, Sandoval’s roots are firmly planted in the past. His father opened the world-renowned Madeiras restaurant in 1980 in the port of Acapulco, where he was instilled at a very early age with a passion for food. By the age of 11, that enthusiasm was expressed by his involvement in the logistics and operations of his father’s restaurant, where he quickly confirmed his desire to dedicate himself to the field. As opposed to his older and younger brothers, Richard and Patricio, who later became chefs, he preferred to focus on the operations side of the famous Mexican restaurant, “I wanted to be like my father”, he states.
Following his ambition, at age of 16, Sandoval worked as an assistant manager at the first Sweet Life Enterprises store in California – a company that has quickly become the leader in gourmet, pre-portioned cookie dough, with distribution expanding widely across the continental US – all while he was finishing high school at Corona del Mar. Shortly after, he decided to move on and gained experience at some of the finest restaurants in California, and then become the General Manager of the California-based chain Pasta Bravo.
Motivated by the challenge and the constant need to “create,” in 1997 Sandoval moved to New York to help older brother, Richard, open one of the first high-end Mexican restaurants in Manhattan, Maya, which earned a 2-star review from the NY Times. Having worked as its General Manager, he then moved to San Francisco to open the second Maya restaurant in the US, thus becoming the Director of Operations of both restaurants. In March of 2000, due to his persistent motivation and search for perfection, the distinguished restaurant group Sushi Samba recruited him to become their Director of Operations.
Joining his brother once again in 2003, he became partner and Director of Operations of Modern Mexican Restaurants, where he successfully managed Maya NY, Maya SF, and Tamayo Denver, while opening Pampano NY, Zengo Denver, and Isla Las Vegas, all of which have received outstanding reviews from local and national publications. During this period he also created and oversaw the Modern Mexican Restaurants corporate office.
Following the meteoric rise in popularity of Mercadito in the East Village, which he opened with younger brother Chef Patricio Sandoval, the brothers opened Mercadito Grove in the West Village in June 2005 and Mercadito Cantina in the East Village in June 2008. In addition, Sandoval joined forces with Sushi Samba Corporation, officially becoming Director of Operations. However, in 2007, he decided to leave Sushi Samba in order to devote himself to developing Mercadito Restaurants.
Bolstered by the demand for Patricio’s modern interpretations of classic Mexican cuisine, Sandoval recognized the time was right to take the Mercadito concept to other regions of the country. In 2009, Mercadito Restaurants will open branches in Chicago and Miami, growing to six locations by the end of the year. There are also plans in the works to develop restaurants overseas as well as other enterprises to expand the reach of the brand.
Mercadito Restaurants have grown by leaps and bounds thanks to Sandoval’s business acumen and unyielding vision. The success of the restaurants is a testament to lessons learned by an 11-year old boy who dreamed to be like his father.
