How CEO Amado Forés is Cultivating the Future of Modern Dining
Expanding his culinary footprint, restaurateur Amado Forés shifts his focus from the plate to the process by balancing the operational rigor and financial discipline required to sustain growth.
Success is only the start; scaling is the real test. Expansion introduces operational and financial strains that, without a strategic roadmap, can derail a growing business.
Amado Forés is the founder and CEO of AF Hospitality, the restaurant group behind concepts like a mano, Ramen Ron, and Steak & Frice. He is also the son of celebrated chef Margarita Forés.
His mother’s brands Lusso, Grace Park, Margarita Florals, and Cibo are part of AF Hospitality's portfolio.
The Business Manual sat down with Forés to discuss how he carved his own niche in the Philippines’ restaurant sector, coming from a family prominent in the restaurant business.
Amado Forés On Starting AF Hospitality And Carving An Industry Niche
He started AF Hospitality in 2019 to carve his own path.
The Philippine restaurant scene has many established names, but Forés saw a need for restaurants with youthful energy and vibe. He saw a niche for culinary places that felt current yet remained grounded in serving quality food.
“Early on, I asked my mom for her blessing to make my own mistakes and own my decisions,” he said. “That was important to me. It was the only way I’d really learn.”
Cognizant of the comparisons with his mother, he also started with an entirely brand new team – chefs, designers, and collaborators who had not worked with his family before. This move helped create the company’s own identity from day one.
Portfolio Strategy: Scaling a mano and Ramen Ron Through Collaboration
Forés’ first venture, the group’s flagship Italian restaurant a mano, was born from his experience with authentic cuisine in Italy.
Ramen Ron, launched in 2021, was about taking Chef Hiroyuki Tamura’s vision of Japanese food and adapting it to work consistently in the local setting.
Tamura is credited with kickstarting the "ramen craze" in Metro Manila. He is the executive chef and namesake of Ramen Ron, a restaurant evolved from his original establishment, Ukokkei Ramen Ron.
He began incorporating more personal concepts - like steak, fries, and rice on one plate - with the launch of Steak & Frice in 2023.
“I like mixing things I’ve experienced abroad with nostalgic Filipino flavors people grew up with,” he said.
He emphasizes that his restaurants are the fruits of team effort.
“Everything is a collaboration between my team and me,” he said.
“Ideas come from experience, but they only work if the team can execute them properly every day.”
Operational Rigor: Adapting AF Hospitality’s Systems During the Pandemic
Forés’ trial by fire was the COVID pandemic.
With dining places closed during the lockdown, and no playbook to consult, he had to adjust on the fly. He tried out the various options that presented themselves: food delivery, outdoor dining, and, at that time, his own food-tray delivery business, The Food Trip.
“The first few months were intense, but it forced us to really understand the business better: costs, systems, what actually worked and what didn’t,” he shared.
The hard stop also had a benefit, giving him something valuable: time.
“Time to step back, fix operations, and tighten everything. By the time we fully reopened, we were in a much stronger place.”
In all of his restaurants, Forés brings his tried-and-tested trio of standards: good ingredients, kind and consistent service, and proper execution across the entire group.
He lists the three non-negotiable criteria that a location or concept must meet before AF Hospitality signs a lease:
● A strong neighborhood with “real energy;”
● Developers who understand what the group is building; and
Frequently Asked Questions
To separate himself from the legacy of his mother, Chef Margarita Forés, Amado deliberately built a brand-new team of chefs, designers, and collaborators who had never worked with his family. This allowed him to focus on a youthful "vibe" and current energy, ensuring the company's identity was unique and independent from day one.
Before signing any lease, Forés ensures a concept or location meets three specific criteria. First, the site must be in a strong neighborhood with real, palpable energy. Second, the developers must fully comprehend what the group is building. Finally, the arrangement must be a true partnership based on a shared vision, rather than just a standard landlord-tenant transaction.
Forés adopts Will Guidara’s 95/5 rule to balance precision with creativity. The 95% represents the majority of the business, which is run with strict discipline, precision, and data-backed systems. The remaining 5% is a small portion reserved for "instinct and intuition," allowing the team to take creative risks that data alone might not suggest.
Forés treats both local and international suppliers as long-term partners, which provides stability when costs shift. Internally, his wife and managing director, Carmela, leads the data and systems side, focusing on "knowing the numbers"—specifically portioning and pricing—to protect margins without compromising the customer experience.
For Amado, the highest compliment is customer retention. Success is measured by walking into a full dining room and seeing guests who have made the restaurant part of their daily routine, proving that the quality of food and service remains consistent even as the business scales.
