Aqua Group COO Alex Bellafronte on Vesu and the Group’s Future Plans

In celebration of the opening of its latest pizza bar Vesu, Aqua Restaurant Group’s global chief operating officer Alex Bellafronte tells Prestige what makes the venue stand out, and where the group is hoping to go in the near future.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind launching the Vesu Pizza Bar?

The idea is to give something new to people in Hong Kong. Something easy-going and fun, where they don’t have to feel so stiff. The space used to be Aqua bar, but with the current trends in Hong Kong, we decided it wasn’t sustainable to have a bar that big, so instead we wanted to open a bar that also had food. Everyone loves pizza right? But we wanted to provide a refreshing experience too, with local ingredients and local flavours, so the menu is a mix of tradition and innovation.

⁠What unique dining experience are you aiming to deliver with Vesu that sets it apart from Aqua’s other restaurant offerings?

The big difference with Vesu is that you don’t need to get ready to go to Vesu. If you are around and want to grab a bite or a drink, you can just get up and go. We want it to be approachable, and an every-day sort of establishment. It’s a bit more relaxed.

⁠The beverage program seems quite interesting, with both spirited and non-spirited creations crafted to pair with the food. What guided your approach to this menu development?

That space was a bar, and we didn’t want to lose that identity, but we decided to also give the same importance to the food. It’s not really a restaurant or a bar, the two things have merged. Our goal was to have the drinks and the food offered at the same level. Another important component is that we felt as a group, there’s now a big trend of non-alcoholic drinks. That’s why on our menu, it’s 50-50, and we’re putting a lot of effort into developing non-alcoholic drinks. Not just classic mocktails, but proper creations that are developed and researched.

⁠What are some of your favourite dishes and drinks at Vesu?

Obviously I love tradition, so I always order a margherita when I go out, but in Vesu, I think we were able to create some very special flavours even traditionalists can enjoy. For me, the Ducky and the I’ll Be Bok are the winners.

⁠Looking ahead, what are your growth plans for the Vesu Pizza Bar concept, both within the current markets and potentially in new territories?

We’re very happy with the feedback we’ve been receiving for now, but we have to wait a few months. I think this project definitely has legs, and maybe we can bring it to Dubai or London, but we need to keep it fun. That’s the most important part.

⁠As the Global Chief Operating Officer of Aqua Restaurant Group (ARG), what is your vision for expanding the group’s culinary empire further into new markets?

Now we have about 24 restaurants, plus the two boats in Hong Kong. The owners have done an incredible job, and the plan is to grow. The last few years, under those circumstances, we’ve all been a bit paralyzed, but we’ve just opened two new restaurants in London, and I am looking at opportunities in Asia and the Middle East. We’re also opening Aqua in New York soon. We’re really going full-on now.

You’ve worked with renowned chefs and restaurateurs like Gordon Ramsay earlier in your career. How have those experiences shaped your approach to hospitality and operations?

Wherever you go, whoever you work with, you learn, and you try to improve yourself step by step. With Gordon, I had an incredible time, intense but incredible. It was actually the turning point of my career to be honest. Everything was about quality. All the media was waiting for you to do something wrong, so you had to make sure everything was perfect. But it also made it a very good learning opportunity.

What are some of the key operational challenges you face in overseeing a multi-city, multinational restaurant group like ARG? How do you navigate those challenges?

There is a general trend now in the new generation to be a bit detached, especially in our industry. It’s becoming increasingly challenging to staff restaurants because people are not interested in working in this environment anymore. Guests are also becoming more and more informed, so their expectations keep getting higher. We need to be on top of our Game.

⁠How has ARG evolved its brand and menu offerings to stay relevant and appealing to increasingly discerning diners?

I’ve always believed that quality in the long run always pays. So if you focus on that, then the success and the numbers will come.

⁠What excites you most about the future of the global restaurant industry, and where do you see ARG positioning itself in the years ahead?

We definitely want to increase our global footprint. I’d love to expand in Asia outside of Hong Kong, maybe in a city like Bangkok. Europe is also something that we’re looking at with high interest, outside of London, like Milan or Madrid.