Pictured: Four Seasons Hotel Houston General Manager, Tom Segesta, and Chef Richard Sandoval (Photo Credits to Daniel Ortiz)
Four Seasons Hotel Houston has undergone a multi-year renovation that has dramatically transformed the hotel as Houston’s downtown destination. Throughout the multi-phase renovation, the hotel debuted dramatic updates of their guest rooms and suites, including reimagined Presidential and Penthouse Suites, lobby, front drive, spa and fitness center, Bayou & Bottle and Topgolf Swing Suites, and expanded Grand Ballroom. Located on the third floor of the hotel is the newest addition and final phase of the hotel’s renovation, a Pan-Latin steakhouse by Chef Richard Sandoval,Toro Toro.
This week, world-renowned Restaurateur and Chef Richard Sandoval, arrived in Houston to open his first Toro Toro Pan-Latin steakhouse in Houston at Four Seasons Hotel Houston. An invitation-only, grand opening reception was hosted by Four Seasons General Manager Tom Segesta and attended by 250 guests on Tuesday night to introduce a new and convivial, downtown dining destination like no other. It is Sandoval’s second concept at Four Seasons Hotel Houston and is a celebration of the sharing ritual of Latin cuisine with Japanese influences.
Guests were treated to a red-carpet arrival and welcomed with Toro Toro’s signature Mercado Margarita from brass bar cart; hand passed sparkling rosé and a strolling serenade from electric violinist Marion Dubose.
Making an entrance…guests felt what it will be like to come to Toro Toro each night as they journeyed up the grand staircase separated by colossal, mirrored and marble columns until they reach the landing where the restaurant welcomes guests as the ultimate gathering place. Guests couldn’t help but be drawn to the sumptuous seating, centerpiece bar and fireside warmth.
Once inside the main event, the lively crowd enjoyed lounging and conversing at themed bars amidst vibrant and extraordinary live food and drink stations, and they were entertained by Bellosound deejays Daniel Buckman, the Hotel’s Music Director, Jeilah from Kenya and Eliana from Argentina playing a global mix of Latin, pop and disco favorites.
Guests observed chefs at the Suviche (Sushi + Ceviche) Bar prepare an assortment of the restaurant’s signature sushi rolls and sampled mini-versions of the Sweet Corn Empanadas, as well as watched them prepare ceviche and fresh seafood surrounded by dry ice, dramatic, branded ice sculptures and bottles of Dom Perignon and Ruinart.
Marble clad, pass-through fireplaces were lit and beckoned guests into each of the dining rooms that open out onto downtown views. Party effects especially created for the event included branded bull tapestries, giant letter scapes, digital mapping and custom lighting that cascaded between the hotel floors and ruby red uplighting that bathed the off-white draperies, walls and featured bars.
Throughout the night, Chef Richard Sandoval personally greeted and visited with guests alongside Tom Segesta, Toro Toro General Manager Pedro Munoz and the Four Seasons team. Most everyone took their turn as couples or in groups donning props and being playful on the revolving 360-photo booth.
One of the most sought after seats is the restaurant’s custom stone table that was entirely covered with a tablescape of charcuterie and cheeses for guests to pose with and devour.
The most popular hangout? Watching seventy-five 52-oz tomahawks flambéed live by chefs with mezcal and rosemary and consumed by the eager crowd. Also a favorite was the elaborate taco bar with lamb, antelope, chicken and beef anticucho selections.
The evening delivered two parties in one, essentially. An entire new experience was encountered in the restaurant’s private event gallery where Houston’s Grupo Kache five-piece band performed Latin pop, samba, salsa and meringue music in front of a dramatic Toro Toro pagoda-logo branded black and white dance floor. Show stopping desserts and cocktails held court included the Yellow Corn Cake, the Southside Mule and the Casual Encounter served in a provocative silver and glass Fortessa chamber filled with Hickory Smoke.
The evening’s guests included Chef Hugo Ortega and his wife Tracy Vaught, Actor Lee Majors and his wife Faith, Shelby Hodge and Shafik Rifaat, Roz Pactor, City Councilmembers Robert Gallegos and Tarsha Jackson, Honorary Consul of Bahamas Lynden Rose, Dr. Laura Murillo, President and CEO of Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, FOX26 Anchor Jonathan Martin, Houston Life Co-Hosts Derrick Shore and Courtney Zavala, David Gow, Andrew and Sophia Heather, Dr. Kristy Hamilton, George Lancaster, Beverly Barrett, Dr. Carlos and Gema Perez Cosio, Brian Donnelly, Gray Davis, Javier Loya, Chelsea Cole, Ellen and Steve Robinson, Susanna Barbosa and Renato Sandoval. Tastemakers included Greg Morago of Houston Chronicle, Steven Devedanam of Culture Map, Loretta Ruggiero of Houston Press as well as food and travel journalists Mai Pham, Robin Barr Sussman, and Megha McSwain. Style influencers included Beth Muecke, Edward Sanchez, Sergio Morales, Mariana of Yo Mariana, Libby Cagle Taft, Adriana Calhoon, Janelle Rendon, and Lynn Kain.
A raffle for four luxury experience packages was held for Camp H-Town, a Four Seasons hosted and sponsored camp for children with cancer from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Hospital and their siblings.
As a token to commemorate the evening, guests were gifted by Four Seasons Hotel Houston with a special thank you and some of Toro Toro’s House-made Chimichurri sauce to enjoy at home.