Since its inception in 2012, COYA has redefined luxury dining, blending Peruvian culture with global flair across 12 stunning locations. It is more than just a restaurant. It is an immersive luxury lifestyle experience, seamlessly blending culture, sophistication and fine dining. It was established in 2012 with a single restaurant in London’s Mayfair, where the business still has its headquarters today. From there it expanded with branches in Dubai, Monaco, Mykonos, Barcelona and more. Today it has 12 restaurants in nine countries across the world.
“We offer a vibrant dining experience, with exceptional food, innovative mixology, music and art,” explains Yannis Stanisiere, Chief Operating Officer of COYA Restaurants. “It is an immersive experience, what we call a 360-degree lifestyle experience using the fusion of Peruvian flavours influenced by food from Japan, and across South America. We offer a truly international flare, earning global recognition for our family style of hospitality, excellent service and consistent standards.”
The 360-degree Lifestyle
That “360-degree lifestyle” means more than a playlist and some nice pictures on the wall. For COYA every aspect of the experience operates as one of four independent pillars of the business – Culinary, Mixology, Music and Art. Its innovative Mixology department has developed and launched Macerado Pisco by COYA, the world’s first bottled, passion fruit-flavoured infusion paying tribute to Peru’s history in passionfruit production and Pisco, also a bestselling cocktail in its venue. COYA’s high-level and continuously rotating art acquisitions are visible across its venues. And COYA also doesn’t just curate music, it has its very own music label.
“Not many luxury restaurant companies and lifestyle brands can claim to have their own music label!” Stanisiere says proudly. “We take this part of the business really seriously, even doing events under the COYA label. We take it to musical festivals in Ibiza, New York and Phuket, creating iconic events and a memorable vibe for our guests. We also released a ten-track CM vinyl for celebrating our 10th anniversary.”
COYA has also launched collabs with prestigious brand designers such as Gabriella Moya, who recently created a new uniform for COYA’s hosts, working with local artisans from Peru for fabric and jewellery.
All of this comes together to create an experience that sets them apart.
“It’s all about a journey. This is how we proceed,” Stanisiere tells us. “We approach hosting as if welcoming friends—every detail counts, from decor to music to wine.”
With all this focus on the vibes and the atmosphere, you might be forgiven for thinking the food could get lost in the mix, but COYA keeps the cuisine front and centre.
“Our concept is based on the fusion cuisine of Peru, which is our largest influence. It means we are really able to play around with the flavours, from fish marinated in lime to classic roasted dishes,” Stanisiere says. “We can provide different types of food and experience for the mood of the day, whether you want some guacamole and a Pisco Sour, or a substantial meal with a nice grilled meat from the Robata with a traditional side dish. We give people a reason to come back and try all the different experiences we have to offer in the same restaurant.”
Serving up Passion
Given the many elements involved in crafting each guest’s experience, COYA had to adapt quickly when the Covid pandemic hit.
“We had to shift our business model, but I’m proud to say we retained all of our staff,” says Stanisiere. “We pivoted to luxury delivery and takeaway. To stay connected with our clients, we launched a virtual cooking masterclass, while our DJ spun tunes from his living room to create YouTube videos with COYA.”
It is telling that the first thing Stanisiere tells us about Covid is how the firm retained its staff. COYA crafts experiences that require an astonishingly diverse selection of skills. However, when recruiting new staff, those skills are not the first thing he looks for.
“More than the skills we are looking to find passionate individuals,” he says. “When we recruit we are not looking at someone who knows which side the fork goes on, that can be taught. However, you can’t teach, the passion, the empathy and the desire to please someone. You need to find people who are passionate in general. We work with all departments to build a team that has our values in its DNA and we nurture leadership from within.”
Stanisiere sees COYA Restaurants as a family—one built on strong bonds and shared values, where high-performance team members collaborate seamlessly, navigating the highs and lows of the business with dedication and unit.
“It allows us to be different from other companies. We put the employees at the top of our priorities because without the employee you simply cannot operate,” he tells us. “When you put that energy into taking care of your employees and rewarding them, they will stay with you for longer.”
As well as rewarding staff, they are invested in & challenged, with regular training and opportunities for advancement, further responsibility, and the chance to experience working in other departments of the business. Staff are offered cross-department training, allowing them to explore career paths and contribute to COYA’s multi-faceted experience.
Meanwhile, Stanisiere is looking for further opportunities for COYA Restaurants as a whole. For the last few years, the company has been growing its footprint in the GCC markets, and for the last year and a half, it has also been making huge strides in expanding its presence in Spain, followed by a market focus in Italy, starting with Milani, then entering the US.
“We see Miami as a natural next step, as it blends our Latin American influence with a dynamic hospitality market. From there, we will selectively expand in key US cities aligned with COYA’s brand DNA,” he tells us.
It is a strategy that promises big things as the COYA brand expands and diversifies. As well as its luxury lifestyle restaurants, the company has developed the nightclub concept Chanca by COYA in Dubai which capitalises on the COYA Music label. Alongside this, the brand also boasts beach and pool venues.
“That is a side of the business we intend to look after. “Our ambition is to solidify COYA as the definitive global luxury lifestyle brand, seamlessly merging dining, nightlife, and cultural experiences into one immersive journey,” Stanisiere says. “The COYA atmosphere and environment is a great fit for lunches and laid-back beach clubs and pools.”
