Just like many other industries, gastronomy is evolving at a rapid pace. Opening a restaurant, bar, or café is no longer just a culinary bet; it’s about crafting a complete experience for every guest. In a saturated market with growing competition, what truly makes the difference is identity and total coherence.

At Brandtrack, we spoke with Chef Nicolás Tykocki, owner of Ácido, a restaurant featured in the Michelin Guide, about how to build dining experiences that genuinely offer something unique. For Nicolás, the real differentiator lies in the overall experience in which the guest is immersed and not just what arrives on the plate.

Criteria and Coherence

A restaurant is not built on scattered ideas or isolated concepts. It must be built with criteria.“It’s not a concept, it’s not an idea, it’s not orders. It’s a shared criterion, defined by the owners and embraced by the entire team,” he explains.

That criterion should guide every decision: how guests are welcomed, how staff communicate, what music plays, and what lighting is chosen. When this exists, the experience becomes a coherent system: “Everything has to respond to the same logic. Otherwise, it shows. Guests may not know how to explain what feels off, but they feel that something doesn’t quite add up.”

Authenticity Over Pleasing Everyone

Another key element in dining experiences today is authenticity. In a world increasingly shaped by social media, many projects are designed with the photo in mind before the real experience. “I think we do a lot for social media and a lot to please customers, when what truly connects are authentic experiences. And honesty can’t be faked, it has to be genuinely honest", said Tykocki.

This may sound almost countercultural: looking inward rather than outward: “What you need to measure is yourself. Look inward and understand what you truly offer. Try to do what you genuinely want to do, instead of being overly driven by what others want.”

Following trends or copying formulas guarantees nothing. The goal is not to appeal to everyone, but to clearly understand who you are and sustain that identity with conviction.

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Experience as a Sensory System

The sensory dimension in gastronomy is just as important as the food. Lighting, smells, music, and space build as much as the menu does, because the sensory experience is fundamental. As Nicolás explains, “the role of music is defined by the owners. It can be extremely important or not important at all. But if you want it to be important, then it really has to be. What you can’t do is stay halfway.”

He adds, “I love nearly silent places with very soft jazz. And I’m also fascinated by places with loud speakers where you have to raise your voice to talk. Both work—if they are aligned with what the place wants to be. What doesn’t work is lack of definition.”

The equation, according to Tykocki, is simple: food, experience, and price are the three non-negotiable pillars. “If you fail in one of those three, there’s no chance.”

Excellence appears when everything else aligns and supports that foundation, allowing every part of the experience to speak the same language.

Being, Not Pleasing

Criteria, coherence, authenticity, and a holistic sensory vision are the foundations of great dining experiences today. It’s essential to define a clear identity, sustain it with honesty, and express it in every detail: from the plate to the lighting in the room.

Because, as Nicolás Tykocki puts it: “The difference is not in pleasing. It’s in being".