Today we’d like to introduce you to Adriana Vethencourt Ruben Salvatierra.
Hi Adriana, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Some dreams don’t arrive quietly. They come with long nights, hard choices, fear, faith—and an incredible amount of gratitude.
My husband Rubén and I have always been sushi lovers. For me, sushi was never just food; it was family. I grew up around it. My family owned several sushi restaurants in Venezuela, so when I told Rubén that part of my story, his excitement was immediate. Cooking has always been his passion, and sushi felt like the perfect bridge between our worlds—his love for the kitchen and my roots.
That’s how the idea began.
We decided to open a sushi restaurant and started looking for locations. Everything felt impossibly expensive, and honestly, a little discouraging. But then we found a place in North Miami. It was perfect, it had many of the things we needed—and more importantly, it felt right. We had very little budget, but we had big hopes, big excitement, and a shared belief that this dream was worth chasing.
Rubén poured his heart into the menu. We brought many dishes from my family’s restaurants in Venezuela and added new creations that felt like us.
Then came the name.
We spent an entire night searching—scrolling, reading, thinking, dreaming. We wanted a name that meant something to both of us, something that would guide us when things got hard. That night, Arigatai found us. In Japanese, it means “to be grateful.” We both looked at each other and knew. That was it.
Our opening was scheduled for March 2020.
We had a small gathering with friends, full of excitement and nerves. The next day, we were ready for business. What we weren’t ready for was the world to shut down.
I was so focused on the restaurant that I wasn’t watching the news. I still remember Rubén calling me and saying, “Adri, come see this.” Within a week of opening, we had to close. We let everyone go and waited—without knowing for how long. We didn’t have delivery platforms set up. We hadn’t even considered them at the beginning.
Those days were some of the most stressful of our lives.
Our son was five years old. We didn’t have enough money in the bank. We applied for government help and didn’t get it. We were closed for two months. When we finally reopened, it was just the four of us: Rubén and one cook in the kitchen, two servers, and me—doing everything else.
We had to rethink everything.
We signed up for all the delivery platforms, even though they take 30% of your sales. We worked crazy hours. We adapted day by day. Honestly, I can’t even remember exactly how we made it back to a full staff. I just know it took an incredible amount of hard work, dedication, and faith that things had to get better.
I am especially grateful for my husband. He worked endlessly then—and still does now. His passion, discipline, and love for what we built carried us through moments when giving up would have been easier.
This year, Arigatai is approaching its sixth anniversary.
It feels surreal to write that.
Owning a restaurant has not been easy on our family. It demands time, energy, sacrifice, and resilience. But it has also given us something priceless: a community. Our guests didn’t just support us—they became part of the Arigatai family. Their love, their loyalty, their encouragement during the hardest times kept us standing.
Our son is now ten years old. Sometimes he helps at the restaurant. He’s been doing that since he was six. Watching him grow up alongside Arigatai is one of my greatest joys. This place holds our story—our struggles, our growth, our gratitude.
Arigatai is not just a restaurant.
It’s a reminder.
A reminder that dreams are not supposed to be easy. That fear and uncertainty don’t mean you’re on the wrong path. And that gratitude—especially in the hardest moments—can be the most powerful force of all.
If there’s one thing I hope this story inspires, it’s this: follow your dream, even when it scares you.
Arigatai is one made true.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Rubén has been in restaurants since he was a teenager. The kitchen was never just a job for him—it was where his passion lived, where discipline, creativity, and love for food came together.
My path was different. I built a corporate career, structured and predictable, until one day I chose to follow my heart instead. I stepped away from the office and joined my husband in building something of our own.
Arigatai was born at the intersection of his lifelong love for cooking and my leap of faith—proof that when passion and courage meet, beautiful things can happen.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Opening Arigatai during COVID forced humility. I asked questions constantly—about margins, staffing, delivery platforms, survival. People are surprisingly generous when they see you’re genuinely trying to learn, not just trying to impress.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arigataisushi.com
- Instagram: @arigataisushi
- Facebook: arigatai sushi
- Yelp: arigatai sushi
