Chattanooga’s culinary scene continues to evolve with the opening of Torikaya, a modern, chef-driven traditional izakaya restaurant behind Warehouse Row. It’s the newest concept in the Kals Restaurant Group, which owns and operates local favorites Totto Sushi & Grill, Zaya 1943 Korean Steakhouse, and Rodizio Grill at Hamilton Place. Led by Executive Chef Eric Cielo, Torikaya brings a Japanese-forward menu with Southern and global touches.
Cielo was born and raised in Los Angeles, where his father ran both Italian and Mexican kitchens. Growing up immersed in that world gave him a deep appreciation for good food and an understanding of the work it takes to make it. He carried that foundation with him when he enrolled in culinary school. There, a chance recommendation changed his trajectory. Someone suggested he try working in a Japanese kitchen, and it clicked immediately.
“It felt like a full craft,” Cielo says. “The structure, the systems, the precision, the respect, it lured me in.”
The experience reframed his entire approach to cooking, and he went on to join the team at Hatch Yakitori in downtown Los Angeles. His food eventually caught the attention of the Kals Restaurant Group. The owners stopped in on a whim, tasted his cooking, and struck up a conversation that ultimately led to an offer to bring Cielo to Chattanooga.
While Torikaya’s foundation is firmly Japanese, Cielo’s background ensures the influences run wide. Southern touches show up in unexpected places, like a nori cornbread and a napa cabbage salad with bacon vinaigrette. Sushi, sashimi, ramen, and charcoal-grilled yakitori round out a menu that hits salty, savory, and umami flavor notes and offers something for everyone.
The menu is also deeply personal. Cielo says it’s emotionally driven, shaped by what he’s feeling or what he’s been missing, layered on top of whatever is in season and available from local purveyors. That napa cabbage salad, for instance, is a recipe he’d been refining for three years. It’s right at home on Torikaya’s menu.
Guests can expect the menu to keep moving. New items will rotate in regularly, and Cielo is eager to experiment with game meats, house-made sausages, and other ingredients that don’t typically show up on a Japanese menu. This framework gives him and his team room to cook freely while staying true to the concept.
Similarly, the beverage program was built with intention, and in close conversation with the kitchen. Beverage Director Marcelo Nascimento matched Cielo’s vision early, the two bouncing ideas off each other until the food and drink began to feel like a cohesive experience.
“Our bar program is above all guest focused,” Nascimento says. “It sparks intrigue and welcomes trial. Approachable, recognizable flavors are paramount.”
One drink that captures Nascimento's approach particularly well is the La Vaquera, his take on the Mexican Martini. The name means “cowgirl” in Spanish, and his version adds spicy pickled okra juice to a traditional margarita, introducing a savory, tangy edge that cuts through the tart lime and transforms the drink into something new.
For first-timers, Cielo’s advice is to order the way you eat. There’s no prescribed path through the menu. If you lean toward clean, fresh flavors, you’ll find your footing easily. If you’re a carnivore, the dry-aged pork chop is the move. If you want to explore, order a variety of plates and let the meal unfold. Sushi lovers can anchor themselves with hand rolls and sashimi before wandering further afield.
“There’s no right way to order here,” Cielo says. “Everything is approachable.”