25 to watch in 2025: Lexington restaurant legend bringing back one brand, plans for more
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25 to watch in 2025
The Lexington Herald-Leader is tracking 25 individuals we expect will be making news in 2025.
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Editor’s note: The Herald-Leader is profiling 25 individuals we predict will be making news in 2025.
Name: Kunihide Toyoda, president and owner of Bella Notte Restaurant Group, which includes local dining spots Bella Cafe and Grille, Bella Notte, Smashing Tomato.
Background: Toyoda has been a legend in local dining for nearly 40 years, beginning with Jerrico, the Lexington parent company of Long John Silver’s, Jerry’s and what is now knows as Fazoli’s. In 1990, Toyoda led a company buying the five original Fazoli’s for $3 million. Over the next 10-plus years, the privately owned company has grown to more than 400 restaurants.
Along the way, Toyoda opened Bella Notte, Nothing But Burgers and Smashing Tomato. In 2006 Toyoda left his company to focus on Bella Restaurant Group, opening other successful dining spots like Bella Cafe and Grille.
Why Toyoda is someone to watch: Toyoda is relaunching a COVID casualty. Crust, a wood-fired pizza and pasta place, will reopen early in 2025 in Beaumont Center, in the former Whiskey Bear location at 3195 Beaumont Center Circle Suite 100. Toyoda opened the pizzeria as Smashing Tomato in 2011 in the French Quarter Square shopping center off Richmond Road. In 2014 it was revamped as Crust.
Then in 2019, Toyoda changed the name to Bella Forno, adding some menu items from his popular Bella Notte restaurant to the menu. Then COVID hit and in October 2020, after it had been closed for six months, the lease was expiring and he made the decision not to attempt to reopen it.
What Toyoda expects from 2025: Toyoda says he understands the challenges of opening a new restaurant in this competitive environment, especially with so many option diners have and inflationary costs. “To overcome these challenges and stay competitive, we’ve been focusing on recruiting, developing, and retaining qualified staff members who share our company values of trust, respect, and commitment to excellence,” said Toyoda, who is also actively searching for potential sites for Bella Café & Grille, Smashing Tomato, and Bella Notte in Lexington. “We hope to add one more restaurant to our portfolio besides Crust in 2025.”
What others are saying about Toyoda: Interior designer Julie Rainey, President of r2 studio, inc., said she is looking forward to once again working with Toyoda on another local restaurant. “He travels the world scouting out the best restaurant concepts from food, to décor, to service,” said Rainey. “His discerning eye and refined pallet have always put him on the cutting edge of Lexington’s restaurant scene….from authentic Italian to modern bistros.”
