Slide Show — Click Link

Ajua Maya Restaurant is celebrating ten years in Playa del Carmen on May 21, 2011 with an Invitation-Only Celebration of Traditional Mayan, Mestizo and Mexican cuisine plus a touch of Virginia with live music all night – and, featuring, Chef Gabriel Sanchez Gómez, Ajua Maya’s new Executive Chef, will provide a sampling of his extraordinary traditional exican and Mestizo cuisines.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Press Release) May 19, 2011 – Playa del Carmen, Q. Roo, Mexico

On March 21, 2001, Jorge and Brenda Alfaro acquired Ajua Restaurant (now Ajua Maya) in Playa del Carmen. Their 2001 acquisition began a fantastic culinary journey, which transformed a small Playa restaurant into the current, Ajua Maya — a casual, sophisticated, five star dining experience. Ajua Maya specializes in Mayan, Mestizo, Mexican and a touch of Virginian cuisine; and now, ten years later, the Alfaros enjoy working with many of the same staff and wonderful Ajua friends who return each and every year to share their success.

“Immediately after the acquisition of Ajua, we worked hard to provide our customers with the highest quality ingredients and preparations available on the Riviera Maya,” said Brenda Alfaro, the Virginian partner. “This commitment to excellence for our customers and our staff has created a wonderfully warm and trusted environment, coupled with the extraordinary friendly service our Mayan staff provides, and the memorable culinary experiences created by our Mayan chefs.”

“We feel blessed,” said Jorge Alfaro, the Mexican-Mayan side of the couple. “Those who experience our creative and inclusive restaurant style, convey to us that we
are one of the best, if not the best, restaurant experiences they have ever had in their life. What a compliment. “

The Alfaros attribute their restaurant’s success to the extraordinary Mayan staff they have worked with for ten years. Brenda explained that the Maya infuse Ajua Maya with
their noble heritage, including their traditional community culture, which ensures harmony in daily life and in work, free of negativity and full of the joy of working together as a family and a village.

Their General Manager, Jorge Huchim Martin, and their In-House Accountant, Amilcar Torres Canul, along with their long term Ajua Maya brothers (yes, they have an all male staff – the norm in this part of the world — except for the lonely Virginian, Brenda), have dedicated the past ten years to ensure Ajua Maya not only maintains its commitment to quality but continues to strive to be better than before. They have been successful beyond anyone’s goals and expectations.

In 2011, with the extraordinary growth of Ajua Maya and its expanding reputation, the executive staff strategized it was time to bring additional talent into the fold at a management level, an executive chef , and the search began.

“It was quite a challenge to find the right personality match,” said Brenda Alfaro. “First, we reviewed many resumes and interviewed quite a few candidates. We felt we needed a chef who specialized in ancient Mexican Indian cuisine as well as Mestizo style (the fusion of ancient Indian recipes with those of the Mexican’s Spanish and French conquerors). In addition, we searched for a chef who was trained professionally and had a degree in culinary arts.

The challenge was not to find that combination; the challenge was to find someone outside of the Mayan world that would be able to respect the Mayan culture and the Mayan staff at Ajua Maya. Not an easy task.”

“We are proud to announce that Chef Gabriel Sánchez Gómez. originally from Puebla, Puebla, is a chef with great talent and dedication to traditional Mexican cuisine, joined us three months ago and has successfully bonded with his new Ajua Maya family plus the one Virginian female, my wife and partner!”, said Jorge Alfaro. “We are proud to have him with us and look forward to many more years of success and growth under his and all of our staff’s guidance.”

On May 21, 2011, Chef Gabriel will debut his Mexican and Mestizo cuisine in Ajua Maya, along with ancient Mayan dishes, at the ten year invitation-only anniversary bash at Ajua Maya for Ajua Maya’s friends, patrons, and VIP guests from Playa del Carmen.

Chef Gabriel debut will be supported by the incredible Ajua Maya staff, along with live music including Mariachis, Tierra Vera – Ajua ‘s Salsa and Latin Jazz Band, and “UnRated” – Ajua’ s Rock ‘n Roll Sundays band.

###

For
additional information, please contact Brenda Long Alfaro (Brenda@ajua.biz )

Office: +52 984 803 1118
skype: ajuaevents

About The Alfaro Group

The Alfaro Group was formed in 2001 in Playa del Carmen and includes Ajua Maya Restaurant, Ajua Weddings and Ajua Events.

— end —

May has been a busy month for us. Lot’s of positive changes and we look forward to the future. Our signature restaurant, Ajua Maya, will be celebrating our 10th year in Playa del Carmen and we look forward to the great 4th Street party at Ajua Maya Restaurant. If you are in town, please stop by and enjoy the music and more! You may find me in a hammock – per doctor’s orders – since I am just a few weeks out of surgery. Doing well, feeling great, just do not have the stamina I normally have.

Per doctor’s order, I will have to have a sign on my hanmock “Brenda in repose per Dr. Moreno’s order for a post-op party!”

Enjoy life, have fun, find peace and love,
Brenda Alfaro & Jorge Alfaro

One suggestion we have for you is to plan a Spa Yoga Day for you, your bridemaids, your mother, your future mother-in-law, your sisters, ann/or all the important women who will share this beautiful experience with you. It will transport your mind and body to a peaceful, tranquil state of mind and allow you to truly enjoy the truly spiritual experiences you will have for this special day.

Stephanie is a daily practitioner of Yoga and would love to share this beautiful experience with you and those you love by planning a Peaceful Yoga Spa Day in front of the turquoise waters of the Carribean Sea in the spiritual center of the Maya, Playa del Carmen. Transform yourself and enjoy the beauty, peace and spirtual guidance the Maya.

Well, Brenda and Stephanie are on a creative jag redesiging our Event Menus with our new Executive Chef, Gabriel Sanchez Gomez and all other related marketing pieces. Lots of fun. So, to track changes in our Signature Restaurant, Ajua Maya, and our new Chef Gabrie’s impact, I added to the customer survey a 4th category – Fantastic! Now we are getting more Fantastics than Excellents and we have not even introduced the new dishes and presentations from the new Chef.! What Next? a fifth category? ….. Perfect????

PS. Don’t worry. We are keeping our traditional menu as well – just took a few dishes off and will be adding some great ones like Whole Fresh Fish grilled over charcoal with five chiles (Pescado Entero Fresco a la Talla). Also, we will be having monthly specials featuring traditional Mexican cuisine focusing on Mexican regions and states. This will be introduced for Samana Santa with several Whole Fish Dishes and Tuna Tartar. The month of May – Puebla! It will be worth a special trip to Playa!

Follow us on Facebook at Ajua Maya or Ajua Events

Jolly Crone – Trip Advisor Member since: May 13, 2009
Would you recommend this restaurant to a friend? Yes

Lisa and Jimmy committed to each other in a cosmic ceremony on the beach in Playa del Carmen.  The storm clouds rolled in as they said their vows.  Lisa and Jimmy took it all in stride, with the assurance that the Mayans believe that rain is good luck!  They celebrated with champagne and cake at Ajua Maya and then returned to their hotel for a romantic dinner.  Congratulations!

Photos courtesy of Amin Dominguez