How Miami’s Hottest Restaurant Got Its Start

[Interviewer] How do you guys know each other?

[Both] Well.

We met in high school.

We had barely seen each other between high school and now.

We went out for lunch.

Javier told me that he was really into food,

I told him I was really into wine.

After about three/four years

one day the question was popped.

Well, how about if we try and do our own restaurant?

Well, that was basically the initial spark

that created Alter.

I knew it would have to be chef-driven

and the best chef in town in my opinion at the time

was Bradley Kilgore.

It didn't take much to convince him.

Brad had immediately a very clear idea

of what the menu would look like for this space.

Laid back, great food, great wine,

simple atmosphere without jeopardizing service and quality.

When I read the four-star review we received

from the Miami Herald last year,

for me it was a very magical moment.

She understood what we set ourselves out to do

here at the space.

For our patrons it's a complete experience.

It can't be that you serve good food

but you know, you don't have a good wine list

or the service wasn't good.

It has to be a combination

of the whole thing,

so the next day you wake up

and you say I had a wonderful meal yesterday

and it's the whole, you know, the whole experience.