The new restaurant Alegal, located in the former Salas Aragón in Valencia, Spain, stands out as one of the most ambitious and distinctive projects in the city’s recent gastronomic scene. Conceived by Salim Bravo and Álex Valmaña, the space blends cuisine, leisure, and design in a 1,200-square-metre venue with capacity for 230 guests, inspired by the aesthetics of the Prohibition era.
From its discreet façade, nothing suggests the world of marble, brass, and wood that lies within—a universe that fuses dining and entertainment in a single, immersive concept. The restaurant opened in mid-September after a five-year development process in which Kaizen Consulting played an essential role, accompanying the founders through three key phases to structure and optimise the project’s financing.
How did the Alegal project begin, and what inspired its creation?
Both Álex and I come from the leisure industry, and we’ve always been fascinated by the idea of creating places where gastronomy and entertainment coexist,” explains Salim Bravo. “When you travel, you see that in other countries these two worlds come together naturally. In Valencia, there was nothing like it. Five years ago, we started searching for the right space and found the former Cines Aragón, an icon of the city — and we immediately knew it was perfect for our concept.
At what point did you decide to turn to Kaizen Consulting?
When you move from idea to reality, you realise that financing is far more complex than you first imagined. That’s when we decided to reach out to Kaizen Consulting, to explain the project and see how they could help. From the beginning, they provided tools, support, and a professional vision to structure the financial side and access different funding sources.
What results did you achieve with Kaizen’s support?
Very positive ones. Not only did we secure a significant portion of the financing required, but we also felt fully supported by the Kaizen team throughout the process. They were available even when there was no active commercial agreement, which shows their commitment goes far beyond the purely financial. For me, Kaizen Consulting isn’t just about securing funds — they’re a partner that teaches you, guides you, and helps ensure the project reaches its destination solidly.
What was the collaboration process like?
Very agile. Kaizen Consulting supported the project across three different stages over its five-year development: from the initial funding search to resource optimisation and liquidity reinforcement in later phases. Each time we identified a new need, the team reacted quickly. In just 15 or 20 days, we already had options on the table, both from banks and alternative financing sources. That speed was key to keeping the project on track.
What kind of financial needs did you address?
Mainly funding for the complete renovation of the venue — a complex and ambitious process, as we decided to use top-quality materials such as marble, wood, and brass to create a truly unique experience. Naturally, that significantly increased the investment. Kaizen Consulting helped us find the right financial structure to sustain the entire process.
Had you worked with alternative financing before?
No, this was our first time. In our first project, Living Bakkali, we relied entirely on our own investment. But with Alegal, we understood that having financial experts by our side was essential. Thanks to Kaizen Consulting, we discovered alternative banking and leasing solutions we wouldn’t have considered on our own. Beyond obtaining funding, we learned how markets work, what options exist, and how to adapt them to our business.
What advantages would you highlight from working with Kaizen Consulting?
Learning and agility. In a short time, you learn things that would take years to discover on your own. The Kaizen team is constantly updating their knowledge — and they share that with you. Their involvement doesn’t end with the deal; they continue to advise and support you so you can make informed decisions. And, of course, the human quality of the team: Noelia, Inma, Álvaro, and José Roca, among others, accompanied us with exceptional commitment and closeness.
How would you assess Kaizen Consulting’s contribution to the Alegal project?
I’d define it as fundamental. Without their support, the project would have been much harder to sustain over time. They gave us structure, vision, and peace of mind during the most critical moments. In short, Kaizen has been an excellent travel companion — for both the present and the future.
