About us
“Let us eat to live and
live longer to eat”
Santė is a contemporary global fusion with a Beyond organic farm-to-table heritage, using traditional and classic regional diction with thoughtful, local, and organic growers to guide guests through the ever-changing landscape of the booming Arizona culinary movement. The restaurant reinforces our scratch kitchen philosophy with handmade bread and pastries, in-house cured lox pickled veg, and produce and animal products from the best regenerative farms and ranches. The menu changes regularly based on seasonal fresh produce. The global fusion cuisine is amplified by an exquisite, purposely-curated wine portfolio and a celebrated cocktail program. Designed with thoughts and inclinations of old Hollywood in 1920s and biophilic design creates a feeling of decadence that compliments the nature of the cuisine. Sante is a romantic, vibey space where one could have a blast at Sunday brunch or be comfortable finishing a bottle of wine with friends until closing time.
Sourcing sustainability from as many regenerative farms as we can is our main priority, as we believe that this is the direction we must take as a community and industry. We are committed to these practices and aim to educate our community about this mission. All of our ingredients will be sourced from small farms with humanely raised livestock, ensuring that animal products and byproducts will not carry any harmful chemicals or GMOs to our guests.
The culinary team has created diverse menu options that cater to any diner, regardless of their bio-individual needs or dietary restrictions. Those who follow restrictive diets like vegan, paleo, gluten-free, and low-FODMAP, typically have few options when dining out. Santé’s menu will not only cater to these individual needs but also create an inclusive dining environment for all parties to enjoy a meal together.
Our full-service restaurant will offer an elevated lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch service, while the “grab & gourmet” marketplace and cafe will showcase our coffee and tea program, as well as our grab-n-go options for healthy meals, snacks, supplements, and Santé merchandise.
GREEN INITIATIVES
Santé’s ethos is centered around positively impacting the health of not only our patrons but also of our earth. We are taking the necessary actionable steps to be a “green” restaurant. From our ethical organic sourcing to our composting of food waste, we hope to leave the planet better than we found it.
Meet the Founders
Nico and Nick have been friends for over 15 years. Both are excited to provide the healthiest food options while having transparency around where it’s sourced for the masses!
Nico Doniele
Nico has been around the restaurant industry her entire life. The daughter of an award-winning executive chef. Before she knew it, she was working in restaurants in Scottsdale, tending bars, serving tables, and being a part of restaurants’ opening teams for countless years. Now, she’s marrying her love of the restaurant industry with the passion she has for food health and health education.
Through her travel through Central America and living/working abroad and in Italy and France, Nico expanded her knowledge for the celebration of local ingredients and how they were used through each season to heal and nourish the body.
Over 20 years ago, Nico began learning about the power of alternative healing, energy, meditation, and mindfulness when she studied Chinese Bodywork and Therapies at Southwest Institute for Healing Arts, & In the last five years, she has focused on meditation, personal growth, coaching, and nutrition, and received her Health Coaching certification from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition & Stanford University Nutrition Science and 300 H of Yoga teacher training @ Modo Yoga International.
Through struggles of her own with gut health issues, she found it difficult to find places where she could eat and celebrate food with her friends. Furthermore, being a change maker she found it difficult to find CONSCIOUS places to eat where all things were thought about.
By creating the concept Santé, it is her mission that eating out with diet restriction frustrations are a thing of the past and acknowledging that the choices WE make for our planet, are the future.
Nick Neuman
Nick has a strong belief that serving food is not just providing fuel for the body but an experience for the mind, heart, and soul.
He strives to create fine dining experiences for all, where people can enjoy with friends, family, and the ones they love.
With Santé, Nick wanted to go all out with his passion for creating innovative culinary experiences and with a focus on taking care of our planet too.
He desires that people have a holistic understanding of the food they put in their bodies. He wants them to learn nutritional ways how to improve their body and mind from the inside out.
As a restaurant owner and fine dining expert, he brings with him extensive professional experience of almost 28 years and still growing.
Throughout college and beyond years he worked in every level of various restaurants and gained expertise and a unique perspective on front-of-house operations.
Using his extensive skills in leadership, restaurant operations and hospitality Nick has successfully launched and successfully operated, EVO, a staple restaurant in the old town of Scottsdale.
With a passion for travel, he loves to discover and explore more of the world around him. He strives to understand the diverse cultures, traditions, and heritage of the rich-historic places of the world.
Filled with people of different tastes, personalities, traits, behaviors, and qualities, he sees the world as a canvas to be painted with the experiential ideas of food and hospitality.
Meet the Team
Saul Velazquez
Eric Abaloz
