T akaya Awata is a self-made Japanese billionaire and the founder and CEO of Toridoll Holdings, a major global restaurant operator. His entrepreneurial journey began in 1985 with a single chicken yakitori restaurant. His major breakthrough came in 2000 with the creation of Marugame Seimen, a highly successful chain of udon noodle restaurants. The chain's innovative cafeteria-style, "made-to-order" format, which offered high-quality, freshly made noodles at affordable prices, proved to be immensely popular and became the engine of his company's growth.

Awata has since expanded Toridoll into a massive international restaurant conglomerate, both by growing his flagship Marugame Seimen brand globally and through a series of major acquisitions. His company's diverse portfolio now includes a wide range of restaurant concepts across Asia, Europe, and the United States, including the British noodle chain Wagamama and the American pizza chain The Halal Guys. His aggressive global expansion has made Toridoll one of the world's fastest-growing restaurant groups.