Chotto Matte opens its first Australian restaurant in Bondi on 22 November, seating 250 guests across a single ground-floor room on Curlewis Street.

The Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian fusion) brand launched in London in 2013 under founder Kurt Zdesar, an Australian-born chef who previously ran Nobu's European operation for more than a decade. Chotto Matte has since expanded to Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United States. Sydney marks the fifth market.

Zdesar called the launch "a full-circle moment." He added: "Opening Chotto Matte in Australia feels like I'm bringing the brand home to Sydney, a real milestone for the next chapter in the brand's international story. Bondi has a vibe that feels very Chotto Matte."

What is on the menu?

The kitchen runs on a two-metre robata (Japanese charcoal) grill, with proteins cooked over open flame alongside ceviche, sushi and sashimi service. Group Executive Chef Jordan Sclare has curated the Nikkei offering with Zdesar since launch. Jay Choi takes the head chef post at Bondi, mixing chain signatures with dishes built only for the Sydney room. A tasting menu option will run alongside à la carte.

What does the unit economics look like?

The source does not disclose the build cost, lease structure or projected average check. Industry benchmarks for 250-seat destination Nikkei rooms in Sydney's eastern suburbs typically run above A$90 per head at dinner, but no figure has been confirmed by the operator.

Why Bondi?

Zdesar frames the location as personal. He was raised in Australia before his Nobu and Chotto Matte years. The brand's overseas sites cluster in luxury-adjacent leisure markets — Toronto, Riyadh, Miami — and Bondi fits that pattern, anchoring the trade on weekend tourism traffic from Sydney's eastern suburbs and hotel demand along the beachfront.

Who runs the room?

• Founder: Kurt Zdesar
• Group Executive Chef: Jordan Sclare (with the brand since 2013)
• Head Chef, Bondi: Jay Choi

The Chotto Matte group has not named a general manager for the Sydney site in its release.

How does the trading schedule work?

Seven-day trading at lunch and dinner, starting 22 November. The brand has not confirmed reservation lead time, deposit policy or whether the tasting menu carries a surcharge. Sydney's permitting for a 250-seat licence requires a venue management plan, though Chotto Matte has not flagged any objection.

What is the forward outlook?

The brand's stated plan calls for Australia to become its sixth permanent market and its third in the Asia-Pacific corridor after London. A second Australian site would hinge on Bondi's first-twelve-week cover count and average spend. Sydney's Nikkei category remains thin at the destination-end of the market, with Sake, a Rockpool Dining Group property in Double Bay, the most direct local competitor by format.

Watch the December trading data for confirmation that the Bondi room can hold its average check against Sydney's coastal-dining ceiling.