05/08/22

Chotto Matte’s new London restaurant features branding by Spinach Branding

Branding

With Chotto Matte opening its latest London venue in Marylebone, and with plans to launch restaurants in Manchester, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Nashville, Philadelphia, Rome and Milan, we take a look at the on-going work we’re doing with the vibrant restaurant group.

Chotto has a compelling brand proposition, uniting the special flavours of Peruvian Japanese Nikkei cuisine with elements of London, Toronto, Miami, Doha and Riyadh. This means each dining space responds to the location with building designs that are culturally grounded, favour local materials but are equally stylish with a high-dose of commissioned artwork and music.

The food is rooted in the Nikkei tradition, but also uses local ingredients and is open to change. Each dish is an artwork, expertly prepared and presented on bespoke dishes tailor-made for the restaurant group. Chotto’s mission is to create extraordinary culinary experiences. And it does. The scene in Marylebone on the day we visit certainly reflects this spirit.

Spinach Branding has been working alongside Chotto to help evolve the brand. Our team refined the brand proposition and developed a new brand identity to include messaging and tone-of-voice platform, a refreshed visual identity and new logo system, as well as a digital brand hub that will guide the business as it expands further globally.

To do so, Spinach tapped into Chotto’s unique brand story of maverick personalities, sustainable and delicious food, and inventive restaurant design. The brainchild of restauranteur Kurt Zdesar, the first Chotto venue opened on 18 September 2013 in London’s Soho to host the Dazed & Confused party at the end of London Fashion Week. And the timing proved to be perfect. Dazed brought along London’s fashionistas and the phone hasn’t stopped ringing since.

Zdesar has an impressive resume. He established the Nobu brand to Europe and created the highly-successful Ping Pong restaurant chain. Zdesar has an instinct for identifying new trends in the business and capturing the zeitgeist. The idea for Chotto came by chance on a trip to Shanghai when he first tasted Peruvian Ceviche. ‘The taste stayed with me. The food is fresh, healthy and delicious and can be eaten daily,’ he says. ‘I then researched Nikkei cuisine and its incredible history and knew I had to do something with this.’

Like many regional foods, Nikkei cuisine tells the story of migration and cultural fusion. The Japanese have a significance presence in South America, and in particular in Brazil and Peru with settlements that started over a century ago when farmers came seeking work at coastal sugar plantations. Since, the Japanese Peruvians population has been instrumental in shaping local culinary favours.

Nikkei is an expression of this and a lively combination of Japanese and Peruvian ingredients and techniques. The two cultures favour fish and seasonal ingredients, with Japanese sushi and sashimi and Peruvian ceviche central to their gastronomy. Nikkei blends these culinary traditions, combining the best of Japanese clean cooking and Peruvian warmth and hospitality. At Chotto, executive chef Jordan Sclare has created a menu inspired by Peruvian Nikkei classics to great success.

If modern luxury is increasingly about offering ephemeral and experiential moments, then Chotto is at the vanguard of the restaurant scene. ‘As originals and authentic leaders in taking Peruvian Nikkei cuisine worldwide in unique surroundings, Chotto should always continue to evolve and innovate,’ says Leigh Banks, Spinach branding director who worked on the project. ‘The recent brand project has enabled the business to set the pace once again in a fast and competitive industry.’

Images: Chotto Matte brand logo, and design and style guidelines © Spinach Branding for Chotto Matte

Spinach Branding is a specialist branding agency based in London. We work with established businesses and start-ups around the world to build and refine their brands. See how we work and get in touch to discuss your brand.