The collaboration marks a significant milestone, as the restaurant is the first and only of its kind located at a
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“I’m very excited to finally open our second Nobu in the Middle East,” says Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. “It is an honour for me to be able to share my food and culture with different people around the world. I look forward to new challenges and adventures with the opening of Nobu Doha.”
Chef Matsuhisa is renowned for his loyal clientele of the world’s most affluent celebrities and connoisseurs. Drawing upon Matsuhisa’s classical training as a sushi chef in Tokyo, his life abroad in South America, and his travels around the world, Nobu Doha will showcase Nobu’s signature new style Japanese cuisine, as well as new creations infusing local ingredients representative of the region, such as exotic spices and a bounty of fresh catch from the Arabian Gulf including black-streaked monocole bream and orange-spotted trevally.
Designed by internationally acclaimed architect David Rockwell and his firm Rockwell Group, the 26,000 square-foot (2,400 square metre) Nobu Doha promises to be the largest of its kind in the brand’s global portfolio. The restaurant will feature an expansive 192-seat interior dining area, intimate 10-seat sushi counter, two exclusive private dining rooms, and a one-of-a-kind 82-seat rooftop lounge that encompasses both indoor and outdoor seating options.
Elliptical ribbons of river stone capped with bronze accents form the exterior of the structure – resembling a coiled shell – creating the three-tiered levels of the restaurant. While incorporating design elements made from natural, rich materials that reflect the cuisine and roots of Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, this location will reflect Doha’s specific history and culture. Since the city is known for pearl diving, Rockwell Group references this past in many layers of the design.
“We’re thrilled to be designing our studio’s first new build, freestanding Nobu restaurant in the world,” says David Rockwell, founder and President of Rockwell Group. “The building’s organic form and prominent position on a peninsula will be a striking addition to Doha Bay.”