Nigel Smith to launch Chotto Matte as part of Central Park Towers development in Tbilisi, Georgia
Central Park Towers in Tbilisi, Georgia, is delighted to announce that the internationally renowned hospitality group Chotto Matte will open its latest restaurant in the development.
The first in a line of prestigious operators to be announced at the site as part of a large-scale consultancy project with Worth My Salt's Nigel Smith, Chotto Matte will launch in early 2025.
Nigel Smith, hospitality entrepreneur and chef consultant who has conceptualised, developed and delivered major international hospitality projects, has brought Chotto Matte on as part of the major project, which will bring some of the world's most exciting names around the globe in food and drink to the new luxury building complex in Tbilisi.
The opening will be the 10th location for Chotto Matte, with the only other sites in Europe currently in London and Manchester. The global restaurant brand was launched in London in 2013 by renowned restaurateur Kurt Zdesar, designed to celebrate the very best of authentic and innovative Nikkei cuisine, in stylish architectural spaces in exciting cities around the world. Nikkei is a unique blend of Japanese and Peruvian culinary traditions, a lively combination of ingredients and techniques. Chotto Matte's innovative menu stays true to the Nikkei staples while ensuring the ingredients are organic and sustainably sourced.
Chotto Matte Tbilisi will occupy a rooftop site in the building, set across two floors with sweeping, uninterrupted views of the city. The venue will guarantee a dining experience that is both stylish and innovative, in keeping with the bones of the Chotto Matte brand.
Measuring a staggering 140,000 square metres and located in Georgia's capital Tbilisi, Central Park Towers is the latest five-star and multi-functional space from Orbi Group and Block Group. The exclusive complex – comprising two towers, 1,398 rooms and suites, biggest concert arena, largest casino in Georgia, a luxury shopping mall, spa and wellness centre, and numerous high-end restaurants – is set to open in May 2024 at the heart of Tbilisi's commercial district.
Both towers will boast 42 floors, enabling Nigel Smith and his team to introduce extensive F&B offerings with a variety of price points and cuisines. Smith is working with the Central Park Towers' developers to deliver exciting and creative food concepts that will put the multifunctional and luxury hub on the world map, as well as make the venue a must-visit destination for Georgian residents. He and his team are looking to work with more high-end brands and form strong partnerships with extraordinary operators that share the project's vision – to offer exceptional dining experiences that leave lasting memories and guests wanting more.
Nigel Smith says of the project: "We have spent many hours mastering the entire F&B operation. "It's important that we offer variety and that our F&B partners do not directly compete with other competitors in the same price bracket. To deliver a unique offering and to achieve this level of difference, I am keen to talk with the most respected F&B operators that the world has to offer so that Central Park Towers becomes the go-to destination in Georgia. The venue has already seen interest from many respected global luxury brands. We will be working with similar luxury brands on a statement concept café. I am incredibly excited and honoured to be working with Orbi Group and Block Group on such a thrilling project that will showcase the very best cuisine, the most talented chefs, and the greatest brands."
Central Park Towers will feature a 2,000 square metre production kitchen servicing all restaurants in the building, split into zones which feature high-end restaurants, a "statement" café, a member's lounge, cigar bar, and a Georgian restaurant that pushes the boundaries of Georgian cuisine. Central Park Towers also boasts a carefully curated pop-up restaurant space that will invite internationally renowned chefs to stage their own residencies".
General Director of Block Group, Tornike Janashvili, says of the partnership: "We are pleased to have partnered with such an experienced and professional team headed by. Nigel Smith. For us it is most important that we share the vision of creating the first truly luxury resort complex, with all the infrastructure, providing the ultimate experience for our guests, that does not exist today in the Georgian market. We are creating something completely unique; the food and beverage experience at Central Park Towers will be one of the best in the world. Chotto Matte is world famous for its innovative, premium cuisine that already appears in the top cities around the world. We're thrilled that Tbilisi will also be able to enjoy this unique culinary experience. This is the first integrated resort in the region, with $300 million investment, and we believe that Chotto Matte Tbilisi is an integral part of this project."
Kurt Zdesar, Founding Director of Chotto Matte, says: "I am so excited to have agreed a partnership with Orbi Group and Block Group to be a part of this extraordinary project. The Central Park Towers resort is set to epitomise modern luxury, revolutionising the landscape of Georgia, and setting a new standard in both aesthetic and experience. I'm thrilled that Chotto Matte will be a key player in this transformative epoch for the city. Expanding the brand's European presence further is a key focus in the coming years, with plans for both Milan and Rome, and conversations surrounding many more of Europe's most influential cities. Georgia has a rich history and fantastic people, whom we can't wait to introduce to the bold, creative flavours of Nikkei cuisine."
