Kurt Zdesar, the visionary behind the internationally acclaimed Chotto Matte restaurant group, has left an undeniable mark on the culinary world. With an impressive background in the hospitality industry and a talent for concept creation, Zdesar has revolutionized the dining experience with his innovative approach to cuisine. Gent’s Post had the opportunity to sit down and go 1-on-1 with Zdesar to take a peak inside the mind of this trailblazer.
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From Fast Food to Fine Dining
From an early age, Zdesar’s fascination with food drove his decisions. Growing up in an environment where his family and friends cooked a variety of tremendous dishes, it was only a matter of time before his passion for flavour took over. His culinary career began with humble roots of working in staple fast food restaurants like Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and McDonald’s. These early experiences instilled in him a strong work ethic, efficient management skills, and a commitment to excellence.
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Zdesar’s culinary career took off when he evolved from the fast food sector to the fine dining sector. With time, commitment and an inspiration driven by a love affair with food, he went on to work for Nobu as their European Director and collaborated with Alan Yau in establishing Hakkasan, earning the distinction of two separate Michelin Star Awards in the process. Establishing his first independent venture, Ping Pong, he later went on to sell the business in order to start the now international Chotto Matte.
Chotto Matte showcases Zdesar’s intimate expertise in concept creation, menu design, and restaurant management. Chotto Matte features Nikkei cuisine, which is a decadent marriage between Peruvian and Japanese flavours.
See also: Gent’s Eats: A Nikkei Experience w/ Chotto Matte
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Unlike your traditional 3 course meal of an appetizer, main, and a dessert, the menu at Chotto Matte allows the diner to immerse themselves within the culture and cuisine. “It’s about understanding the journey,” he excitedly explained, “you’ll have 8-9 courses and it’s a journey from the first mouthful to the last and every mouthful is important.”
The care Zdesar and his staff put into designing their menu is evident, not only in the selection offered to guests but also in how he speaks of the curation of his menu. “It’s about understanding that journey, understanding how those dishes interact with that journey, then creating a menu that allows me [or the diner] to create multiple variations of that journey,” he added.
With its stylish ambiance and a menu that considers all types of dietary preferences, Chotto Matte has garnered critical acclaim and continues to tickle taste buds in London, Toronto, Miami, and Doha, with locations opening in San Francisco, Riyadh, and Beverly Hills shortly.
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