Rockwell Group designs Nobu Restaurant at the Four Seasons Doha
Set to open in winter 2014, Nobu Doha combines innovative Japanese cuisine with ground-breaking architecture along the Arabian Gulf.
Four Seasons Hotel Doha, in partnership with acclaimed chef Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa, has announced the anticipated debut of Nobu Doha. The collaboration marks a significant milestone, as the restaurant is the first and only of its kind located at a Four Seasons in the Middle East region. The tri-level modern restaurant will showcase the very best in culinary experiences, matched by panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf.
Designed by internationally acclaimed architect David Rockwell and his frim Rockwell Group, the 2,400m² Nobu Doha promises to be the largest of its kind in the brand’s global portfolio. The prominent position of this new, dramatic structure will anchor the northern end of the city’s grand Corniche.
While exhibiting the iconic Nobu elements of natural, rich materials that reflect the cuisine and rural Japanese roots of Chef Nobu, this location will also reflect the specific history of Doha, and feature many one-of-a-kind art installations that Rockwell Group commissioned for this project. As the city is famous for pearl diving, Rockwell Group is referencing this past in many layers of the design.
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.
“We’re thrilled to be designing our studio’s first new build, freestanding Nobu restaurant in the world,” commented 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.”
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.
“I’m very excited to finally open our second Nobu in the Middle East,” said 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.”
