Called ENDO and Moga, it will open within a two-storey Chelsea townhouse that was formerly home to the Michelin-starred restaurant Five Fields.
The ground floor space will be home to ENDO, an intimate 10-seat omakase restaurant ‘rooted in Japanese tradition and meticulous craftsmanship’, while upstairs, Moga will be a listening bar inspired by Japan’s embrace of modernity and Western influence throughout the 20th century.
Following a series of extensive trips back to Japan with his team, the cooking at ENDO will see Kazutoshi, a third-generation sushi master, return even more closely to the time-honoured traditions of his training.
The multi-course omakase experience at ENDO is said to reflect Kazutoshi’s commitment to ‘purity, seasonality and discipline’. As is traditional of omakase, details of the menu will be held back from guests, with Kazutoshi expressing the spirit of ‘omotenashi’ - the art of hospitality rooted in empathy - through a series of dishes.
Details of the menu are being kept under wraps, but it will be dairy free with a greater emphasis placed on dashi. All sushi courses will exclusively use wild-caught fish from the British Isles, sourced largely through Endo’s suppliers on the west coast of the UK, and ingredients across the menu will be sourced through close relationships with producers, both in the UK and Japan.
Key menu components will continue to be brought over from Japan, such as nori seaweed, wasabi, soy sauce and rice, all produced exclusively for Kazutoshi.
A responsibility to carry on Japanese traditions
The new project will mark Kazutoshi’s first permanent space of his own since a fire at his restaurant Endo at Rotunda that forced it to close. The chef has just finished a five-month residency at members’ club Annabel’s in Mayfair.
“I often ask myself what responsibility I have to carry on the traditions and culture of Japan in my work. This project is the next chapter of my journey, strengthened by a clear vision and grounded more profoundly in the past,” says Kazutoshi.
“Behind every piece of sushi is the work of many hands - those who catch fish, grow the rice, and create the objects to serve it. This is a story I wish to tell.
“Like Kintsugi, the scars of last year have become part of my history; they have made me return more deeply to my roots. I have a responsibility to represent my culture and reflect centuries of craft in each dish I serve, and I look forward to sharing this journey with you soon.”
The design of the space draws inspiration from the intimate sushi counters of Tokyo during the 1920s and 1930s and pays homage to the era in which Kazutoshi’s grandfather first established his own restaurant in Yokohama.
Guests at ENDO will site along a 200-year-old bespoke hinoki counter from Kyoto and a robata grill will sit behind the chefs, within the open kitchen,
Upstairs, Moga will be a Japanese hi-fi listening bar ‘inspired by the Taishō era and Japan’s embrace of modernity, international influence and cultural exchange in the early twentieth century’. Named after the ‘modern women’ of Japan who symbolised a new generation of freedom, the venue will serve a cocktail menu built around tea.
Interior design features will include an undulating ceiling made from masu sake cups and a large, rough natural stone bar.
Initially, Moga will be available exclusively to guests dining at ENDO, before becoming available to book as a separate experience from December.
“This is a project that has been many years in the making, one we have long dreamed of and carefully planned,” says Milena Floyd, managing director at owner Creative Restaurant Group.
“Finding the right home for it was, therefore, incredibly important to us. We feel very fortunate to have secured such a special location, formerly home to The Five Fields, which has long been one of my favourite restaurants in London.”
Endo and Moga will open in October.