Matū, a grass-fed wagyu “steak restaurant” founded by Jerry A. Greenberg — SUGARFISH, KazuNori, Nozawa Bar, UOVO and HiHo Cheeseburger — is planned for Beverly Hills, according to a splash page for the incoming restaurant. A spokesperson in an email Friday confirmed the news with What Now Los Angeles.
“A new steak restaurant coming to Beverly Hills in 2021,” according to the website. “matū is a different take on what a steak restaurant can be. matū’s intent is to reconnect people to the joys and benefits of eating beef — great beef. Great in all respects — taste, health, sustainability, and humane treatment.” Not to be confused with a “steakhouse,” matū is “decidedly” a “steak restaurant,” the spokesperson said.
Greenberg will be joined in the matū venture by Michael Odell (First Light Steak Club), Ryan Gianola (Hillstone Restaurant Group), Scott Linder (private chef), Lowell Sharron (UOVO, HiHo, First Light Steak Club), and Mark Schatzker (author of “Steak” and “The Dorito Effect.”) “The other founders of the Sushi Nozawa Group also have been involved in the creation of matū,” the website states. “matū is part of the extended family of restaurants that include the Sushi Nozawa Group, UOVO, and HiHo. While all four are separate businesses, they share the same passion for great food and share many of the same founders and owners.”
Greenberg tells Eater that matū will focus “exclusively” on grass-fed wagyu from its partner First Light Farm. “matū is a Maori (Indigenous New Zealand) word that means ‘essence, the gist of the matter, richness’ and is pronounced ‘mah-too’ (equal emphasis on both syllables),” according to the website. With an opening set for early-to-mid-2021, construction to the space is already underway.
