Nudibranch started as a pop-up in 2021, a pandemic project made possible by the generosity of friends, chefs, and restaurant owners. With their support, we opened our brick-and-mortar in 2022.

Since then, we’ve been honored to be featured in Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America (2022), The Infatuation’s Best New Restaurants in NYC, and the Michelin Guide.

Our name comes from a scuba trip off the coast of Indonesia, where we encountered nudibranchs—tiny, vibrant sea slugs known for their color and diversity. They reminded us of what food can be: playful, bold, and full of character.

At Nudibranch, we draw from Korean and Spanish cuisines to create dishes that reflect the diversity of New York City—colorful, experimental, and always evolving.

jeffrey kim chef and co founder of nudibranch started his career as a busser at momofuku ssäm bar and went on to become a line cook at atoboy, eleven madison park, jua, and spain’s el celler de can roca.

matthew lee chef and co founder of nudibranch began as a line cook at joule in seattle and moved to new york a year later to join the kitchens of jungsik, momofuku ko, and jua.