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WORK TITLE: Nobu: A Memoir
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 3/10/1949
WEBSITE: https://www.noburestaurants.com/footer/cast/nobu-m
CITY: Los Angeles
STATE: CA
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: Japanese
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born March 10, 1949, in Saitama, Japan; married; wife’s name Yoko; children: two daughters.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Chef and writer.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
From the age of seven, Nobu Matsuhisa (known simply as “Nobu”) was raised, with his two brothers, by his widowed mother. After high school, he moved from Saitama, Japan, to Tokyo, where he worked at the restaurant Matsue Sushi for the next seven years. Then a customer—Peruvian but of Japanese descent—persuaded him to move to Lima and open up his own restaurant (in partnership with his former boss). It was in Peru that Nobu began to concoct his original recipes—a blending of Japanese and Peruvian cuisines—as the result of not being able to find the ingredients available to him at home in Japan. The restaurant eventually failed, and another in Alaska burned down.
Nobu moved to Los Angeles in 1977 and found work in the restaurant business there. In 1987 he tried his hand once again at a place of his own, opening a restaurant under his own name in Beverly Hills. It soon took off and became a gathering spot for celebrities, among them Robert De Niro. De Niro invited Nobu to partner with him in a restaurant in New York City, and together they opened Nobu in 1994. Nobu’s fame since then has grown exponentially, and he now has a chain of restaurants and hotels across the globe, from the United States (Colorado, New York, Texas, Hawaii, Nevada, Florida, and Washington, DC) to Greece, South Africa, Qatar, England, the Bahamas, and beyond.
Nobu has put out four cookbooks: Nobu: The Cookbook, Nobu Now, Nobu West, and Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook, featuring his signature dishes. His initial offering, Nobu, found favor with Library Journal critic Judith C. Sutton, who called it an “attractive cookbook” that “is an essential addition to any collection of chefs’ cookbooks.” Nobu wrote Nobu Miami in tandem with his executive chef Thomas Buckley, and, according to a critic in California Bookwatch, it contains recipes that would appeal to the “neo-professional chef interested in Asian fusion cuisine.” Christine Bulson, writing in Library Journal, told readers that the two chefs “succeed in melding cuisines from diverse cultures in an eye-catching cookbook.” A reviewer in Publishers Weekly pointed out that the many necessary ingredients could well “daunt home cooks” but that, even so, this “gloriously photographed book will attract readers interested in the genesis of these dishes.”
In 2017 Nobu released his autobiography, Nobu: A Memoir. The narrative follows his climb up the ladder from dishwasher to world-class chef. A critic in Publishers Weekly labeled it “outstanding.” “Unconcerned with accolades” the critic reported, “his prime motivation … he says, is delighting customers.” His “humility, gratitude, and empathy … will stick with readers.” In Kirkus Reviews, a contributor gave a similar opinion, sharing that the “secret to the appeal of this charming memoir resides in Matsuhisa’s personal simplicity.” This famous chef with global reach “remains the man who seeks nothing more than to spread the spirit of … Japanese hospitality.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
California Bookwatch, November, 2009, review of Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook.
Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2017, review of Nobu: A Memoir.
Library Journal, September 15, 2001, Judith C. Sutton, review of Nobu: The Cookbook, p. 106; February 1, 2009, Christine Bulson, review of Nobu Miami, p. 87.
Publishers Weekly, October 6, 2008, review of Nobu Miami, p. 49; October 9, 2017, review of Nobu: A Memoir, p. 59.
no bio.
Nobuyuki Matsuhisa—known to the world simply as “Nobu”—is the acclaimed and highly influential chef proprietor of Nobu and Matsuhisa restaurants located across five continents. He worked at the restaurant Matsue Sushi in Shinjuku, Tokyo, for seven years and was invited by a regular customer, who was a Peruvian entrepreneur of Japanese descent, to open a Japanese restaurant in Peru. At the age of twenty-four, he moved to Lima and opened a restaurant with the same name of Matsuei in partnership with his sponsor. In 1977, he moved to Los Angeles and opened his own restaurant in Beverly Hills ten years later. The restaurant quickly became a hot spot and was frequented by Hollywood celebrities, including Robert De Niro, who invited Nobu to set up a restaurant in Tribeca. In August 1994, the two opened up Nobu to critical acclaim. He now has forty-one restaurants and seven hotels around the world.
Nobu Matsuhisa: GQ’s winner of the Lifetime Achievement award
A name synonymous with quality and glamour the world over, Nobu Matsuhisa now owns 32 restaurants across five continents. Ahead of our Facebook Live with chef Nobu, where he will be showing us how to make sushi, GQ remembers when we spoke to the worthy winner of the Lifetime Achievement award about how he did it all...
BENJAMIN MCMAHON
BY AILIS BRENNAN
Tuesday 25 July 2017
It has been 30 years since Nobu Matsuhisa opened his eponymous Beverly Hills restaurant. Since then, his unique blend of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine has conquered Los Angeles, and then the world. The chef proprietor now owns 32 restaurants across five continents, popularising the flavours of his native Japan and the Peruvian capital, Lima, and pioneering the international experimentation that has energised culinary creativity across the globe. Nobu took sushi and made it sexy, his health-conscious fine dining wooing a decidedly A-list fanbase in the process, including the likes of his business partner, Robert De Niro, Ed Sheeran and Boris Becker. At 68 he shows no signs of slowing down, opening his fifth Nobu Hotel in Shoreditch, London, this year.
GETTY IMAGES
GQ: When you started your career, did you ever think Japanese food would be as internationally popular as it is?
Nobu Matsuhisa: I'm not sure if I knew how popular it would be, but I certainly hoped! It's so fresh and healthy, there's no reason why not, and because of the health benefits I think we will see it continue to evolve.
You were one of the first to bring Peruvian cooking to global attention - what about it captured your imagination?
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BY GQ
When I went to Peru, I discovered that Lima was the perfect town for a sushi chef. The country supports one of the world's most bountiful sources of seafood. If Peru had a national dish, it would probably be ceviche. This raw fish, very like sashimi, really inspired my signature style.
GETTY IMAGES
You've spoken about your early career setbacks (a failed business partnership in Peru, a fire at his Alaska restaurant). What made you persevere?
My family was what helped me to come back from the edge. I also learned to have patience and to never give up. I always try to be at the front, even by one millimetre, because if I stop trying, then why keep the business?
What have you learnt from your business partner, Robert De Niro?
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GQ Food and Drink Awards: Chef Martin Morales’ four best Peruvian dishes to try
GQ Food and Drink Awards: Chef Martin Morales’ four best Peruvian dishes to try
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MOËT HENNESSY
Robert has always championed my food. Beyond business, we share a strong, long-standing friendship, which allows me to learn from Robert all the time. His ideas are unique and inspiring - it was through him that the idea for Nobu Hotels came about.
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Sushi is such an ingredient-focused cuisine - how do you maintain that level of quality on a global scale?
The quality of the fish is the most important consideration, wherever you are. At my first restaurant, the food cost was 50 per cent. I chose all the fish myself daily. Although I didn't make any money, it meant I got a reputation for quality - something I'll never compromise. We have restaurants all over the world and we use the freshest local ingredients. There's no central buying policy and the menus reflect the best ingredients available in each country. We grow our own rice in California and will go to such lengths to maintain quality.
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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MOËT HENNESSY
You're now opening Nobu Hotels, including one in Shoreditch, London. What are the values you've brought to your hotels from your restaurants?
The last couple of years have been exciting because I have seen my values transcend the dining room. The Nobu experience remains true in whichever form. Detail is key. I spend a lot of time in hotels, travelling ten months in each year, so I know what requires attention. I have learnt that it takes time to build a team strong enough to deal with the challenges, but that the time I invest in training is invaluable.
Your restaurants have featured in lyrics by Kanye West, Drake and Future - did you ever expect to be a part of hip-hop lexicon?
Never! However, I have learnt to expect the unexpected.
Lifestyle #WineAndDine
DEC 26, 2016 @ 05:30 AM
An Interview with Chef Nobu Matsuhisa at His New Royal Monceau Raffles Hotel Restaurant in Paris
Chefs Nobu Matsuhisa and Hideki Endo at Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris. Credit: Romeo Balancourt
Rooksana Hossenally , CONTRIBUTOR
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
Almost 30 years since the world-famous Mr Nobuyuki 'Nobu' Matsuhisa opened the original Matsuhisa restaurant in Beverly Hills with his star dish of black cod that got celebrity tongues wagging far and wide, the 67-year-old chef who has more than 30 restaurants in 28 countries in the world, is still going strong with a new outpost at the Royal Monceau Raffles Hotel in Paris. I caught up with the chef on his last visit to the French capital to talk about his latest venture, and despite his long years living in the lime light of his global success, he was surprisingly relaxed and modest about his achievements, and had the kind of peaceful inspirational wisdom that leaves a lasting impression.
The Japanese-born chef started out by learning the art of sushi-making, and when at the age of 22 one of his regular customers in Tokyo invited him to open a restaurant in Lima, Peru, he jumped at the chance. “I had never left Japan, and my dream was to travel the world,” remembers Mr Matsuhisa. “When I went to Peru, I realised that different cultures meant different foods - I was so excited to taste their food and to learn about their culture.”
After Lima, he opened a restaurant in Alaska, which burned down shortly after but he didn’t give up. In 1977, he moved to Los Angeles and ten years later he opened his restaurant in Beverly Hills, which three decades on is still a prized local institution. Since his Californian debut, Nobu's become a household name. He has opened numerous Nobu restaurants across the world in partnership with Hollywood actor Robert de Niro, as well as several Matsuhisa restaurants and a handful of boutique Nobu hotels.
“Matsuhisa restaurants are different to Nobu restaurants in that they are smaller, more intimate and more upscale, but the concept of the food, the mix between Japanese and Latin American cuisine, is the same,” the chef explains.
While Nobu has now traveled all over the globe, and continues to do so to oversee his restaurants, it’s that first taste of Peruvian cuisine that’s stuck and continues to define his cuisine. “It’s not Nikkei or fusion,” he insists. “It’s Nobu style. It means that the cooking is still Japanese but with some ingredients and styles from Peru like cilantro, jalapeno peppers and ceviche. But I wouldn’t say it’s a fusion.”
Opened last March, Matsuhisa at the Royal Monceau Raffles Paris is helmed by Hideki Endo, a young master sushi chef whose work Nobu has followed during the young chef’s time working in Hong Kong. “I am here because people gave me opportunities. Then I worked hard. Now it’s my turn to give the next generation an opportunity. It’s Hideki’s challenge. Now it’s up to him to work hard!” Nobu chuckles.
Located across the hall from the entrance, the lofty restaurant designed by Philippe Starck is cosy and intimate, the perfect setting for Nobu’s first Matsuhisa restaurant in France. “I am happy to open a restaurant in Paris because it’s such an elegant city with many people who travel a lot and who are knowledgeable about food. In fact, I see a lot of my regular customers in Paris.”
Although the location and interiors of Matsuhisa restaurants vary, certain aspects remain true to Japanese culture – for instance, the brigade of sushi chefs welcome guests into the restaurant with a hearty greeting in unison from behind their open counters, just like in Japan.
Matsuhisa at Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris. (c) Romeo Balancourt
On the menu, diners will find Matsuhisa staples like the world-famous signature black cod in miso, as well as the Omakase (meaning dishes selected by the chef) tasting menu, and the bento box at lunchtime, among the usual sashimi and maki. However, Nobu likes to use as many local ingredients as possible. “In France, there are some really great products – for instance, during oyster season I love to try and use them in the cooking. There’s also great sea bass, scampi…,” says the chef. “But my aim in the future is to try to introduce Japanese fish to the menu – France has soft water eel and I’d like to bring our seawater eel – it’s very difficult to get here.”
As well as the cooking and the atmosphere of his restaurants, Nobu insists that his cuisine is to be shared. “If you come here with a boyfriend or husband, order one of several things to share and then the Omakase menu. Sharing is my concept – then you can talk about it together,” the chef advises me ethusiastically.
Nobu's world-famous signature black cod, Matsuhisa Royal Monceau Raffles Paris Hotel.
Looking around inside the restaurant, every table is full of locals come for business meetings as well as ladies at lunch. And as successful as Matsuhisa at the Royal Monceau is turning out to be, it’s not Nobu’s first attempt at opening a Parisian outpost. “I tried for the first time in 2001 but we closed it less than two years later – it didn’t work out,” he explains. “This time around, I decided to try again because of Tasos Ioannidis, my business partner. He has the knowledge of Europe that maybe I was lacking before.”
In 2001, Nobu wasn’t the only entrepreneur trying to break ground when it comes to Japanese cuisine. At the same time, his business partner Mr Ioannidis, originally from Greece, was trying to open a Japanese restaurant at his family’s hotel in Mykonos. “At that time, this was unheard of in Greece, where there were only one or two Japanese restaurants,” remembers Mr Ioannidis. “We were struggling to find our own chef until we met Nobu, whom we convinced of what we were doing, so he came and cooked for us at our pop-up in Mykonos.”
Since Mykonos in 2003, the pair have opened restaurants in St Moritz, Athens, Munich and Paris and will be heading to Cyprus in 2018. For Mr Ioannidis, Nobu's cooking style is unique, “It’s a passionate experience of many different tastes. It’s not like a straight-forward three-course meal – here, you have the opportunity to taste many more flavours; that’s what’s amazing for me.”
However, for the chef, a good restaurant isn’t just about the food, “You need patience. And good teamwork, strong leaders, good teachers and energy – not just cooking,” he explains.
So now that he’s sampled cooking and cultures from all around the world, what’s his dream, I ask him. “You know my dream was to travel the world. Now I travel ten months of the year. I am very lucky, I can’t complain. I try to live in the present - I am living my dream!" He smiles, his eyes twinkling. "But you know, sometimes I like to stay home in L.A. and I don’t like to see anybody except my family. No one, no phone, nothing. I like to keep energy to make new energy – that is very important.”
Despite having failed once before in Paris, Mr Matsuhisa doesn’t feel the pressure. “You know, I am living my dream but this Paris restaurant is my revenge, my challenge. I’ve had many problems in life. When I was young, I made mistakes but that never worried me because, you know, you learn from your mistakes, so whatever’s broken, something new always comes of it.”
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How Chef Nobu Built His Restaurant Empire With Robert De Niro
Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, sushi chef and co-founder of the Nobu restaurant chain, tells his story of failed restaurants, empty bank accounts, and eventual success after partnering with actor Robert De Niro.
By Nushmia Khan
Video Producer@nushmia,
By Kimberly Kim
Inc. Video Intern@jinso_kim
Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, the co-founder and master sushi chef of high-end Peruvian-Japanese-fusion restaurant chain Nobu, built an empire of 29 restaurants across five continents with Robert De Niro in a span of 20 years.
Nobu New York, the chain's first restaurant, celebrated its 20th anniversary back in September, marking a milestone in Chef Nobu's long, twisting entrepreneurial journey. On the heels of the opening of his new restaurant in Mexico, the celebrity chef recounted to Inc. how he got to to where he is now. It's a story of failed restaurants, empty bank accounts, and, ultimately, wild success.
The making of a sushi chef.
Born and raised in Japan, Nobu studied to become a chef and got a job in a Tokyo restaurant when he was 18. Soon, the Japanese-Peruvian workers there persuaded him to move to Peru to open his own restaurant.
Once there, he could not find many of the ingredients Japanese dishes called for, except fresh fish. He used olive oil, garlic, chili paste, cilantro--all ingredients foreign to the Japanese palate. He called his cultural fusion "courageous food." Peru's traditional staples opened up possibilities for many new creations. Little did he know at the time that these concoctions would later attract fans from all over the world.
After three years in Peru, Nobu's relationship with his partner deteriorated and the restaurant went bust. He moved to Argentina, where he could not get fresh fish and the pace of life and business were slow. For someone who loved to be in the heat of a busy kitchen, Nobu found it difficult catering to only one or two customers a day, and decided to move back to Japan. He wasn't home long, though, before a friend invited him to the other side of the world once again.
"I was looking for one more chance to go to another country. So a friend of mine introduced Anchorage, Alaska. They were looking for a partner to open a Japanese restaurant. I talked to my wife, 'Can I have one more chance? I'd like to show my food to different peoples,'" Nobu recalls.
His wife said yes, so he and his family moved to Alaska. He borrowed $15,000 from a friend to jump-start the new restaurant, adding to a pile of debt from the two failed restaurants in South America. Nobu knew that this new restaurant in Anchorage had to be a hit.
After nine months of preparation, Nobu had his grand opening during the first week of October. He continued to work tirelessly as the business began gaining traction over the following weeks. After his first day off--Thanksgiving Day--the phone rang in the middle of the night. It was his partner, saying something about how he should come to the restaurant.
"He said the restaurant was on fire. So, sounds like it's not a good joke," Nobu says.
Nobu standing on the front porch of his Peru restaurant.
When he hung up, he heard the sirens. He raced to his restaurant and watched helplessly as it burned. The days immediately after, he couldn't eat, and could think only about the fire. All his money reduced to a pile of ash. Another dream lost.
"I have no choice. Now, I have to kill myself. How can I kill myself? Maybe get hit by a train, a car, fall into the ocean--so many different ways. I was so crazy," he tells Inc.
The building of a brand.
With nothing left of his business, Nobu was crushed. His wife and two daughters packed up and went back to Japan. Not too long afterward, he accepted an invitation from a friend to work at a small sushi restaurant in Los Angeles. With only six seats, it was a humble, quiet sushi bar. He finally got a green card and now Nobu and his family could stay, work, and live anywhere in the U.S.
It was in this small L.A. restaurant where he perfected his signature style. For six and a half years Nobu created Peruvian-influenced sushi and Japanese cuisine--filet of salmon with anticucho sauce and sashimi tacos.
Nobu in front of his Matsuhisa restaurant in Beverly Hills where Robert De Niro first discovered his sushi.
In 1987, a close friend invested $70,000 so Nobu to open his own place, Matsuhisa, in Beverly Hills. Making Peruvian-Japanese fusion in the neighborhood of the rich and famous, Nobu's reputation grew. One day, Robert De Niro walked in.
"He liked my food, and invited me to come to New York to open a restaurant," Nobu says.
But Nobu wasn't ready and told De Niro he had to wait. "It's still too early for me," he told De Niro. Another year passed and De Niro made the offer again, but Nobu told him he needed to continue with his current location, perfecting his food and brand and working off his debt.
Four years after De Niro's first offer, Nobu's business started to attract serious attention. He was featured in magazines and newspapers and everyone wanted to eat at Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills. The phone rang, and De Niro said, "Maybe it's time to come to New York." This time, the chef agreed.
In 1994, Nobu and De Niro opened Nobu New York. It quickly become an exclusive New York City restaurant, haunted by a motley crew of who's who in celebrity and business circles. The wait to get a table was so long that they had to open a restaurant next door called, appropriately, Nobu Next Door.
The duo, along with a few other partners, opened Nobu outposts all around the world in the ensuing years--Dubai, Cape Town, Manila, Mexico City, Budapest, Moscow, and more.
Nobu attributes his success today to learning from failure after failure. He believes in going slow and steady and dealing with challenges head-on. As he learned in Peru, ingredients can be changed to make something brand new. But one ingredient that Nobu says he never left out, and one that is key to his success, is "kokoro," or in English, your heart.
PUBLISHED ON: MAR 30, 2015
Nobu's Matsuhisa Turns 30: An Oral History of the Sushi Restaurant Where Tom Cruise Couldn't Get In
by Michael O'Connell June 02, 2017, 6:00am PDT
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The namesake sushi palace, which opened its doors in 1987, has since become a Hollywood mainstay and spawned a global empire that includes hotels. Now, the chef — along with early fan Michael Ovitz, Robert De Niro and other longtime partners — recounts how the legend was born.
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa was not plotting to launch a global empire when he opened the doors to his namesake Beverly Hills sushi spot at 129 N. La Cienega Blvd. in 1987 — he was just hoping to avoid another catastrophe. "I came to Los Angeles after a year in Alaska," says Matsuhisa, recalling the painful memory of his Anchorage eatery. "About 15 days after the grand opening, there was an electrical fire in the middle of the night, and the restaurant burned down. I almost killed myself."
Thirty years and zero devastating fires later, his eponymous restaurant remains what it was almost as soon as its proprietor served up his first plate of black cod with miso: a hub for Hollywood power players, foodies and affectionate neighbors, all lured by his distinctive spin on Japanese cuisine — which eventually became such an enormous draw that even Tom Cruise couldn't book a table. Now, that simple dining room and sprawling sushi bar, barely altered by the decades, have spawned an international brand that's worth an estimated $500 million and credited with mainstreaming a once niche cuisine in the United States. After initially rebuffing pleas from entrepreneurial Oscar winner Robert De Niro to open a single New York outpost, Matsuhisa, together with his partners, now runs an empire that includes 41 restaurants and four hotels — arguably making theirs the most successful culinary collaboration in Hollywood history. For an intimate look at how an unassuming restaurant turned into an iconic brand, THR asked Matsuhisa, 68; his wife, Yoko; partners, including De Niro; and some key supporters to discuss this piece of L.A. sushi history.
•••
Despite an abundance of fresh fish in L.A. and some skepticism for the chef's Peruvian influences (his previous experience included a Tokyo apprenticeship and an experiment with fusion in Lima, Peru), Matsuhisa opens in 1987.
NOBU MATSUHISA Before I opened, maybe 1980, La Cienega was really restaurant row. That was the peak. Our first three years there were very hard. The business and food costs were more than 50 percent. We made no money. We just broke even.
MEIR TEPER, PRODUCER AND NOBU PRINCIPAL Japanese restaurants were so traditional. Matsuhisa was different than any other sushi place at the time because he was mixing South American and Japanese ingredients — things that no one in the world was doing.
RUTH REICHL, L.A. TIMES FOOD CRITIC, 1984-1993 I was a real sushi aficionado, very much into classical sushi, so I was a little taken aback. It seemed tricky to me. The menu was pages and pages, but I was also intrigued by the things he was doing — like the squid he turned into pasta. I was gradually won over.
MATSUHISA Michael Ovitz started to bring in agents and, eventually, clients to the restaurant. When Jay Weston, the movie producer and food critic, started writing about the restaurant, things really picked up.
Matsuhisa (second from right), Jean-Georges Vongerichten (second from left) and other chefs with the Dalai Lama (center) in 1999.
Courtesy of subject
Matsuhisa (second from right), Jean-Georges Vongerichten (second from left) and other chefs with the Dalai Lama (center) in 1999.
JAY WESTON, JAY WESTON'S RESTAURANT NEWSLETTER My first visit to Matsuhisa, I had a lunch date with [late Tootsie writer] Larry Gelbart. We got there at 1 o'clock and ate 16 different dishes. When we finally left at 4, we looked at each other and decided to come back the next day. I think we had everything on the menu those two days.
MICHAEL OVITZ, CAA CO-FOUNDER I loved going there. He had a private room above the garage that you could get to from the parking lot. So I started taking clients there. The only people who came up were Nobu and his wife.
YOKO We had maybe seven employees back then, so I did everything — cashier, answering phones, the books.
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MATSUHISA All I could do back then was cook.
WESTON Nobu was getting fish that nobody else had, because he was going downtown at 4 a.m. to get them. He had grilled eel before it was at any other sushi restaurant.
ROBERT DE NIRO, ACTOR AND NOBU PRINCIPAL [The Killing Fields director] Roland Joffe brought me to Matsuhisa one night. It really was nothing like anything I'd tasted in Los Angeles or anywhere.
The chef standing in front of his La Cienega restaurant in 1987.
Courtesy of subject
The chef standing in front of his La Cienega restaurant in 1987.
MATSUHISA I'd see Bob eating in the dining room. And one day Bruce Springsteen was over there; Sylvester Stallone at another table with Linda Evans. I barely know anybody, but people start saying, "If you go to Matsuhisa, you see celebrities."
WESTON Things happened fast in those days. Sometimes you'd see a line stretching the entire block. I remember driving by once and seeing Barbra Streisand just standing around, waiting to get into Matsuhisa.
OVITZ We were all raving about it, but people couldn't get in. This guy didn't care if you were a reporter, a movie star, an agent or a car mechanic. If you liked food and knew how to talk about it, that's all Nobu cared about.
MATSUHISA One day Michael calls me. Tom Cruise wanted to come eat, but our receptionist didn't know who he was — and she was offering him 6 o'clock or 9:30.
OVITZ My office became a very early, non-digital OpenTable. With 160 agents out on expense accounts, we had a lot of pull with restaurants. Tom was a major client.
MATSUHISA It was just first come, first served. We took maybe a few, five or six tables. When Tom finally came, he did thank us for letting him make a reservation. This was when the dining room was only half the size, 38 seats. It wasn't for a few years, around 1990, that the landlord let me take over the building next door and expand to what it is now.
DE NIRO It was maybe a year before I started asking Nobu to open another restaurant.
•••
In 1988, model Toukie Smith introduces De Niro to Montrachet restaurateur Drew Nieporent and the pair set about collaborating on an eatery in Manhattan's not-quite-burgeoning Tribeca neighborhood. But Matsuhisa isn't easily convinced about splitting his time.
DE NIRO I started living down in Tribeca before doing Raging Bull. I was looking for a gym, originally, and I found a loft — which I decided to live in instead. I just thought the neighborhood was a great place to set up shop.
MATSUHISA Around 1989, Bob sent me a ticket to go to New York. I stayed at the World Trade Center. He had just bought the building where Tribeca Grill is now. All of the elevators were leaking water and mice were running around, but he had a vision of how everything would look. He explained to me that he wanted to make a restaurant there. But it was too early to open another restaurant. I was still burned from what happened in Alaska.
DREW NIEPORENT, NOW NOBU MANAGING PARTNER Bob wanted him for Tribeca Grill, which was a moment of bad casting. But I saw the friendship between them and made it my mission to make that collaboration happen.
MATSUHISA Four years later, Bob asked me again. I agreed.
DE NIRO I thought it was a no-brainer.
Longtime partners (from left) Nieporent, Matsuhisa, De Niro and Teper at Nobu’s 20th anniversary in 2014.
Mireya Acierto/Getty Images
Longtime partners (from left) Nieporent, Matsuhisa, De Niro and Teper at Nobu’s 20th anniversary in 2014.
OVITZ You could shoot a cannon down the street in Tribeca in those days. Bob was so far ahead of his time it was frightening.
NIEPORENT Japanese food was not on the cutting edge of New York cuisine. The city was dominated by the "le" and "la" French restaurants. Japanese restaurants were all marketed to the Japanese. There was nothing that was Westernized.
REICHL, NEW YORK TIMES RESTAURANT CRITIC, 1993-99 It's difficult to understand from this vantage point, but as late as 1995, I still had to explain what sushi was to the readers of The New York Times. There was not a big sushi aesthetic, not like in L.A.
DE NIRO I just wanted to have a place where people could meet up and eat his food.
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NIEPORENT The space we picked for the original Nobu [105 Hudson St.] was sort of a nefarious spot, a wise-guy hangout.
DAVID ROCKWELL, ARCHITECT There had been so many failed restaurants in that space.
DE NIRO I'd say Tribeca was quieter then, but it still is … compared to SoHo.
From left: Rockwell, Nieporent and Matsuhisa in 1994.
Courtesy of subject
From left: Rockwell, Nieporent and Matsuhisa in 1994.
ROCKWELL I was working with Meals on Wheels at this event at the South Street Seaport, and I happened to try Nobu's rock shrimp with the creamy ponzu. The next day I called up Drew and asked to meet with Nobu and Robert. I knew they were trying to open in New York, and I thought it would be a real honor to design the restaurant.
TEPER When it came time to name it, we thought "Nobu" would be easier for New Yorkers to pronounce than "Matsuhisa."
NIEPORENT Matsuhisa was the template. Nobu had the same food, but it was a whole new idea.
ROCKWELL Restaurants offer a chance to build a language, where design and food come out of the same understanding. We had a lot of conversations about not looking like other Japanese restaurants. Nobu is originally from the country, not the city, thus the use of trees inside and river rock walls.
NIEPORENT Nobu was also David's breakout project. The first day we open our doors, the wise guys come in and go, "Where's the bar?" We didn't have one. We needed room for the sushi bar, so we solved that problem.
ROCKWELL The sushi bar had to be the star of the room. It was kind of a turning point for restaurants in New York, in terms of what luxury was. I don't think there was another high-end, three-star restaurant that didn't have white tablecloths.
Rockwell designed the distinctive lounge area at Nobu Tribeca.
Courtesy of Eric Laignel
Rockwell designed the distinctive lounge area at Nobu Tribeca.
MATSUHISA I lived in New York those first three months. Then my schedule was two weeks in L.A. and two weeks in New York for a while.
NIEPORENT It was instantly the hot table with the culinary cognoscenti. Gael Greene and Ruth Reichl gave us great reviews.
REICHL I gave it three stars right out of the box. I loved it. Matsuhisa in L.A. was sort of a modest restaurant. There was nothing modest about Nobu. Everything about it screamed "Pay attention!" The timing was impeccable.
NIEPORENT We didn't set out to be a celebrity spot, but that's what happened. It was someone every night. That neighborhood was where they all eventually lived. The entire cast of The Sopranos was in Tribeca. John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette were on North Moore Street. Ed Burns and Christy Turlington are still up the block.
TEPER We didn't think about it as a bigger business, but when it became a huge success, developers from London, Miami and Vegas started calling to do the same thing.
MATSUHISA London was the first.
TEPER Even today, we don't solicit developers or new locations. People call us. I recently got a request from Ghana. Now I've got nothing against Ghana, but I don't think it's a place for us. Some locations are just impossible to get the product.
Nobu Malibu moved from the Country Mart to an oceanview location in 2012.
Courtesy of Henry Hargreaves
Nobu Malibu moved from the Country Mart to an oceanview location in 2012.
•••
As the brand's global footprint grows, Matsuhisa in L.A. and the original New York Nobu remain thriving flagships — the latter dubbed best restaurant in the city by Food & Wine magazine in 2000 and largely credited with making Tribeca a culture capital. But the neighborhood is one of those most crippled by the 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center.
NIEPORENT After September 11th, the streets were cut off to all vehicular and foot traffic — unless you could prove you lived down there. We were shut down for two full weeks, all the while we were petitioning the mayor [Rudy Giuliani] to let us open.
DE NIRO Jane Rosenthal and I had started taking busloads down to restaurants below Canal Street to get things going — not just Tribeca, but Chinatown. We wanted to show people that it was OK. The [Tribeca Film] Festival would come later.
NIEPORENT I vividly remember telling my staff, "There's a lot of uncertainty here, but something tells me we're going to be fine." The greatest thing, post-9/11, was the sense of community and the surge to businesses in lower Manhattan. It was a full house as soon as we reopened.
Teper (left), Packer (second from left), Matsuhisa (third from left) and De Niro (second from right) joined other execs for a May 2015 ribbon-cutting for a Nobu hotel in the Philippines.
Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images
Teper (left), Packer (second from left), Matsuhisa (third from left) and De Niro (second from right) joined other execs for a May 2015 ribbon-cutting for a Nobu hotel in the Philippines.
•••
Now on every continent but Antarctica, the Nobu business in 2015 gets a $100 million buy-in from billionaire James Packer as the empire expands into hotels — the latest, The Nobu Ryokan Malibu, opened April 28 — and its chef evolves with changing tastes.
MATSUHISA We bought the old L'Orangerie up La Cienega, and we were supposed to move Matsuhisa there. A lot of my regular customers started calling and saying, "No, you cannot." Bob recommended I stay. This is my flagship.
TEPER Larry Ellison owns a property in Malibu on the PCH, and when he decided to develop it, he approached us to see if we were willing to move from the Country Mart to where we are now, at the ocean. We did not know it would be so successful.
MATSUHISA Normally, you move locations and customers hate it. Not Malibu. People are still thanking me.
NIEPORENT Unfortunately, our Tribeca lease ran out, and we couldn't negotiate favorable terms. We moved the original Nobu to a brand-new facility on Wall Street, 195 Broadway.
MATSUHISA A lot of our restaurants are now in hotels — London, Las Vegas, Miami Beach, Hong Kong — and a couple of years ago, Bob said, "Why do we do restaurants in somebody else's hotel?"
DE NIRO Hotels seek us out to get our credibility or a certain cachet, so why wouldn't we attempt to do that ourselves?
MATSUHISA The first Nobu hotel was in Caesars [in Las Vegas in 2013], then Manila, then Australia.
DE NIRO I'd like to do a Caribbean next. A Nobu beach club, hopefully.
NIEPORENT Nobu is now a lifestyle. I've had a lot of restaurants, but never something like this.
REICHL Nobu literally changed the way restaurants think about each other and themselves.
ROCKWELL People still call me to get reservations. They think I'm a concierge or something.
MATSUHISA My philosophy is, food is like fashion. My signature dishes haven't changed, but there are different cultures, different foods, to translate to new ones. People didn't like uni. Now children eat uni. We have restaurants on five continents, and last year I was in all of them … every two or three days a different city, a different restaurant. I used to stay longer, but now it's shorter and shorter. I do more talking than cooking now.
This story first appeared in the May 31 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
11/07/2017
Nobu by Nobu Matsuhisa {review}
Nobu: A Memoir - Nobu Matsuhisa
Nobu
My Review - 3 Stars
While this is being billed as a food memoir, I feel it is more of an autobiography and a spare one at that. Matsuhisa gives us a fairy straightforward account of his life, starting with his childhood and on up to his much lauded career as a chef.
The stories from his childhood were quite moving, especially as he described his relationship with his dad before he died. Matsuhisa does reference his wife occasionally in the book but we don't have much of a sense of their relationship or their family. This would have been interesting to delve more into, given how much time he spends traveling to his restaurants around the world. What kind of toll does this take on a person and on their important relationships?
The book focuses more on how he got his start cooking and where he gained his inspiration. It was not a linear or easy road but it is clear that each setback taught him something and once he finally opened Matsuhisa in Los Angeles, he put that knowledge to use.
His restaurants really emphasize hospitality and this was the most worthwhile part of the book.
"At every Nobu restaurant, I always repeat the same things: Good food, good service, teamwork. Put your heart into your work and cook with passion. Do whatever your guests want as much as possible and make them happy. Your guests don't come just to eat. Put your heart into giving your guests the best experience from the moment they walk through the door until the moment they leave." p. 99
His passion for his guests' experience ultimately leads to the guests influencing the menu. Several of the dishes Nobu is most well-known for started off by trying to find cuisine individual guests would enjoy. I loved hearing these examples!
Nobu Matsuhisa is clearly a talented chef and I enjoyed this glimpse into his restaurants and his cooking. I hope one day to dine there myself.
Synopsis
A fascinating and unique memoir by the acclaimed celebrity chef and international restaurateur, Nobu, as he divulges both his dramatic life story and reflects on the philosophy and passion that has made him one of the world’s most widely respected Japanese fusion culinary artists.
Nobu needs no introduction. One of the world’s most widely acclaimed restaurateurs, his influence on food and hospitality can be found at the highest levels of haute-cuisine to the food trucks you frequent during the work week—this is the Nobu that the public knows.
But now, we are finally introduced to the private Nobu: the man who failed three times before starting the restaurant that would grow into an empire; the man who credits the love and support of his wife and children as the only thing keeping him from committing suicide when his first restaurant burned down; and the man who values the busboy who makes sure each glass is crystal clear as highly as the chef who slices the fish for Omakase perfectly.
What makes Nobu special, and what made him famous, is the spirit of what exists on these pages. He has the traditional Japanese perspective that there is great pride to be found in every element of doing a job well—no matter how humble that job is. Furthermore, he shows us repeatedly that success is as much about perseverance in the face of adversity as it is about innate talent.
Not just for serious foodies, this inspiring memoir is perfect for fans of Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Danny Meyer’s Setting the Table. Nobu’s writing does what he does best—it marries the philosophies of East and West to create something entirely new and remarkable.
Nobu Matsuhisa
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Nobu Matsuhisa
Born Nobuyuki Matsuhisa
March 10, 1949 (age 68)
Saitama, Japan
Culinary career
Cooking style Japanese
Current restaurant(s)[show]
Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa (松久 信幸 Matsuhisa Nobuyuki; born March 10, 1949) is a Japanese celebrity chef and restaurateur known for his fusion cuisine blending traditional Japanese dishes with Peruvian ingredients. His signature dish is black cod in miso.
Contents
1 Biography
2 Restaurants
3 Hotels
4 Criticism
5 Books
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
Biography
Nobu was born in Saitama, Japan. When he was only seven years old, his father died in a traffic accident, and he and his two older brothers were raised by his mother. After graduating from high school, he worked at the restaurant Matsue Sushi in Shinjuku, Tokyo, for seven years and was invited by a regular customer, who was a Peruvian of Japanese descent, to open a Japanese restaurant in Peru. In 1973 at age 24, he moved to Lima, Peru and opened a restaurant with the same name of Matsue in partnership with his sponsor. Nobu was unable to find many of the ingredients he took for granted in Japan and had to improvise, and it was here that he developed his unique style of cuisine that incorporated Peruvian ingredients into Japanese dishes.
He later moved to Alaska, and opened his own restaurant, but it was destroyed almost immediately by a fire.[citation needed]
In 1977, he moved to Los Angeles and worked at Japanese restaurants "Mitsuwa" and "Oshou", and in 1987, he opened his own restaurant "Matsuhisa" on La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California.[1] The restaurant quickly became a hot spot and was frequented by Hollywood celebrities, including Robert De Niro, who invited Nobu to set up a restaurant in Tribeca, New York City. In August 1993, the two opened up in partnership NOBU to critical[clarification needed] acclaim. Nobu restaurants were later opened in Milan, London, Qatar, Greece, Dallas, Tokyo, Honolulu, Moscow, Dubai, Mexico City, Budapest, and Hong Kong.[citation needed]
Nobu's friendship with Robert De Niro landed him a role in the 1995 Martin Scorsese film Casino, as a wealthy businessman who was a guest at De Niro's casino. He also had small roles in Austin Powers: Goldmember, as well as Memoirs of a Geisha, in which he played a kimono artist.
Restaurants
A small light blue wooden house with dark blue, and in some cases red, trim. There is a small plot with grassy plants and flowers in front, and signs saying "Matsuhisa".
Matsuhisa restaurant in Aspen's historic Thomas Hynes House
The Matsuhisa Restaurants (in Beverly Hills, Aspen, Athens, Mykonos and Munich (München)) are privately owned by the Matsuhisa family, while the Nobu Restaurants are co-owned by Nobu, Robert De Niro, Meir Teper, Drew Nieporent,[2] and managing partner Richie Notar.[3] Nobu Matsuhisa also co-owns Nobu Hospitality with Robert De Niro and Jimmy Sweis. The first Nobu Hotel & Restaurant located inside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas is currently open.
In the United States:
Matsuhisa Aspen
Matsuhisa Vail
Matsuhisa Denver
Matsuhisa Beverly Hills
Nobu Atlanta Opens 2020
Nobu Dallas
Nobu Honolulu
Nobu Indian Wells [walk-in pop-up, returning March 2018]]
Nobu Las Vegas Caesars Palace
Nobu Las Vegas Hard Rock
Nobu Lana'i (Four Seasons at Manele Bay)
Nobu Los Angeles
Nobu Malibu
Nobu Miami
Nobu Newport Beach
Nobu Downtown (New York)
Nobu Fifty Seven (New York)
Nobu Palo Alto (The Epiphany Hotel)
Nobu San Diego
Nobu Washington, D.C.
International locations:
Matsuhisa Athens, Greece
Matsuhisa Mykonos, Greece (Belvedere Hotel)
Matsuhisa Munich, Germany (Mandarin Oriental, Munich)
Matsuhisa Paris, France (Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris))
Matsuhisa St. Moritz, Switzerland (Badrutt's Palace Hotel, only open in winter)
Nobu Paradise Island, The Bahamas
Nobu Beijing, China (JW Marriott Hotel)
Nobu Budapest, Hungary (Corvinus Kempinski Hotel)
Nobu Cape Town, South Africa
Nobu Doha, Qatar (Four Seasons Hotel)
Nobu Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Atlantis, The Palm)
Nobu Hong Kong (InterContinental)
Nobu Ibiza Bay (Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay)
Nobu Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Nobu Berkeley St London, United Kingdom
Nobu Old Park Lane London, United Kingdom
Nobu Shoreditch London, United Kingdom (Nobu Hotel Shoreditch)
Nobu Manila, The Philippines (Nobu Hotel at City of Dreams Manila)
Nobu Marbella, Spain (Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa)
Nobu Melbourne, Australia (Crown Entertainment Complex)
Nobu Mexico City, Mexico
Nobu Polanco-Mexico City, [Mexico]]
Nobu Milan, Italy (Emporio Armani Store)
Nobu Moscow, Russia
Nobu Crocus City (Crocus City Mall)
Nobu Perth, Australia
Nobu Tokyo, Japan
Nobu Sveti Stefan, Montenegro
Nobu Monte Carlo, Monaco (Fairmont Monte Carlo)
Cruise ships:
Silk Road and The Sushi Bar. Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity of Crystal Cruises[4]
Hotels
Nobu Hotel Miami Beach
Nobu Hotel City of Dreams Manila (Soft Opening In December 14, 2014, Grand Opening in May 15, 2015)
Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace, Las Vegas (Opened in January 2013)
Nobu Ryokan Malibu
Nobu Shoreditch, London
Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay, Ibiza
Nobu Hotel Epiphany, Palo Alto
Nobu Hotel Riyadh (opening in 2018)
Nobu Hotel Marbella (opening 2018)
Nobu Hotel Los Cabos (opening 2018)
Nobu Hotel Chicago, West Loop (opening in 2018)
Nobu Hotel Toronto (opening 2019)
Nobu Hotel Barcelona (opening 2018)
Nobu Hotel São Paulo (just announced)
Nobu Hotel Atlanta (just announced)
Nobu Hotel Bahrain (just announced)
Criticism
Nobu restaurants sell Atlantic bluefin tuna, an endangered species.[5][6] As a result, from press and campaigning pressure, they offered to add a warning on their menu, but this was considered inadequate by conservationists to help the spiral of demand and market price that leads to overfishing.[7][8][9]
Books
Nobu West. 2007. ISBN 978-0-7407-6547-6.
Nobu: The Cookbook. 2001. ISBN 4-7700-2533-5.[10]
Nobu Now. 2005. ISBN 0-307-23673-0.
Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook. 2008. ISBN 978-4-7700-3080-1.[11]
See also
List of restaurants in the Las Vegas Valley
References
Michael O'Connell (2 June 2017). "Nobu's Matsuhisa Turns 30: An Oral History of the Sushi Restaurant Where Tom Cruise Couldn't Get In". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
"Nobu". Noburestaurants.com.[permanent dead link]
"Nobu". Myriad Restaurant Group. Archived from the original on April 26, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
Coulter, Adam. "Chef Nobu joins Crystal Cruise". Cruise-international.com.
"Failure to act will push bluefin tuna fishery to extinction". Iucn.org. November 26, 2008. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
"The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas". Iccat.int. November 9, 2010. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
"Greenpeace Article on Nobu". Greenpeace.org.uk. April 12, 2011. Archived from the original on January 15, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
Clover, Charles (September 6, 2008). "Robert De Niro's restaurant chain sells endangered tuna". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
Hickman, Martin (May 27, 2009). "Bluefin tuna – with a guilt trip thrown in". The Independent. UK. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
"Nobu The Cookbook , Kodansha International". Kodansha-intl.com. July 19, 2001. Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
"NOBU Miami , Kodansha International". Kodansha-intl.com. November 1, 2008. Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
External links
Nobu Matushisa's official website
Nobu Matsuhisa on IMDb
Nobu: A Memoir
Publishers Weekly. 264.41 (Oct. 9, 2017): p59+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* Nobu: A Memoir
Nobu Matsuhisa. Atria, $25 (286p) ISBN 978-1-5011-2279-8
In this outstanding memoir, chef and restaurateur Matsuhisa tells of his rise from being a dishwasher and deliveryman to becoming synonymous with top-notch sushi and Japanese-inspired cuisine. Matsuhisa writes about how he took inspiration from master chefs as well as his culinary travels. Stints working in Alaska, Argentina, Japan, and Peru proved to be both educational and frustrating for him. Those experiences paid off when he reached Los Angeles in 1977, where he created some of his signature dishes, such as black cod with miso, and opened his first restaurant, Matsuhisa. That, in turn, led to the opening of his flagship Nobu restaurant in New York City in 1993 and, soon after, locations around the world. Unconcerned with accolades and uninterested in chest thumping--his prime motivation for running a restaurant, he says, is delighting customers--Matsuhisa focuses here on his approach to maintaining high-quality service. He offers insight into the leeway he gives to chefs at his various restaurants, how to minimize tensions when reprimanding staff, and how to promote mutual learning, not rivalry, to make his organization stronger. A passionate chef with an open mind and a big heart, Matsuhisa shares lessons in humility, gratitude, and empathy that will stick with readers long after they've finished the final chapter. (Nov.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Nobu: A Memoir." Publishers Weekly, 9 Oct. 2017, p. 59+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A511293369/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=dc2611ad. Accessed 16 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A511293369
Matsuhisa, Nobuyuki: NOBU
Kirkus Reviews. (Sept. 15, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Matsuhisa, Nobuyuki NOBU Emily Bestler/Atria (Adult Nonfiction) $25.00 11, 7 ISBN: 978-1-5011-2279-8
An acclaimed chef and restaurateur tells the story behind his global success.Matsuhisa wanted to be a sushi chef from the time he was a young teenager. The first time he stepped into a sushi bar, he was immediately captivated by the "conversations among the customers...the sheen of sushi toppings, the aroma of sushi rice." At 17, he became a live-in apprentice sushi chef who washed dishes, delivered sushi orders, and carried fish to the restaurant from the local fish market. Matsuhisa honed his passion and personal discipline for three difficult years, and when he finally became senior chef, he discovered that what he really wanted was the freedom to experiment with new cooking ideas and taste fusions. A Japanese-Peruvian businessman then offered Matsuhisa the opportunity to become the lead chef at a new sushi restaurant in Lima. There, he incorporated local flavors into the sushi meals he made, a skill that would define his later "Nobu Style" of cuisine. When the owner demanded the focus be on profit rather than quality, the author left for another opportunity in Argentina, where he found himself underemployed and "living the life of a retiree." He then went to Alaska, where the restaurant he was supposed to work in was destroyed in a fire. Feeling suicidal over his apparent failures, he was saved by another opportunity in Los Angeles, where he eventually opened the hugely successful Matsuhisa sushi bar. One client, Robert De Niro, offered him a chance to open Nobu--the first of what would be a worldwide chain of restaurants--in New York. The secret to the appeal of this charming memoir resides in Matsuhisa's personal simplicity. Though now associated with a global brand that includes hotels, he still remains the man who seeks nothing more than to spread the spirit of omotenashi, or Japanese hospitality, and "make my guests smile." A simple, straightforward memoir sure to please both Nobu fans and Japanese cuisine lovers.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Matsuhisa, Nobuyuki: NOBU." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Sept. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A504217632/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=fd4187d6. Accessed 16 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A504217632
Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook
California Bookwatch. (Nov. 2009):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Full Text:
Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook
Nobu Matsuhisa and Thomas Buckley
Kodansha International
c/o Kodansha America, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
www.kodanshaamercia.com
9784770030801, $39.95 www.kodansha-intl.com
NOBU MIAMI provides secrets of two leading chefs who have captured Miami's attention with innovative Japanese party food. Each dish blends Japanese and South American cuisine and adds a dose of Florida's local ingredients for good measure, so any state located on the water will appreciate the innovative dishes that include a healthy dose of seafood entrees. From Baked Florida Oysters to Steamed Chilean Sea Bass with Dried Miso, it's packed with fare perfect for any neo-professional chef interested in Asian fusion cuisine.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook." California Bookwatch, Nov. 2009. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A212412301/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=196e4fed. Accessed 16 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A212412301
Matsuhisa, Nobu & Thomas Buckley (text) & Masashi Kuma (photogs.). Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook
Christine Bulson
Library Journal. 134.2 (Feb. 1, 2009): p87.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
Matsuhisa, Nobu & Thomas Buckley (text) & Masashi Kuma (photogs.). Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook. Kodansha, dist. by Oxford Univ. 2008. 192p. photogs, index. ISBN 978-4-7700-3080-1. $39.95. COOKERY
Now known internationally as Nobu, chef Matsuhisa has over 20 restaurants worldwide. In his fourth cookbook, he highlights his Miami Beach, FL, restaurant with Buckley, the executive chef. The party dishes look like works of art, with each recipe illustrated with at least one beautiful color photo. The chapters are divided by party subjects--"Finger Foods" (Smoked Tofu with Tomato, Shiso, and Basil), "Luncheons" (Bahamian Conch Salad), "Intimate Dinners" (Slow-Cooked Foie Gras in Pinot Noir), "Nobu Classics" (Creamy Spicy Key Largo Pink Shrimp), and "Desserts" (Lucuma, Chocolate, Espresso, and Banana). It is surprising that there are only nine recipes for cocktails, but they, too, are unusual--a Melbourne Mule with kiwi, rum, and ginger beer. A glossary defines the unusual ingredients, which may be expensive and difficult to obtain. Matsuhisa and Buckley succeed in melding cuisines from diverse cultures in an eye-catching cookbook. Recommended for public and academic libraries.--Christine Bulson, SUNY at Oneonta Lib.
Bulson, Christine
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Bulson, Christine. "Matsuhisa, Nobu & Thomas Buckley (text) & Masashi Kuma (photogs.). Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook." Library Journal, 1 Feb. 2009, p. 87. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A199600310/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d2bbae52. Accessed 16 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A199600310
Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook
Publishers Weekly. 255.40 (Oct. 6, 2008): p49+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook Nobu Matsuhisa and Thomas Buckley. Kodansha, $39.95 (192p) ISBN 978-4-7700-3080-1
Duck "sushi," foie gras croquettes with yuzu marmalade, octopus carpaccio--such elaborate yet playful creations from Nobu Matsuhisa's Miami outpost would fit in at any trendy party. Matsuhisa and his Miami executive chef, Buckley, offer this thoughtful interplay of cuisines, with Latin American ingredients incorporated into Japanese dishes and vice versa, all executed with Buckley's European precision but infused with the colorful, fun approach that always inspires chefs in Miami. Chapters divide the book into finger foods, such as stuffed cucumber and sliders made with Kobe beef and daikon radish "buns"; larger dishes for luncheons and dinners (amped-up fish and chips; spicy marinated grilled short ribs); and, of course, an array of exotic desserts like banana harumaki with dulce de leche. Overall, most recipes have relatively few steps, but preparation methods and the multitude of unusual ingredients required are likely to daunt home cooks without a big budget and a kitchen full of assistants. Still, this gloriously photographed book will attract readers interested in the genesis of these dishes and ways to think about their flavors. (Nov.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook." Publishers Weekly, 6 Oct. 2008, p. 49+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A186822216/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=94cf92d8. Accessed 16 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A186822216
Nobu the Cookbook
Judith C. Sutton
Library Journal. 126.15 (Sept. 15, 2001): p106.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2001 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
Matsuhisa, Nobuyuki. Nobu the Cookbook. Kodansha, dist. by Oxford Univ. Oct. 2001. c.200p. photogs. index. ISBN 4-7700-2533-5. $37. COOKERY
Matsuhisa--usually called Nobu--is an immensely talented chef who now has 13 restaurants around the world, from the original Matsuhisa (his favorite) in Los Angeles and the always packed Nobu in New York City, to Ubon by Nobu in London and Nobu Tokyo. His food draws on his Japanese heritage and training as a sushi chef and the years he spent as a chef in South America, as well as his tenure in the United States with cross-cultural dishes such as Toro with Jalapeno, Freshwater Eel and Foie Gras, and Scallop Filo with Truffle Yuzu Sauce. His attractive cookbook features stunning color photographs of every recipe, as well as black-and-white technique and "location" shots. Many of the recipes are not especially complicated, but they depend on pristinely fresh, high-quality--and sometimes difficult-to-find--ingredients. It's also unfortunate that, as a note in the introduction points out, the cup measures used in the recipes are for Japanese, not American, cups. Nevertheless, this is an essential addition to any collection of chefs' cookbooks. [Good Cook selection.]
Judith C. Sutton,
Sutton's Place Cuisine, New York, NY
Sutton, Judith C.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Sutton, Judith C. "Nobu the Cookbook." Library Journal, 15 Sept. 2001, p. 106. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A78919581/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ec9821aa. Accessed 16 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A78919581