Nobuyuki ‘Nobu’ Matsuhisa is among the world’s most acclaimed chefs. He has become famous for his unique fusion food that combines traditional Japanese cuisine with Peruvian ingredients. In addition to being a successful chef and restaurateur, Matsuhisa has also appeared in film and television. THerefore, a wider audience knows of his talents and accomplishments. Although most people have heard his name, there are many facts about Nobu Matsuhisa that people do not know. Here are some Nobu Matsuhisa facts you might not know.
Nobu Matsuhisa Facts: His Personal Life
Where Was Nobu Matsuhisa Born?
Nobu Matsuhisa was born in Saitama, Japan, on 10th March 1949. When he was eight, his father died in a tragic road traffic accident. He was then raised by his single mother with his two brothers.
Childhood Experiences Influenced His Career
Following his father’s death, Nobu Matsuhisa’s mother travelled the world with her children. It meant that Matsuhisa had the opportunity to experience many cultures. He also saw hunger and poverty in many locations. Not only did Matsuhisa’s travels later influence his cooking, but seeing poverty first-hand has led him to give back to the community later in his life.
Is Nobu Matsuhisa Married?
According to IMDb, Nobu Matsuhisa is married to Yoko Matsuhisa.
Does Nobu Matsuhisa Have Children?
Nobu Matsuhisa and his wife, Yoko, have two daughters together.
What Is Nobu Matsuhisa’s Net Worth?
Nobu Matsuhisa is one of the richest celebrity chefs in the world. His net worth is estimated at $223 million. He ranks higher on the list than Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller, Guy Fieri, and Levi Roots. However, he is not as rich as Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, or Alan Wong.
Facts About Nobu Matsuhisa: His Culinary Career
He Began His Culinary Career as a Dishwasher
Like many other celebrity chefs and successful restaurateurs, Nobu Matsuhisa began his career at the bottom. However, he started his kitchen career at the bottom. After leaving school at 15, his first job was working as a dishwasher in a restaurant called Matsue Sushi in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
He is a Trained Sushi Chef
Although he began his career as a dishwasher, Nobu Matsuhisa dreamed of becoming a chef. He completed his training as a sushi chef at the same restaurant in which he had washed pots.
Matsuhisa Created a Unique Fusion Food
When he opened his Japanese restaurant in Peru, Nobu Matsuhisa could not source all the ingredients he usually used in his cooking. Therefore, he began to replace them with typical Peruvian ingredients. Incorporating Peruvian ingredients into Japanese dishes was a new concept. Now, it is for this unique fusion style for which Nobu Matsuhisa is most famous.
Matsuhisa’s Restaurants and Hotels
Matsuhisa Opened His First Restaurant in Peru
Seven years after beginning his career, a Peruvian customer of Japanese descent invited Matsuhisa to open a Japanese restaurant in Peru. In 1973, when he was 24 years old, Nobu Matsuhisa took the leap and moved to Lima, Peru. It was there that he opened his first restaurant, Matsue.
His Restaurant in Argentina Failed
Matsuhisa’s restaurant in Peru eventually closed its doors, and he thought he would try to open another restaurant in Argentina. However, this restaurant failed.
Matsuhisa Had a Restaurant Fire in Alaska
Nobu Matsuhisa’s next move was to open a Japanese restaurant in Anchorage, Alaska. Unfortunately, this was one of the lowest points in Matsuhisa’s career, as an electrical fire led to the restaurant burning to the ground just two weeks after the grand opening.
He Opened His First Restaurant in the United States in 1987
Matsuhisa moved to Los Angeles in 1977. Over the next decade, he worked at several Japanese restaurants, such as Oshou and Mitsuwa. After ten years, he decided to give opening his own restaurant another try and opened Matsuhisa on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, in 1987.
He is in Partnership with Robert De Niro
Actor Robert De Niro was a regular customer of Matsuhisa, and he encouraged the celebrity chef to open another restaurant in New York. In 1994, he partnered with De Niro, Meir Teper, and Drew Nieporent to open his first Nobu in Tribeca, New York. De Niro and Matsuhisa later opened a Nobu Chicago in Chicago’s Nobu Hotel.
How Many Nobu Restaurants Does Nobu Matsuhisa Own?
His United States Nobu locations are in Houston, Chicago, two Dallas locations, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Malibu, Miami Beach, Palo Alto, San Diego, Atlantis, Washington, D.C., and two locations each in Mexico City and New York. The chef’s Australian Nobu locations are in Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne. His other international locations include Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Los Cabos, Tokyo, and Waikiki, as well as two restaurants in London.
What About Other Restaurants?
Matsuhisa has many other restaurants other than the Nobu chain. His other chain is called Matsuhisa, and there is one restaurant in Beverly Hills and three locations in Colorado, including Aspen, Vail, and Denver. The chef’s international Matsuhisa locations are Munich, St. Moritz in Switzerland, Limassol in Cypress, Paris, and Mykonos in Greece. Matsuhisa has restaurants in Manila and London called Ubon by Nobu. His two Next Door Nobu restaurants are in Monte Carlo and New York City. The chef also has a restaurant in Milan called Armani.
He Has 15 Hotels
Nobu Matsuhisa has 15 Nobu hotels in various locations worldwide. These include two hotels in London and hotels in Las Vegas, Chicago, Los Cabos, Ibiza, Manila, Malibu, Miami Beach, Warsaw, Marbella, Palo Alto, Doha, Perth, and Barcelona.
The Celebrity Chef in the Media
He Has Appeared in Four Films
Although he is best known for his restaurants, Nobu Matsuhisa has also had an acting career, as he has appeared in four films. The first film in which he appeared was the 1995 movie ‘Casino’, which also starred his business partner Robert De Niro. He was also in the films ‘Austin Powers in Goldmember’ in 2002 and in the 2005 film ‘Memoirs of a Geisha.’ Most recently, Matsuhisa played Cho-Cho San’s father in the 2013 film The Girl from Nagasaki.
Matsuhisa Has Six Cookbooks
During his career, Nobu Matsuhisa has published six cookbooks and a memoir. These are:
- Nobu West (2007)
- Nobu: The Cookbook (2001)
- Nobu Now (2005)
- Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook (2008)
- Nobu’s Vegetarian Cookbook (2012)
- Nobu: A Memoir (2014)
- World of Nobu (2019)
His Television Appearances
Nobu Matsuhisa has appeared in multiple television series. These include MasterChef Australia and Hell’s Kitchen. Most recently, he was in a 2022 episode of the series Culturescope.
Other Nobu Matsuhisa Facts
He Has Faced Criticism for Serving an Endangered Species
Although Nobu Matsuhisa has received praise for his cooking, he has also come under fire from conservationists, which is one of the Nobu Matsuhisa facts that many people do not know. The press and campaigners have complained that Nobu restaurants sell Atlantic bluefin tuna, an endangered species.
Matsuhisa Has Won the James Beard Foundation Award
In 1995, Nobu Matsuhisa received the James Beard Foundation Award. He has been nominated for the same award on several occasions since.
We hope you have enjoyed reading our Nobu Matsuhisa facts.