A biography for Nobu Matsuhisahasn’t been written yet.
“My cooking is very simple, so I don't really use machines at all. A knife, cutting board, frying pan and strainer are my essentials.”
“With sushi, it is all about balance. Sometimes they cut the fish too thick, sometimes too thin. Often the rice is overcooked or undercooked. Not enough rice vinegar or too much.”
“I'm a lucky person because the company keeps growing, and that means my team keeps growing.”
“My favorite knife is from Miyakoya in Japan - I have one in each of my restaurants.”
“I remember watching steak being cooked on TV and wanting to try it. As a special treat, my mother cooked it for me, and I thought this would be the time I would eat with a knife and fork. Alas, I ate it with chopsticks!”
“I was a bit of a wild boy - always swimming and exploring the mountains.”
“Every morning when I woke up, my mother was already in the kitchen making breakfast. It was always the same: steamed rice, pickled vegetables, grilled fish and miso soup. Each day there was something different in the soup such as tofu or potatoes.”
“I learned from my first restaurant: Make customers happy, make sure the customer comes back again. And automatically, success has followed me.”
“One of my favorite ways to use cilantro is in a beautiful clear soup with monkfish and lime. It's a great dish for cooler weather, especially because monkfish is very good in fall and winter. Also, I like the meatiness and rich texture of monkfish.”
“Once I fell out of a tree and was hit by a motorbike. I still have the scar on my head now.”
“Sushi is something very exclusive. It is not like a McDonald's, not like a hot dog, not like a French fry. It's very high-class cooking in Japan.”
“Whenever possible, buy a fish whole. With tuna, this isn't practical; with smaller fish, it is.”
“I used to watch my mother cooking when I was a child; she influenced me a lot.”
“When I'm home in L.A., I go to La Brea, a bakery which does artisan breads, excellent sourdoughs primarily, but also patisserie and cakes.”
“I can live without a computer. My assistant checks my e-mails.”
“I exercise every morning, no matter what. Sometimes it's tough to do right when you get off the plane, but after ten minutes you start sweating, and you always feel better.”
“Businesses that run well are almost like marriages. Everything has to be up for discussion, or there will be real problems.”
“Swimming keeps me fit and flexible, and it helps that I have a large pool at my house in Beverly Hills.”
“I want to always keep going. I don't want to ever stop.”
“What I relish most is when a member of my staff, who has worked with passion and patience towards achieving their dream of owning a restaurant, walks up to me and says, 'Nobu! I have done it!'”