Nobu Matsuhisa
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese cuisine · b. 1949
The Japanese-Peruvian fusion pioneer behind the global Nobu empire.
Biography
Nobuyuki 'Nobu' Matsuhisa is the chef behind one of the most influential restaurant brands of the past 30 years. After training in traditional sushi in Tokyo, he moved to Peru in 1973, where he ran a restaurant in Lima and absorbed the local Nikkei tradition — a 100-year-old Japanese-Peruvian creole cuisine combining sashimi techniques with Peruvian aji peppers and citrus.
He relocated to Los Angeles in the 1980s, opened Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills in 1987, and partnered with actor Robert De Niro to launch Nobu New York in 1994. The Nobu empire now spans more than 50 restaurants and 30 hotels worldwide, from Tokyo to Cape Town.
Dishes he is credited with popularising — black cod miso, yellowtail jalapeño sashimi, rock shrimp tempura with creamy spicy sauce — are now standards in modern Japanese restaurants worldwide.
Cooking Philosophy
Japanese technique with Peruvian heart. Nobu's signature move is taking classical Japanese preparations and adding South American brightness — aji amarillo, lime, cilantro, jalapeño — without ever overwhelming the precision of the underlying sushi tradition.
Restaurants
- MatsuhisaBeverly Hills
His original 1987 flagship; the more intimate, chef-driven space.
- Nobu (worldwide)Tokyo / NYC / London / Las Vegas / Dubai / Cape Town and 40+ more
Flagship global chain co-founded with Robert De Niro and Drew Nieporent.
Awards & Recognition
- James Beard Best Chef New York City (1995)
- Japan's Order of the Rising Sun (2018)
- Multiple Best New Restaurant honours across his openings
Iconic Dishes
Cookbooks
- Nobu: The Cookbook
- Nobu West
- Nobu's Vegetarian Cookbook
Signature Recipes Inspired by Nobu
Original recipes we created as homages to Nobu's cooking style and signature dishes. Not direct reproductions of any copyrighted material — these are our interpretations of the traditionsNobu has worked with throughout their career.
Recipes in Nobu's Style
These recipes from our database reflect the japanese cooking tradition that Nobu works in. They are not direct reproductions of Nobu's copyrighted recipes, but traditional dishes inspired by the same culinary heritage.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nobu Matsuhisa
What is Nikkei cuisine?
Nikkei is the 100+ year-old Japanese-Peruvian fusion tradition created by Japanese immigrants to Peru. It combines Japanese techniques (sashimi, marinades, dashi) with Peruvian ingredients (aji peppers, lime, sweet potato) and is what made dishes like tiradito and ceviche-sashimi famous.
Who owns Nobu restaurants?
The Nobu group is owned by Nobu Matsuhisa, the actor Robert De Niro and the restaurateur Drew Nieporent, who co-founded the brand with the first New York opening in 1994. It now operates more than 50 restaurants and 30 hotels worldwide.
What is black cod miso?
Black cod miso (or saikyo-yaki) is a dish in which sablefish is marinated for several days in sweet white miso, mirin and sake, then grilled until caramelised. Nobu Matsuhisa popularised it globally; it has become one of the defining dishes of modern Japanese restaurants.
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