Chef Nobu Matsuhisa on the art of perseverance

When you reflect on your life’s journey—from growing up in Saitama to building a global restaurant empire, what moments stand out the most to you? 
My mother passed away a few years ago. In 1989, I invited her to visit my very first restaurant in Los Angeles and I was able to cook for her. I’ve cooked for a lot of celebrities and famous people, but she was the most special guest for me. This was the most memorable.

The journey to success is often filled with obstacles. Can you share a particularly challenging period in your career and how you managed to overcome it? 
I had the opportunity to open a restaurant in Anchorage, Alaska. The restaurant was very successful and I worked very hard for the first few months. I had my first day off on Thanksgiving after the restaurant had been open for 50 days. My business partner called me to tell me there was a fire at the restaurant. At first, I thought he was joking, but then I could hear the sirens. We drove to the restaurant and could see that the restaurant had burned down. That was the darkest time of my life. I had lost everything and I truly thought about killing myself. It was my wife and daughters that helped me through that time. After that, I have always tried to keep going, even just a millimetre forward. I learned patience and to never give up.

You’ve inspired countless chefs and restaurateurs around the world. Who or what was your inspiration when you first started, and how has that evolved over the years? 
My father passed away when I was young, so my brothers and I were raised by my mother and my grandmother. These two women are the most influential in my career. My bedroom was close to the kitchen so I would wake up to the sounds of them preparing breakfast and the smell of miso soup in the morning. I developed my work ethic and passion for cooking through them. These days, I surround myself with a really strong team of corporate chefs who know my philosophy but also introduce me to new ideas. I am also constantly influenced by the ingredients themselves and often let them speak to me.

Given the many accolades and successes you’ve achieved, is there still something on your culinary or personal bucket list that you’re eager to pursue? 
My dream now is to continue to grow Nobu into a global lifestyle brand and pass on my philosophies and learnings to the next generation of our team. Although I have had successes throughout my career, I am always motivated by new goals and benchmarks.

Your social media portrays a whirlwind of global travels and engagements every week. Do you thrive on this constant motion? 
Absolutely! Staying active allows my mind and body to remain sharp.

And when you do find a moment to pause, how do you relax and recharge? 
When I take a holiday, I often go to my home in Hakone, Japan. It’s very relaxing, there are natural springs and beautiful nature.

Do you have any other plans for the future that you can share with us now? 
Our brand expansion will continue with new restaurants and hotel openings in Toronto, Da Nang, Bangkok, Rome and several more over the next two to three years.

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