Interview: Nobu Matsuhisa

Chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa spends most of the year jetting around the globe to oversee the 21 locations of his world-famous restaurant Nobu. But he always finds time to visit Tokyo.

Nobu sat down with CNNGo to talk about life, food and the secret of his success.

CNNGo: What do you think of the Tokyo food scene these days?

Nobuyuki Matsuhisa: It’s very sophisticated. We can get any ingredients we like. Plus, Tokyo has the Tsukiji fish market -- the best fish market in the world. People like to eat out, and there are a lot of high-end places. Due to the economy, business has been down a little bit since last year, but I feel we’re catching up. It’s better than it was a few months ago.

CNNGo: Are you making any special dishes right now at Nobu Tokyo?

Matsuhisa: We’re using truffles and caviar at the moment, although we’ve been using caviar for a long time. We incorporate a lot of South American ingredients, influences from Europe and the United States. When I’m traveling I see a lot of interesting ingredients. Then I create my menu and send it all over the world.

CNNGo: You were among the first to bring sushi and sashimi to the international stage. Are there any other Japanese dishes you’d like to introduce to the rest of the world?

Matsuhisa: I've wanted to introduce the concept of better quality for things like rice, soy sauce and miso. Even with sushi, there’s a big difference in quality, compared to 20 years ago. Now, people understand and appreciate quality more than before.

I’ve also been working a lot with dried miso. When people think about miso, they think it means miso soup. That's why I created dried miso. When you dry it, it has more flavor. We serve a dish -- sashimi with dried miso, olive oil and yuzu juice -- that’s unusual because people always eat sashimi with soy sauce and wasabi. I’d like to introduce more Japanese ingredients and use them in a different way.

CNNGo: What are your restaurants doing to face the challenges of the current economic situation?

Matsuhisa: In this economic crisis, business is down but I’m not going to play defense by cutting labor costs or cutting food costs. I’m going to play offense. That means creating new dishes, concentrating on service and making customers feel more comfortable. We have to step up our game, increase quality. These days, when people come to spend money, they don’t want to waste it. If they spend $100, I need to give them an experience that feels like $120.

CNNGo: What do you think of the European Union’s recent attempts to reduce the consumption of blue fin tuna?

Matsuhisa: This is a very sensitive topic. We do not support illegal fishing. In Japan, people have been eating tuna for a long, long time, and it’s part of the culture. It can be difficult to understand. Of course, I care about the blue fin tuna, and Japan is farming tuna to help the next generation.

CNNGo: Any plans to expand your operations in Tokyo?

Matsuhisa: This isn't exactly a business plan, but the number of people in Japan with an understanding of food, with technical skill and passion, is growing. In the future, I’d like to give more chances to young chefs by investing money so that they can open their own restaurants. Then we can work together. I’m here because other people gave me the chance to go abroad and supported me. Now we have 21 restaurants, but I didn’t do it all by myself. I’m 60 years old, and I’d like to give support to young chefs.

CNNGo: Where do you consider home?

Matsuhisa: I feel that home is Los Angeles, but these days I stay there less than two months a year. The rest of the time I’m travelling. I was born here and grew up here, so Japan is like my second home.

CNNGo: What’s your comfort food?

Matsuhisa: Very traditional Japanese food, very simple -- steamed rice, pickles, miso soup, grilled salmon. Sometimes I like soba noodles, sushi, or light, simple home cooking. I almost never eat hamburgers at the end of the day!

CNNGo: Advice for aspiring chefs?

Matsuhisa: This is not only for chefs but for any young person who wants to succeed in a creative field: You must have passion. That is the most important thing.

getting there

1F Toranomon Tower Office Location Name
4-1-28 Toranomon, Minato-ku 21\596 Soi Nawamin 42 Nawamin rd
Tokyo 105-0001Bungkum, Bangkok 10240
tel 03(5733)00700
Nobu Tokyo