Celebrity chef and restaurateur Nobuyuki Matsuhisa has expanded his portfolio of restaurants worldwide through thoughtful, intelligent growth, and currently operates 26 restaurants over five continents and in some of the most desirable locations. He also has restaurants on two cruise ships and a number of prestigious hotels.

He opened his first restaurant, Matsuhisa, 23 years ago in Los Angeles, followed by the first Nobu restaurant in New York in 1994 and Nobu London in 1997.

This year, the company has opened new restaurants in Moscow, Cape Town and Mexico City, and has signed agreements for projects in Beijing and Doha, to be opened in 2010.
As he continues to open new restaurants and employs more staff, Matsuhisa likens the company to a family that he has nurtured through childhood and delights in watching it grow and develop.

“This is what lies at the core of my philosophy,” he told RLI recently. “Cooking is my life and I take great joy in watching Nobu as it takes on new challenges.”

Still as hands-on as he ever was, Matsuhisa spends most of his time visiting each of his restaurants and is constantly thinking up new fusion dishes to excite the senses. But he is also continually assessing new opportunities: “I really like the big, international cites with their cosmopolitan people,” he says. “The Nobu concept tends to be more readily accepted there. Of course, if somebody approaches me with an opportunity, I will look at the location and trust my feelings before deciding, yes or no.”

Longer-term, what are Nobu’s plans and how many new restaurants are planned?
“I don’t really take a long-term commitment in that way. New openings are difficult,” says Matsuhisa. “As well as finding a location that feels right and raising the capital, you have to have the right chef and the right staff. People are the most important factor and you have the right staff in place if you wish to be successful.”

In fact, Nobu’s staff training programme is continuous and Matsuhisa delights in the fact that he not only offers young people opportunities within the company, but also the chance to travel and experience new cultures.And after so many new openings, how does Nobu maintain its status at the cutting edge of the dining experience?

“I always put myself in the customer’s shoes and ask, what am I looking for, great service? Great menus? It’s a difficult question, but I think it comes down to passion. Passion creates energies and we do everything to ensure that our customers are comfortable and happy,” explains Matsuhisa. “Of course there are always areas in which you can improve and is important not to become complacent in your success.

“Our philosophy is to always strive to be the best and to adapt to every location; when Nobu opens in a city, the city will change.”

The restaurant is also fighting a common misconception that it is the preserve of celebrities and the very wealthy; this is simply not true he says: “As much as you can come here and be very extravagant, you can also have a very simple meal that doesn’t cost the earth. Our doors are open to all.”

For the full article please see the RLI October 09 issue