After graduating from high school he found a live-in job at a sushi restaurant in Tokyo. At 24, he accepted an offer from a customer to open a restaurant and that took him to Lima, Peru. The effect of his time spent in Peru cannot be inflated as this resulted in his incorporation of Peruvian influences into his dishes – the genesis of his signature style. After 3 years and a brief time Argentina, he was heading back to his homeland of Japan, but an opportunity to open a restaurant in Alaska came up, unfortunately the restaurant burned to the ground on a night he happened to be away from the restaurant. With debts to pay on the ruined business enterprise, he went to Los Angeles on a friend’s advice, took a job at a sushi bar to pay off his debts. Jump to 1987, about 10 years later, he opened his own restaurant Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills. Matsuhisa was an instant success and became an attraction for food lovers and celebrities. Thus began his longtime friendship and business relationship with Robert De Niro. He partnered with actor Robert De Niro, producer Meir Teper, restaurateur Drew Nieporent, and managing partner Richard Notar to bring his modern Japanese to Tribeca. Drawing upon his traditional training at sushi bars in Tokyo and his life in Peru and Argentina, he created a brand new trend in Japanese cuisine by fusing South American and Western influences.
Peruvian cuisine is considered one of the most diverse in the world. The Economist in 2004 stated that "Peru can lay claim to one of the world's dozen or so great cuisines", while at the Fourth International Summitof Gastronomy Madrid Fusión 2006, Lima was declared the "Gastronomic Capital of the Americas". From pre-Incas, Inca heritage, to Spanish, Basque, African, Sino-Cantonese, Japanese and finally Italian, French and British migration - Peruvian cuisine combines the flavors of 4 continents and with this eclectic variety in traditional dishes – the coast alone boasts over 2000 different types of soups, and over 250 traditional desserts.
This great variety in the cuisine come from 3 major influences:
1) Peru's unique geography
2) Peru's openness and blending of distinct ethnicities and cultures
3) Incorporating the ancient cuisine into modern Peruvian cuisine
NOBU is a chain of Japanese restaurants that spans the globe. With the fusion of Peruvian and Japanese influences being the focal point, the art shines through in the fusing of the ingredients used. Japan and Peru use and consume a lot of seafood. They equally enjoy fresh fish and ingredients, but where the Japanese use soy sauce, the Peruvians use salsa, spices, olive oil and tomatoes. In Japan, they marinate fish, and in Peru they make a ceviche with the same fish, but eaten in an entirely different way. No doubt Chef Nobu Matsuhisa experimented with ingredient available while he was in Peru, since Japanese ingredients were not readily available. With a touch of his genius and in only 3 years time, he managed to transport the 500 year old Peruvian mixed influence cuisine and integrated it with Japanese style cooking.
Dining at NOBU is a wonderful experience, the staff is always very friendly, and the atmosphere/ ambiance truly sublime with a Zen-like quality. All thought out with precision and designed by famed architect David Rockwell. The food is consistently fresh, and always orgasmic to the palate – each bite transcends you and you just can’t stop eating, you want to keep going back for more. It is expected of Nobu, and they deliver every time with their tantalizing dishes ranging from Wasabi Lobster Tacos, Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno (Tiradito style) to the classic Rock Shrimp Tempura and, of course, Black Cod with Yuzu Miso. There are anticuchos, (a cut stewed meat on skewers) which in Peru are cow hearts but substituted with Japanese Wagyu Beef, (cooked teriyaki style or with wasabi salsa) Sea Bass and Truffles with Yuzu Soy Butter. All heaven on a plate. The prices are not cheap, but so well worth it every time because it is fine dining at its best and you will be, in essence, eating Peruvian influenced Japanese Cuisine. Some may say this is a biased review, but my love for NOBU has led me to rendezvous with all these fabulously executed and orgasmic dishes in Las Vegas and also in the Bahamas...hmmm, which NOBU will be next?
NOBU - 105 Hudson Street (212) 219-0500
NOBU 57 - 40 W 57th Street (212) 757-3000
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