Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, or chef Nobu as he’s more widely known, is the acclaimed and highly influential chef proprietor of a global culinary empire of Nobu and Matsuhisa restaurants, which span from Mexico City to Moscow.
Born in Saitama, Japan, Nobu traces the beginnings of his ambition to become a chef to his first visit to a sushi restaurant as a young boy, where he found himself fascinated by everything about the environment.
After graduating, Nobu found a job at a sushi restaurant in Tokyo called Matsuei and when he was just 24 years old accepted an offer from one of his customers who took him to Lima, Peru to open a restaurant. In Peru, Nobu began weaving Peruvian influences into his dishes creating the beginnings of his signature style.
Opening his own restaurant, Matsuhisa, in Beverly Hills in 1987, Nobu’s solo career got off to an exceptional start, becoming a magnet for food lovers and celebrities alike. Today he has an ever-expanding empire of restaurants (and not to mention fan base) in over 21 different cities around the world including Cape Town, London and New York.