Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s Philosophy For Scaling a Business: Treating Teams Like Family

Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s restaurant and hotel empire spans four continents.
It took some time for Nobu Matsuhisa to trust Robert De Niro. When the actor, who was a regular at his first Los Angeles restaurant, first approached him in 1989 to open a new eatery together, the chef declined. “I didn’t know what he did,” Matsuhisa said.
After several years, Matsuhisa agreed, and the pair opened Nobu’s Tribeca location in 1994. The Japanese restaurant has since become a hot spot for A-listers, with over 50 restaurant locations and 20 luxury hotels spanning four continents.
Last month, a documentary about Matsuhisa’s life, “Nobu,” premiered at Tribeca Film Festival. It follows his childhood in Japan and beyond, from the sudden loss of his father and expulsion from high school to his moves to Peru and Alaska and scaling his business.
Matsuhisa, 76, lives with his wife in Los Angeles. They have two daughters and three grandchildren. Here, he discusses the food that opened his mind to fusion cooking, his business philosophy and why he finally said yes to De Niro.
What time do you wake up on Mondays, and what’s the first thing you do?
I always have jet lag. I woke up [at] 4 o’clock this morning, then I went to stretch. My base is Los Angeles, and when I’m home, I go to the gym. I do treadmills, the rowing machines and something with weight and stay at least a couple of hours. I like to sweat. Then a very light breakfast. Fruits, yogurt and very traditional Japanese food, fermented soybeans.

Chef Nobu Matsuhisa in 1988 at his first Los Angeles restaurant, where Robert De Niro was a regular.
When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
Since I was a kid, my grandmother and my mother cooked every morning. My room was next to the kitchen. Cutting boards, miso soup—every morning I woke up to the sound and the smell. One day, my older brothers took me to a sushi restaurant. I remember being so shocked. So small the sushi restaurant, so much energy. That moment [I thought], “I want to be a chef.”
What are you reading?
My friend [Yūji] Wakiya is a Japanese chef who does Chinese cooking. I’m reading his book.
What qualities in a person make for a good chef?
Passion is most important. When people have experience it means good technique, and everyone can buy the best quality products, but food is not only the chef’s. Somebody has to eat. I stay on the customer’s side. Hot food has to be eaten hot. Cold food has to be eaten cold. I like to keep the quality of food simple, clean, tasty and beautiful.
In your new documentary, you say you were inspired by ceviche the first time you tried it in Peru. What made it inspiring?
I do Japanese-style cooking, especially sushi. I studied [in Japan], then after six and a half, seven years, I went to Peru. The first time I ate ceviche—the same fish cooked a different way—I felt, “Wow, cooking can be more like freedom.” In Japan, it’s [made with] soy sauce and wasabi. Peru is the same fish cooked with lemon juice, onion, cilantro, garlic and chili paste. Completely different.
Early in your career, your newly opened restaurant in Alaska burned down. How did you get through a loss like that?
Alaska was my worst experience. Almost, I tried to kill myself. I’m here because I appreciate my family, my wife, my two kids and a lot of people’s support. When I start talking about this it’s very emotional, very hard for me. But I’m so glad I didn’t give up on my life.

The chef initially turned down Robert De Niro’s idea to open a restaurant together. Several years later, they opened Nobu.
Robert De Niro approached you several times to start Nobu before you said yes. How did you know that you could trust him as a business partner?
The first time De Niro asked me to open a restaurant, I said no because my first restaurant was still brand new, and twice in my experience, partnerships were not a success. But he still always stopped by Matsuhisa restaurant. After two years, three years, four years, he asked me again. He waited more than four years.
Of course, he’s a great actor, he’s a legend. [In the] beginning, I didn’t know what he did. Finally, I decided maybe I could trust him.
Nobu has become a hospitality brand over the last 30 years. What is most important when scaling up a business like that?
We have great teams. They know Nobu’s philosophies, qualities, good service, everything. The team educates the next generation. My philosophy is: Team is like family.
What do you think of Nobu being a hot spot for celebrities?
Celebrities are sometimes very spoiled. They’re also looking for good, healthy food. Most importantly, they trust our quality of food. That’s why they keep coming.
What is a piece of advice you’ve gotten that has been important to you?
My grandmother said, “don’t give up and [don’t be] two-faced.”
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.