Nobu Matsuihisa

Food & Wine

b. 1949

California Connection

• Based in Los Angeles since 1979

Achievements

Biography current as of induction in 2026

Nobuyuki Matsuhisa—better known simply as “Nobu”—is the acclaimed and highly influential chef whose Nobu and Matsuhisa restaurants have changed the way the world eats.

Born and raised in Saitama, Japan, Nobu served a rigorous apprenticeship at a respected sushi bar in Tokyo. Before long, his dreams of seeing the world moved him to open a restaurant in Peru. A classically trained sushi chef, Nobu took up the challenge of a new culture and regional ingredients, kindling an inventive approach known today as Nobu Style. After three years in Peru, Nobu moved to Argentina, then home to Japan, then on to Alaska before finally settling in Los Angeles. He opened Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills in 1987, which became a magnet for food lovers and celebrities alike. There, his long-term friendship and business relationship with Robert De Niro began. At De Niro’s urging, together they opened the first Nobu in New York City in 1994 with producer Meir Teper and restaurateur Drew Nieporent. Like Matsuhisa, Nobu was a hit.

The successes of his first restaurants led Chef Nobu to expand globally, with over 58 Nobu restaurants, 14 Matsuhisa restaurants, and 20 Nobu hotels spanning five continents today. His restaurants have collected many honors, including Matsuhisa being chosen as one of the Top Ten Restaurant Destinations in the world by the New York Times (1993) and Nobu being awarded Best New Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation (1995). Ruth Reichl and Frank Bruni of the New York Times gave three stars to Nobu (1995) and Nobu Next Door (1998) and Nobu Fifty Seven (2005). The Michelin Guide has awarded a Michelin Star to Nobu London (1997), Nobu Berkeley St. (2005), Matsuhisa Beverly Hills (2007), Nobu Las Vegas (2007), and Nobu San Diego (2008). Some of Nobu’s personal honors from the culinary community include America’s 10 Best New Chefs by Food and Wine magazine (1989), Southern California’s Rising Stars by Los Angeles Times Magazine (1998), induction into Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America by the James Beard Foundation (2002), nine nominations for Outstanding Chef by the James Beard Foundation from 1997 to 2006, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award (2007), one of the 11 Most Influential Chefs of the Decade by Madrid Fusión (2009), and Peru Tourism’s Goodwill Ambassador Award (2010).

In 2014, Nobu released his first autobiography in Japanese, titled The Smiling Faces of My Guests Mean Everything. An English version followed in 2017 with the title Nobu: A Memoir. In 2024, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays by the Japanese government. In 2025, he released his first documentary film, Nobu. 

View more inductees from the 19th class, inducted in 2026.