Matsuhisa in Los Angeles, a Historic Restaurant in the Nobu Empire
Since it opened in 1987, this sushi bar has achieved international renown reinforced by Hollywood celebrities.

© Matsuhisa
Located on La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills, Matsuhisa was the first establishment opened by renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa, a sushi master as famous as Joël Robuchon and Paul Bocuse are in France.
The history of Matsuhisa, where diners can enjoy yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, or shrimp tempura with a creamy ponzu sauce, is closely linked to the background of its founder.
From Peru to California via Alaska
In 1973, at the age of 24, the young man left Japan to open a restaurant in Lima, Peru, with an entrepreneur and client of the restaurant he ran in Tokyo. While there, he honed his techniques and fused the cuisines of his native Japan and his new home. He created his speciality, an iconic dish: black cod marinated in yuzu den miso sauce.
After an unsuccessful experience in Alaska, Nobu Matsuhisa moved to Los Angeles in 1977 and spent a decade working in various chefs’ brigades. However, the desire to run his own establishment became increasingly pressing. He opened Matsuhisa in the late 1980s. The restaurant quickly won the favour of Hollywood stars familiar with the area, and won the chef international fame; Robert De Niro later became an associate, enabling him to open other establishments.
Over the years, his empire extended to New York, Dubai, Melbourne, and Budapest. In 2019, the chef ran 43 restaurants worldwide. His name can now even be heard in rap music, like in ‘Jumpman’ (2015) by Drake and Future: ‘Nobu, Nobu, Nobu, Nobu, Nobu, Nobu/I just threw a private dinner in LA.’
More information on Matsuhisa can be found on the restaurant’s website.

© Matsuhisa

© Matsuhisa

© Matsuhisa

© Matsuhisa
TRENDING
-
Modernology, Kon Wajiro's Science of Everyday Observation
Makeup, beard shape, organisation of cupboards and meeting places: all of these details decipher 1920s Tokyoites.
-
How Lily Deakin Rediscovered the Carefree Spirit of Childhood Through Pole Dancing
Despite the hypersexualised clichés that surround it, this discipline that breeds physical strength and self-confidence is growing in Japan.
-
The Tattoos that Marked the Criminals of the Edo Period
Traditional tattoos were strong signifiers; murderers had head tattoos, while theft might result in an arm tattoo.
-
‘Chindogu’, the Genius of Unusable Objects
Ingenious but impractical inventions: this was all that was required for the concept to achieve a resounding success.
-
Kohei Yoshiyuki, the Voyeur of Tokyo's Voyeurs
The reedition of the publication ‘The Park’ takes us on a night walk through the parks of Tokyo, out in full sight.