nobu

Nobu refers to a Japanese chef and restaurateur as well as the international brand he co-founded. The name has become associated with a global restaurant network known for Japanese-inspired cuisine and accompanying hospitality ventures, including hotels under the Nobu Hotels brand.

Nobu Matsuhisa, born in 1949 in Sapporo, Japan, is a chef renowned for fusion cuisine that blends traditional Japanese techniques with ingredients and flavors from other coastal cuisines. After gaining experience in Japan and abroad, he built a distinctive style that emphasizes fresh seafood and inventive preparations. In 1994 he opened the flagship Nobu restaurant in Tribeca, New York, a venture developed with actor Robert De Niro and other partners, which helped launch the international chain.

The Nobu restaurant network has since expanded to numerous locations across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and other regions. Menus typically combine Japanese flavors with Peruvian and other influences, continuing Matsuhisa’s signature approach to ingredients and technique. The brand is known for a refined, contemporary dining experience centered on high-quality fish, sashimi, and signature dishes such as black cod with miso and yellowtail with jalapeño.

In addition to restaurants, the Nobu brand extends into hospitality through Nobu Hotels, a collection of luxury properties that align with the brand’s culinary identity. Nobu Matsuhisa’s influence extends to cookbooks and collaborations that reinforce the global recognition of the Nobu name.

More generally, Nobu can refer to the surname or given-name usage in Japanese contexts, but in contemporary popular usage it most commonly denotes the chef and the associated restaurant and hotel group.