Meet Nobu Matsuhisa, the man behind the world-famous "Nobu" restaurant chain

For the second straight year, legendary sushi chef Nobu Matsuhisa will cater for the stars at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, adding to the legacy that has seen him befriend celebrities and open dozens of beloved restaurants. 

Despite his wild success, Matsuhisa's rise to the top was anything but easy.

Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, more fondly known as Nobu, was born to a family of architects in Saitama, Japan in 1949, meaning that his career was essentially already chosen for him at birth. It was his father Shintaro's work that inspired one of this two childhood dreams. 

"I'd like to go to another country like my father," Matsuhisa said, recalling the time his father traveled to Palau to source lumber for his work. But the family suffered a tragedy when he was just 8-years-old, when his father died in a car crash. 

In an effort to lift his spirits, Matsuhisa's older brother took him out to sushi — which quickly turned into dream number two. 

"Chef was in front of me, he make one by one. First bite and wow," he recalled. 

Despite his family's disapproval, he dropped out of high school and at just 17-years-old took the steps to become a sushi apprentice. After years of work, one of his regulars asked him if he wanted to open his own restaurant in Peru, offering him the opportunity to live both of his dreams at the same time. 

At 24, Matsuhisa uprooted his life in Japan and took his new wife Yoko with him to Lima, where he further developed his style as a chef, incorporating Peruvian elements into his traditional Japanese dishes. 

"After this experience, it opened my eyes," he said. "Cooking has to be more freedom."

He spent three years continuing to discover his style in Peru before the restaurant closed. Following short stints in Argentina and Tokyo, Matsuhisa — at this time a father of two — used his entire life savings to open his own shop in Anchorage, Alaska. 

Two weeks later, another tragedy. An electrical fire burned down his restaurant, leaving him with nowhere to turn. 

"I lost everything," Matsuhisa said. "I was thinking, 'How can I try to kill myself?'"

He was stuck in a daze for weeks following the fire, until he heard one of his daughters crying for her father and realized he needed to wake up. That next week, he sent his family back to Japan and sought his next opportunity in Los Angeles with one small bag of belongings and $24 in cash. 

For the next decade, he worked at local restaurants, taking the tips he made and sending them to his wife and daughters in Japan. In 1987, he finally had made enough to bring them to California, where he had just opened "Matsuhisa" in Beverly Hills. 

He took a bad experience with a guest, who didn't realize that sashimi meant raw, sliced fish, and turned it into what he's now known so well for. Not wanting to trash the food, he sprung into action, coming up with a solution on the spot that would become his signature dish — New Style Sashimi. 

He drizzled piping hot olive oil on the fish, which turned the dish into an entirely different type of cuisine that soon began to draw A-list celebrities like Tom Cruise and David Beckham to his restaurant. 

One of those big names became a close friend for Matsuhisa.

Robert De Niro, the Oscar-winning actor known for his roles in dozens of films that include "Goodfellas," "Taxi Driver" and "The Godfather Part II," spent four years trying to convince Matsuhisa to open a restaurant near his home in New York. 

"Not the actor, not the famous, but he's a good person," Matsuhisa said about De Niro. "He trusts me."

It's that trust that led the two to partner up in what is now one of the world's most successful hospitality franchises, with more than 70 restaurants and 19 hotels spanning five continents. 

In November 2024, Matsuhisa was awarded the "Order of the Rising Sun" by the Japanese emperor, a prestigious award that acknowledges his work in promoting Japanese cuisine across the world. 

"I'm so proud," he said. 

Now 75-years-old, he has no intention of retiring anytime soon. He travels 10 months out of the year, teaching his unique technique to willing students. He's also set to cater the Golden Globes for the second year in a row. 

Looking back at his incredible career, he has limitless thanks for the man who inspired his dreams. 

"I'd like to drink one sake with him," an emotional Matsuhisa said. "I like to follow my father, what he did. So it means, I did it. I did it!"

He hopes that in turn, he can be an inspiration for others looking to achieve their loftiest aspirations, which led to his third and final personal dream.

"I want to hear from somebody, 'I did it!' This is the end of my dreams," he said.