Nobu: A Memoir

In this outstanding memoir, chef and restaurateur Matsuhisa tells of his rise from being a dishwasher and deliveryman to becoming synonymous with top-notch sushi and Japanese-inspired cuisine. Matsuhisa writes about how he took inspiration from master chefs as well as his culinary travels. Stints working in Alaska, Argentina, Japan, and Peru proved to be both educational and frustrating for him. Those experiences paid off when he reached Los Angeles in 1977, where he created some of his signature dishes, such as black cod with miso, and opened his first restaurant, Matsuhisa. That, in turn, led to the opening of his flagship Nobu restaurant in New York City in 1993 and, soon after, locations around the world. Unconcerned with accolades and uninterested in chest thumping—his prime motivation for running a restaurant, he says, is delighting customers—Matsuhisa focuses here on his approach to maintaining high-quality service. He offers insight into the leeway he gives to chefs at his various restaurants, how to minimize tensions when reprimanding staff, and how to promote mutual learning, not rivalry, to make his organization stronger. A passionate chef with an open mind and a big heart, Matsuhisa shares lessons in humility, gratitude, and empathy that will stick with readers long after they’ve finished the final chapter. (Nov.)