A conversation with the renowned chef about how heart and perseverance underpin his global empire

Podcast Food + Drink

Nobu Matsuhisa: Design Tangents Episode Nineteen

A conversation with the renowned chef about how heart and perseverance underpin his global empire

Josh Rubin, Evan Orensten

24 June 2025

In the latest Design Tangents episode, recorded at the Grand Wailea in Maui during the opening weekend of his newest restaurant, renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa shares how heart and perseverance have fueled his rise from Tokyo sushi apprentice to global restauranteur and hotelier. His early training—steeped in discipline, repetition and exacting standards was challenged in Peru during the 1970s, and constraint led to innovation. Confronted with unfamiliar ingredients and techniques, he blended Japanese precision with Latin American spontaneity, creating a fusion style out of necessity, not aesthetic. That improvisational spirit is the foundation of Nobu today and has guided him through various challenges along his journey.

Nobu’s restaurants are spatially consistent yet emotionally resonant, defined by natural materials, layered textures and architectural restraint—all designed in partnership with David Rockwell. The menu architecture functions much the same way—anchored by repeatable signature dishes like black cod miso and yellowtail jalapeño, yet each location includes locally inspired offerings crafted with regional ingredients. The blend of consistency and contextual adaptation reflects his wider design system: elegant, repeatable, but never generic. Service, too, is central—shaping every guest interaction as a moment of emotional design. For him, hospitality is less about performance and more about intuitive care, making each dining experience personal and memorable.

Now with over 55 restaurants and 18 hotels worldwide, Nobu’s global presence feels anything but corporate. Instead, his empire is rooted in “kokoro”—heart—and scaled through trust, mentorship and deeply embedded values. The Maui episode captures this spirit vividly, as Nobu speaks candidly about balancing growth with soul. His design language isn’t about visual flair; it’s about how spaces feel, how meals linger, how memories form. What emerges from this conversation is a portrait of a visionary who doesn’t just build restaurants—he designs environments where perseverance, humility and emotional intelligence shape every element of experience.

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Design Tangents is produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Rob Schulte, Hannah Viti, and Rachel Senator and to Amber Lin for creating our show art. Discover more design podcasts from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com.