Nobu: The Documentary Traces Chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa’s Global Rise

Matt Tyrnauer’s 2026 documentary follows chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa’s evolution from a provincial sushi chef in Japan to the founder of the Nobu restaurant empire. It charts his drive to break Japan’s culinary insularity, his adoption of foreign ingredients, and the challenges of scaling a Japanese aesthetic across continents. The film also records his partnership with actor-investor Robert De Niro, which produced the first eponymous Nobu venue.

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Matsuhisa’s early life included a probationary sentence for reckless driving, after which he became deeply immersed in sushi. Stints in Peru and Alaska broadened his palate, leading to the opening of his first U.S. restaurant on Los Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles. There he introduced signature dishes such as black cod with miso (using Alaskan sablefish) and Peruvian-inspired yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño.

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• 1990s – Matsuhisa works in Peru and Alaska, refining his style.

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• Late 1990s – Opens the Los Angeles Matsuhisa restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard.

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• Early 2000s – De Niro proposes a New York branch; Matsuhisa initially declines.

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• Mid-2000s – Partnership solidifies; the first Nobu restaurant launches in New York City.

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• 2020s – Nobu operates in dozens of cities worldwide, including locations in Japan, Peru, the United States, and Mexico (Los Cabos).

The Guardian

The documentary notes that the Nobu chain now spans “dozens of cities across the globe,” with outlets in Japan, Peru, the United States (Los Angeles, New York) and Mexico (Los Cabos). Signature dishes such as black cod with miso and yellowtail sashimi illustrate the brand’s cross-cultural menu.

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De Niro responded sharply to the criticism, indicating that Matsuhisa would not appreciate such remarks. The film asserts that, despite foreign ingredients, the cuisine remains fundamentally Japanese, emphasizing openness rather than fusion.

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An unnamed associate of De Niro questioned Matsuhisa’s mastery, suggesting that merely chopping raw fish does not constitute culinary expertise. The review also observes that the documentary sometimes feels like corporate promotion, potentially downplaying dissenting perspectives.

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Two scenes illustrate brand discipline: Matsuhisa physically drags Los Cabos hotel staff over coals for sloppy dish preparation, and De Niro rebuffs a partner’s ill-fitting proposal for a new Nobu location, underscoring the difficulty of preserving cohesion across a global network.

The Guardian

The film provides no precise count of Nobu locations, relying on the vague “dozens” descriptor. Dates for early international stints and the exact year of the Los Angeles opening are omitted, leaving a partial chronology.

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• “lost in sushi” — Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary (Nobu)

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• “But don’t call it fusion, Tyrnauer’s film says early on; it’s still Japanese food, just open to foreign ingredients and techniques.” — Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary (Nobu)

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• “Nobu wouldn’t like to hear you say that,” — Robert De Niro, Actor

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The documentary concludes that Matsuhisa’s meticulous sensitivity has translated into culinary success, as reflected in the chain’s worldwide presence and the continued emphasis on Japanese rigor within a global context.

The Guardian