Movies

‘Nobu’ strains to showcase a humble man at the center of a sexy global brand

BBG News

1

In Nobu Matsuhisa’s restaurant, it takes more than an hour for his marinade to reach a desirable level of complexity, neither too bitter nor overly sweet. As Nobu oversees the quality of the dishes, a nervous chef is put through his paces, as his creations are repeatedly sent back with instructions to finely chop the chives, adjust the size of the raw crudo, and carefully place the salt instead of painting lines. The tension builds, mimicking the intense scenes from “Heat,” as Robert De Niro, an early investor and co-founder, expresses concerns about the restaurant’s swift expansion during a private board meeting.

At the core of Matsuhisa’s business lies meticulousness, accuracy, and a certain elite image. Capturing these qualities in a documentary is challenging. However, it was essential for Nobu to move to Beverly Hills during the ’80s, not just any part of Los Angeles, but the city known for its power lunches and extravagant dining experiences. Wolfgang Puck from Spago appears briefly in Matt Tyrnauer’s film, expressing admiration for his long-time friend, but the true essence of their revolution – luxury branding – is only hinted at. The movie could have delved deeper into this concept, leveraging celebrities spending lavishly on food they barely tasted.

The type of documentary that “Nobu” usually resembles, similar to many profiles aimed at food enthusiasts, is a soft chronicle of a humble genius and ordinary individual who just so happens to travel by private plane. Matsuhisa pays respects to elated local fishmongers, spends a lot of time taking photos with his team, returns to his roots in Japan and Peru. The film includes family interviews and a stopover in Alaska, where, years before he had a waiting list of 300 people each night, one of his earlier restaurants caught fire – in the tragic literal sense (Tyrnauer shows the Anchorage newspaper headline). These setbacks seem draining, devoid of tension. He considered suicide, then moved to California.

Archives

At the sleek wooden sushi bar of the newly opened Nobu Los Angeles, the trio of us find ourselves as the lone patrons along the expansive countertop.

The dishes glide by: slices of black cod with miso, exquisite presentations of thinly sliced fish garnished with herbs carefully arranged with tweezers. It’s mind-blowingly tasty, but only Ruth Reichl, the former food editor of Los Angeles Times who witnessed Nobu’s rise firsthand, and a few other on-screen voices, directly acknowledge Matsuhisa’s talents and innovative culinary approaches. The 2011 documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” offers a more insightful portrayal of the artistry involved in preparation and presentation. A deeper exploration of dining at Nobu would have made this feel less like an advertisement.

The film “Nobu” focuses more on the individual artistry behind sushi preparation rather than the shared dining experience. Nobu’s sushi workstations are likened to stages, and the performance revolves around these elevated spaces as well as the distance they create. A significant shift occurs when the film moves to Nobu Malibu, where we meet supermodel Cindy Crawford at her table. Here, Nobu’s creation for her, the “Cindy rice,” is a regular menu item, symbolizing their long-standing mutual respect and admiration. It’s clear that they both value and recognize each other’s high-end offerings.

Read More

2025-07-03 22:31

Previous post Netflix’s Grey’s Anatomy-style show axed after one season
Next post Blizzard puts Warcraft Rumble on life support, lays off entire team