In this exclusive Esquire Philippines interview with Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, he explains the concept of Omotenashi, how he stays creative in coming up with new flavors, and what makes the perfect Omakase.
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00:00You know, customers come, we start serving the food, customers start smiling, laughing, so this is my Michelin star.
00:19Omotenashi means like a Japanese way, it's very traditional, but the hospitality.
00:25Omotenashi means makes as much possible, makes happy to the guests, you know, happy, enjoy, then like end of the finish for the dinner, end of the meal, end of the restaurant, so it means very much feel happy.
00:44So this kind of people's coming back again, you know, restaurant business is always, it's not the one time.
00:51Always, we're looking for the repeat customers, so repeat customers make happy, then bring another new guest.
00:58You know, every day, like a step by step, always best, always try our best, makes happy to the guests.
01:07So this is Omotenashi.
01:10Hospitality means, I'm chefs, I'm restaurant owner, customers are coming.
01:20Each dish, always, I like to do more detail.
01:24Hot food, have to be hot. Cold food, have to be cold.
01:28So this is a very small, the details, but this one, it's like a steak, customer side.
01:34How to customize it makes you happy.
01:37So this is my Omotenashi.
01:43It's always, I travel in so many different countries, different cultures of food, but sometimes I'm reading books, find out the new ingredients, I like to try.
01:55And many, many times, many experience, I stay at the restaurant, the conversations with the guests.
02:03So I ask to customers what you're looking for the food.
02:08Customer talking to me about this one, about this one.
02:12Then I start, idea come from, so these conversations.
02:16Then I try to make new dishes.
02:19Well, it's Omokase means like a six, seven, eight courses, like a from beginning to the end.
02:29I like always looking for something like a music, harmony.
02:33So start light, quiet, then little, a little, even like a flavor, you know, raw fish, light, raw fish, and even like a,
02:44buy one, buy one, buy one, sort of heavy.
02:48So then, like a, end of the meal, and dessert.
02:52You know, it's everything, include the dessert.
02:55This is like a harmony, best Omokase.
03:03Maybe I'm lucky person because, you know, still after 30 years,
03:08so Nobu company keep growing.
03:12But I say lucky person because I have the great teams.
03:17So team like a family, they work in long times with our company.
03:22Means they know our quality food, quality service, include my philosophy, you know.
03:29Then my philosophy is make the customers happy.
03:33So it means restaurants open, my teams take care, or like a, you know, service to the customers.
03:43Customers make happy.
03:45Then again, repeat and repeat.
03:48So it means last 30 years, you know, never stop, but always we do the same philosophy.
03:55Even me, I'm not thinking about the money.
03:58You know, I'm chefs.
04:00But all the team has like a different division.
04:03So team leader, educate for the next generation.
04:07That's why the Nobu company, Nobu teams still keep growing.
04:16Michelin star is like a kind of like a restaurant, it's a prestige.
04:21But myself, you know, like my Michelin star is, you know, customers come.
04:27We start serving the food.
04:30Customers start smiling, laughing.
04:32So this is my Michelin star.
04:35But if we got Michelin star, you know, I take it.
04:39I'm very happy too.
04:40But not looking for start the business.
04:44So always make the happy to the guests.
04:46This is my Michelin star.
04:48Michelin star.