Cooking From The Heart

Celebrity Chef Nobu Matsuhisa returns to Kuala Lumpur with a new menu and big plans.

- CHONG JINN XIUNG

Chef Nobu Matsuhisa is one of the world’s most widely acclaimed restaurateurs. When news broke that he would open his first Nobu restaurant in Southeast Asia here in Kuala Lumpur in 2015, many were enthusiastic and eager to try his fusion cuisine that blends traditional Japanese dishes with Peruvian ingredients. Most notably this signature dish, the black cod in miso.

Chef Nobu returned to Nobu Kuala Lumpur (Nobu KL) from 29 September to 1 October for his annual visit. To celebrate the occasion Nobu KL launched an elegant 7-course dining experience for the month of October with the Ode to Nobu Omakase menu crafted by Chef Nobu alongside Executive Chef Philip Leong and the Nobu KL team.

The Peak managed to catch the celebrity chef during his visit and managed to ask him about his cooking philosophy, why he loves to cook and what is in the next big step for Nobu KL.

Could you take us through how you collaborated with Chef Philip Leong to create the outstanding Ode To Nobu Omakase menu to mark your return to Kuala Lumpur.

Chef Nobu: I would say that this menu was largely put together by Chef Philip and it contains a mix of local ingredients and products used together with Nobu standard food.

When I arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Chef Phillip showed me the Omakase (a phrase used in Japanese dining restaurants where the customer leaves it up to the chef to serve seasonal specialities) menu and I provided my input, advising them on making subtle changes to the dishes.

To be honest, I did not make too many changes to his menu as I respect his creative vision.

I don’t usually fix the menu proposed by the local Chef. Instead, I like to improvise together with them to improve upon the dishes and menu as a whole.