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" I always eat a meal at home before I leave for the airport, so I only eat the soup and salad on the plane. "

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" It's still my happiest time when I'm eating. "

" My cooking is simply ingredients plus umami. "

" I used to watch my mother cooking when I was a child; she influenced me a lot. "

" I want to always keep going. I don't want to ever stop. "

" Many chefs are either technically or artistically better than me, but I know my food has soul. "

" Have you ever been to Mexico City and haggled with the locals over souvenirs? Well, in Peru, you had to negotiate like that to get the freshest fish at the market. "

" Peru was the Incas; it has 3,000 to 4,000 years of history. "

" I cannot bring myself to wear the Nobu hats, or the Nobu T-shirts. But the chef's jacket, that is mine. And when I wear it, I am very proud of myself. "

" You know how kids dream of being soccer players or actors? Well, my dream was to be a sushi chef. "

" With sushi, it is all about balance. Sometimes they cut the fish too thick, sometimes too thin. Often the rice is overcooked or undercooked. Not enough rice vinegar or too much. "

" Every year, I do a New Year's day party at my home. I invite my staff and my friends and their kids. Around 40-50 people come by, and I do a barbecue and salads, steak and sushi, and also lots of cheese. "

" When I set up my first restaurant, I was so inspired by Wolfgang Puck, who is also based in L.A. and is now a good friend of mine, and the way he would engage with his customers and greet them personally. "

" I learned from my first restaurant: Make customers happy, make sure the customer comes back again. And automatically, success has followed me. "

" When I'm dining out privately, I tend to avoid fine-dining venues; I like things to feel casual. "

" I don't go out much. "

" Of course the Japanese and Peruvian fish are different, but it's the same Pacific Ocean. They are different, but I know fish. "

" I feel like I owe something to America, as it is where I found success. "

" Napa cabbage is very beautiful, all those long, pale leaves with ruffled edges. "

" My flight time is important to me; I actually prefer a longer flight to a short one. That way I have time to read a book, watch movies, and think about new dishes. "

" My favorite knife is from Miyakoya in Japan - I have one in each of my restaurants. "

" It's not unusual for me to wake up in the middle of the night and not know where I am. I take sleep medication to deal with all the flights. But I find it helps to eat at the same time every day. "

" One day, the people who work in my kitchen stir-fried chopped Napa cabbage to serve with some meat or fish for their own dinner. I got to thinking: 'What if the cabbage was the most important thing on the plate?' "

" I travel all over the world, usually 10 months out of the year. I stay at a lot of hotels, and the ones I like best are clean and not complicated. You go to bed and say, 'Wow, I feel comfortable.' "

" I grew up in the countryside in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo. "

" Whenever possible, buy a fish whole. With tuna, this isn't practical; with smaller fish, it is. "

" I can't imagine Japanese food without dashi, a broth made with kelp and dried bonito flakes. It has the aroma of the sea, tinged with a subtle smokiness, and adds a very important, distinct flavor. "

" Large fish such as tuna are shown already cut into fillets and bought by the block. Fillets should be almost transparent. Avoid tuna that looks rainbow-colored or black. "

" When I'm in L.A., I go to Spago because the chef is a friend of mine. "

" I like both potatoes and rice. You can do a lot with both of them. But if I could eat only one carbohydrate for the rest of my life, I wouldn't choose bread, potatoes or even noodles. I'd go for rice instead; I eat more of that than anything else. "

" One of my great loves is golf. When I am in L.A., I like to play with a few close friends: no phones, no distractions, the great outdoors and the chance to bet some money to keep it interesting. "