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" 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?' "

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" I exercise every morning, no matter what. Sometimes it's tough to do right when you get off the plane, but after ten minutes you start sweating, and you always feel better. "

Nobu Matsuhisa

Start

Morning

Exercise

" The fine art of preparing sushi is something that you watch and learn. "

" When I was 11 or 12 - a young boy in Japan - one of my older brothers took me to a sushi restaurant. I had never been to one, and it was very memorable. Back then, sushi was expensive and hard to come by, not like today, when there's a sushi restaurant on every street corner and you can buy it in supermarkets. "

" 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. "

" 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. "

" I am very lucky to consider many of my business associates friends. Some are closer than others, but I respect and value all of them. "

" In my generation, there was no sushi school, no cooking school, so people have to learn from working. "

" Swimming keeps me fit and flexible, and it helps that I have a large pool at my house in Beverly Hills. "

" Chefs are artists, and I couldn't be happy with my art if I was forced to use cheap ingredients. "

" 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. "

Nobu Matsuhisa

Book

Movies

" When I'm home in L.A., I go to La Brea, a bakery which does artisan breads, excellent sourdoughs primarily, but also patisserie and cakes. "

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

Nobu Matsuhisa

Grew

Tokyo

" Once I fell out of a tree and was hit by a motorbike. I still have the scar on my head now. "

" 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. "

" 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. "

" Shellfish is better to buy live. In the U.S., because we eat oysters and clams raw, it is very important that they are alive before we prepare them. It's important to look for a closed shell. If a clam is alive, the shell will be closed. Never buy clams if the shell is open. "

" Businesses that run well are almost like marriages. Everything has to be up for discussion, or there will be real problems. "

" If I am at home in L.A. on a Saturday or Sunday, I like to start the day with a hot bath and then do an hour of stretching. "

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

" I can live without a computer. My assistant checks my e-mails. "

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

" I like to keep healthy physically and mentally, too. "

" I love big shrimp, like Japanese botan shrimp and the meaty ones from Santa Barbara, Calif. In classic Japanese cooking, shrimp like these would be dropped into a broth or boiled as served with sushi. But I think boiling dilutes their great flavor, and they are better when stir-fried. "

" One of my favorite ways to use cilantro is in a beautiful clear soup with monkfish and lime. It's a great dish for cooler weather, especially because monkfish is very good in fall and winter. Also, I like the meatiness and rich texture of monkfish. "

" People who make mistakes but try their best, other people will support. But people who make mistakes because they're lazy, nobody supports. "

" I don't go out much. "

Nobu Matsuhisa

Out

Much

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

" 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. "

" 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. "