Over the next decade, while being raised by his mother, Nobu Matsuhisa experienced many cultures and witnessed first hand the reaches of poverty and hunger.

[6] By 1994, he laid the foundation to a new restaurant chain, as he opened the first "Nobu" in Tribeca, New York[2] in a joint venture between Robert De Niro, Drew Nieporent, Meir Teper and himself.

[7] Nobu has had small roles in three major films: in Casino (1995) alongside his business partner Robert De Niro, in Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), and in Memoirs of a Geisha (2005).

[8][9] In 2013, Nobu had a larger supporting role in the international film The Girl from Nagasaki, playing the father of the lead character.

[10] As of March 2021,[update] there are at least 15 Nobu hotels, including locations in Chicago, Ibiza, Las Vegas, two in London, Los Cabos, Malibu, Manila, Marbella, Miami Beach, Palo Alto, Warsaw, Perth, Australia, Doha and Barcelona.