Robert de Niro opened an iconic Japanese restaurant in the capital.
Nobu Matsuhisa: Opening a restaurant in one place or another, I use local ingredients. I really like Russian food I like caviar. Maybe in a few months we will create a special Russian dish for restaurant Nobu in Moscow.
How will you maintain the quality of cuisine in a Moscow restaurant?
Nobu Matsuhisa: Everyone who works in Nobu, is one big team, one big family which lives by the same principles, by the same philosophy. Therefore, I am not worried that things will be different in Moscow. Despite the economic crisis, we will offer food and service of the highest quality. I will, of course, come here as much as I can, besides there will be a chef from London and Dubai.
Where and how will products be supplied to Nobu Moscow?
Nobu Matsuhisa: Fish will be supplied from Japan, United States, Italy, London. Maybe over time we will find some new delivery methods. I'm not too worried about it: in today's world, fresh food delivery is... It's not a problem…
What difficulties can there be with the supply of seafood?
Nobu Matsuhisa: The hardest part will begin now. And the point is not in the supply of seafood, but in train staff so that it is truly high-quality food that meets the traditions of Japanese culture. We are sure that we can to this end cope with. But now we will probably have a hard time: we will have to teach people things that are completely new to them.
Your sushi is considered by many to be the best in the world. What is their secret?
Nobu Matsuhisa: The main thing is to approach what you love with passion, no matter what you do, whether you are a cook, an actor, a musician, an artist. Passion is the most important thing.
Do you also prefer fusion style at home or something simpler?
Nobu Matsuhisa: I'm not at home very often, I'm constantly on the road, so I simply don't have time to cook at home.
Why did you decide to open a restaurant in Moscow?
Robert DeNiro: A new country, a new culture is always very interesting. AND I really like Russia, I have friends here, and I really like the Moscow restaurant - good space, wonderful atmosphere. In other cities - New York, London, Dubai - we had a lot of Russian clients, and they always said that it was time to open a restaurant Nobu in Moscow. We're glad we found it here wonderful partners and finally opened.
Russian partners of Mr. Nobu And de Niro- company owners Crocus Group Aras and Emir Agalarov. About the amount invested in the opening Nobu Moscow, they prefer not to spread: “ She's so big that I can’t even say it out loud,” says Aras. - How quickly we will break even depends on many factors. But, to be honest, we don’t think about it much - it’s a business, and we will definitely pay off. Crocus must do its best. Because the Nobu- the best restaurant, we decided to open it.”
Prices V Nobu Moscow, according to Aras Agalarov, “will be approximately the same as in all Nobu in the world. Three thousand rubles- average bill per person, the same as in London, New York, and Australia.”
While in Nobu Moscow You can only get in by reservation, and this is very difficult to do.
Photo: Alexandra Kormilchinkova, restorus.com; Ekaterina Kantorina, website
At 72 years old, the Hollywood actor manages to do everything: actively act in films and run a successful business.
This is the second time De Niro has flown to the capital to open his own restaurant.
Just a month ago, Robert De Niro traveled around the world with the premiere of the film “The Intern,” where he played the main role. The actor was on the red carpet in London, New York... But now he has reached Moscow, though for a different reason, for business, so to speak.
Robert De Niro restaurant in Moscow
In the capital, De Niro, together with the Japanese chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, opened the second Noby restaurant.
“I met Nobu about 25 years ago,” said the Hollywood actor. - By that time I already had experience in restaurant business, opened two or three of his own establishments. And he decided to turn to Nobu: “If suddenly you decide to open your own restaurant, please call me.”
The opening of the restaurant took place last Monday in the Crocus City Mall shopping complex. It brought together all the stars of Russian show business, including Philip Kirkorov, Valeria, Grigory Leps, Igor Krutoy, Anita Tsoi and many others.
While the guests were gathering in the restaurant, Robert De Niro talked to reporters. The actor admitted that he himself does not know how to cook anything at all, but from Russian cuisine he likes dumplings and borscht.
Robert De Niro's restaurant in Moscow
“If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 foods would you take with you?” - De Niro was asked.
“I’ll take the first dish that Nobu recommends, the second dish that Nobu recommends, and the third dish that Nobu recommends,” the actor joked in response, demonstrating his true love for the restaurant.
By the way, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa said that favorite dish De Niro from the menu - black herring. Also a bit of a Russian dish.
It is worth noting that Robert De Niro is generally a frequent visitor to Russia. In 1987, he headed the jury of the Moscow International Film Festival. Since then, he often came to visit Nikita Mikhalkov, and the actor was friends with Oleg Yankovsky and Mikhail Kozakov. That is why journalists decided to ask the Hollywood star if he was thinking about obtaining Russian citizenship
“Perhaps,” the Oscar winner smiled slyly. “As you can imagine, this is a difficult situation, so we’ll see, you never know what awaits you tomorrow.”
Robert De Niro came to Moscow for the opening of a restaurant
After the press conference, the traditional opening ceremony of the restaurant took place with Japanese drummers, as well as the breaking of a barrel of sake. The owners and partners took part in the ritual.
It is worth noting that Nobu is the only restaurant in Russia whose owner is a Hollywood star. Last year, Gerard Depardieu promised to open an establishment in his honor, but has still not decided to do so. We don’t have any more establishments of foreign stars.
0 April 9, 2009, 5:06 pm 
The Japanese restaurant Nobu, part of a chain of establishments of the same name around the world, has opened in Moscow. Its owners, chef Nobu and actor Robert De Niro, came to the capital for the opening.
Robert De Niro's arrival was shrouded in mystery from the very beginning. Despite the fact that the organizers tried their best to reduce the amount of press coverage of the event, they were talking about a press conference and a home sake party at Nobu Moscow a month ago. At first everyone was interested in why Robert de Niro was going to the opening, and then how to get to this event.
We answer both questions. First: Robert De Niro is the co-owner of the Nobu restaurant business. Together with his friend chef Nobu Matsuhisa, he opened the first restaurant in New York in 1994. Since then, the network has expanded - Nobu is in a number of cities, such as Athens, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Los Angeles, London, Melbourne, Milan, Tokyo, Cape Town. Nobu's signature dish is fried black cod with miso.
Second: you won't be able to get to the sake party. More precisely, it will succeed, but only to a narrow circle of people. Rumor has it that De Niro personally approved the guest list. Journalists were given the opportunity to communicate with the actor and restaurateur at a press conference at the Nobu restaurant at the intersection of Bolshaya Dmitrovka and Stoleshnikov Lane. Nobu Matsuhisa also took part in the event.
Reporters asked the actor if he remembers the first time he was in a restaurant with a girl?
Robert laughs:
No, I was a teenager, but it was definitely a Japanese restaurant.
De Niro commented on the Moscow opening:
Only now we received an offer that we could not refuse. Muscovites need to say thank you to our Russian partners.
The most intriguing moment of the conversation was the topic of the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko. Presumably, the former state security lieutenant colonel was poisoned with polonium in a London restaurant.
Nobu Matsuhisa answered:
We have very strict quality control, and it could have been poisoned anywhere. Coincidence...
Nobu was also asked if he would be making sushi himself at tonight's party.
My friend will cook and very good cook. How much are you willing to offer me so that I can make you sushi?
After talking with the press, Nobu and Robert de Niro disappeared in an unknown direction. Presumably, the program for foreign guests in Moscow does not include sightseeing in the capital. Moreover, Robert was already in Moscow, albeit in the late 1980s (at). But everything can change, especially considering that the weather is wonderful now, and the capital has changed a lot since the 1980s.
If you want to relax, then go to Armani hotels. For a morning run - no-no without glasses from Paris Hilton! Dancing in a club wearing a cloud of scent from Catherine Zeta-Jones, sparkling with earrings from Beyoncé - cool! Tell everyone that your new jeans were designed by Avril Lavigne, and this T-shirt is the fruit of Timberlake’s labors! Brand stars are everywhere. Even at the table of a good restaurant there is no peace from big names.
Of course, the entire Moscow world knows that Robert de Niro came to us for a three-day visit. Vnukovo-3 - Ritz - Red Square - meetings with Mikhalkov and other Russian colleagues and friends - Vnukovo-3. But this star’s tour would have caused much less of a stir if one high-profile event had not been included in this standard program. The venerable actor opened a restaurant in Moscow at the height of the crisis.
However, De Niro is not particularly worried about the lack of impoverished visitors. The Nobu empire now has 22 restaurants in 18 cities around the world with million-dollar daily revenue. And the actor-restaurateur can rely on the synergy, excellent cuisine of his establishments and qualified management. By the way, Crocus Group was a partner of Moscow Nobu. The head of Crocus, following De Niro, is full of cautious optimism: the restaurant’s daily income will be 15-16 thousand dollars per day, Aras Agalarov is sure. The opening of Nobu could have been done without the presence of de Niro, because Nobu (unlike numerous similar stellar “part-time jobs”) is a very strong brand in itself, without being tied to the name of its famous co-owner. De Niro and Agalarov's confidence that even spoiled Moscow gourmets will line up at Nobu's doors (advance reservations are a must) seems entirely justified. After all, celebrities from all over the world come to eat sushi in the restaurants of this chain. And the point is not at all in De Niro, but in the skill of the chef, after whom the establishments are named.
Nobu Matsuhisa is a legend. Even before the opening of the first Nobu restaurant, he became a recognized guru Japanese cuisine. Already at the age of 24, Matsuhisa opened his own restaurant in the capital of Peru, Lima, then worked in Argentina and Brazil. And in 1987, 9 years after moving to Los Angeles, the famous Japanese opened the Matsuhisa restaurant, which won the heart of Robert de Niro. Later, the friendship and collaboration of Matsuhisa and de Niro led to the famous Japanese conquering Hollywood: his acting work included roles in the films “Casino,” “Austin Powers: Goldmember” and “Memoirs of a Geisha.”
But Matsuhisa's rise began earlier, in 1994, when the first Nobu opened in New York. The success was stunning. The New York Times wrote: “New York has never seen sushi like this.” The restaurant received enthusiastic press and took high places in the lists best restaurants U.S.A. Cuisine of the level that Nobu Matsuhisa offered his clients usually claims exclusivity, suggesting, in particular, that the desire to visit a restaurant with such a reputation can justify not only a trip to a neighboring city, but also a flight across the Atlantic. Nobu ignored this rule. In 1997, Nobu London opened, which immediately became one of the most famous restaurants in the capital of the United Kingdom and deservedly received a Michelin star.
Since then, restaurants have opened almost every year all over the world: Las Vegas, Tokyo, Miami, Melbourne, Honolulu, Hong Kong... (Nobu Berkeley St. in London and Nobu Las Vegas also received Michelin stars). Nobu has become the world's most famous upscale restaurant chain. Now you can taste Nobu's signature dishes in Moscow. “I hope that the Russian restaurant will create new signature dishes that will be added to the menu of Nobu restaurants around the world,” promises Mr. Matsuhisa.
Nobu settled at the intersection of Bolshaya Dmitrovka and Stoleshnikov Lane. It is logical that Matsuhisa himself took part in designing the restaurant’s interior: signature dishes - signature design. Celebrity chief (that's what the Japanese star is called) loves the combination of modern materials and hand-made design elements. Rockwell Group specialists undertook to bring his ideas to life. “We are delighted to represent Nobu in Moscow, the luxurious and glittering capital of the world,” said David Rockwell, founder and CEO of Rockwell Group. - Bamboo thickets at the entrance, mother-of-pearl accents, shaped chandeliers sea urchins, the walls of a bizarre shape with walnut trim, creating the illusion of ocean waves, are a real exotic oasis among the urban landscapes of Moscow.” The Nobu Moscow space is divided into a main dining room with a sushi bar, a lounge bar and two individual rooms.
But instead of exercising your imagination and swallowing your saliva while reading about a new star restaurant, it’s better to see everything with your own eyes. But the main thing is to try a dish that makes gourmets in every city, wherever they find themselves, leaf through local restaurant directories in search of just one place. Nobu's pan-fried black cod with miso and tiradito (a type of ceviche) is truly addictive. So far, the first visitors to Nobu Moscow are racing to book tables on Bolshaya Dmitrovka, guided by approximately the same emotions that make them sweep Paris Hilton glasses off the shelves. But many of these Muscovites, greedy for celebrity brands, will return here and, perhaps, become regular customers. For the second dinner, connoisseurs of Japanese cuisine will not come to “De Niro’s restaurant,” but will simply be convinced once again that there are only a few good Japanese restaurants in Moscow.
The Hollywood actor will feed everyone excellent sushi.
In such difficult times for the world community, the famous actor Robert DE NIRO became a co-owner of the Nobu restaurant in the very center of Moscow. At a press conference held in honor of this event, the star confessed his love for the “mother throne” and his Russian actor friends.
At a press conference held in a restaurant he owned, De Niro behaved like a world-class star - under the guns of dozens of cameras, he calmly drank coffee, washing it down with still mineral water. And he told reporters about how he loves his Russian actor friends Nikita Mikhalkov and Oleg Yankovsky, with whom he had met and dined at a restaurant the day before. With no less ardor, the overseas celebrity signed his ardent love for Moscow - this is not the first time he has come to the Russian capital. When Robert was asked what his secret is as a successful businessman - after all, the actor is in 26th place in the top 100 largest real estate owners, he smiled slyly and spread his hands invitingly, as if hinting: look for yourself, gentlemen, what beauty is around . The restaurant with glass elevators, Japanese chefs and waiters, bamboo “scaffolding” at the entrance, and chandeliers in the shape of sea urchins is truly impressive. Everything is simple and aesthetically pleasing, quite Japanese.
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And although a scandal recently befell the establishments of this chain in New York - waiters sued De Niro, demanding $2 million in compensation for underpaid tips and overtime, the co-owners of the business are full of optimism and confident of success.
Moscow has never seen sushi like this before. We will bring here best seafood from all over the world,” said Mr. Nobu Matsuhisa at the conference.
At these words, De Niro licked his lips appetizingly and, with a democratic gesture, dabbed his mouth with his sleeve.
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Dull look
When asked whether he would film in Russia, the actor unequivocally answered: “If they offer...” At the same time, he said without much enthusiasm that he has creative projects in the West. Meanwhile, the public was quietly discussing the somewhat “worn” appearance of the visiting celebrity.
He’s kind of shabby, unshaven, his eyes have dimmed, a sloppiness has appeared, they whispered on the sidelines. - I wonder where his wife is now?
My wife is waiting for me at the hotel,” the actor perked up, as if answering a question. - Soon we will go with her to see your wonderful city. “I’ll be a guide,” Robert smiled from the bottom of his heart for the first time during the entire press conference.
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Robert DeNiro |
