Return of the Master
Nobu’s first restaurant on Maui has found its home at the iconic Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort.
Here, guests can indulge in the celebrity chef’s innovative cuisine — Japanese dishes with South American influence — alongside a curation of Maui-exclusive dessert offerings paired with a mesmerizing sunset view over the Pacific Ocean.
The expansive 13,000-square-foot dining space, designed by Rockwell Group, was inspired by the island’s natural surroundings blended with familiar Nobu accents — black cerused wood, white onyx, and lacquered walnut burl with teak furnishings; complementing shades of blue, green and neutrals; and a striking dip-dyed indigo linen installation hanging above the main dining room.
On the menu, of course, are many Nobu favorites, including his famous Black Cod Miso, Yellowtail Jalapeño, Rock Shrimp Tempura, Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna, Tiradito, sushi and sashimi, and more.
“My food concept — all the signature dishes — is all restaurants all over the world the same,” notes chef Nobu Matsuhisa. “But each location has its own products. We like to use our concept and use local products as much as possible. The recipes are the same but sometimes the product is slightly different.”
“(Chef Nobu) loves fresh ingredients, he loves getting it from Kula Farms (on Maui), and the pastry chef created dessert using Kona coffee...” adds Hiro Tahara, chief operating officer for Nobu Restaurant Group. “He had a meeting with the chefs in the hotel also and found a ginger farm here ... We’re trying to find more local farmers.”
On the dessert menu are some special creations available only at Nobu Grand Wailea, such as Kona Coffee ‘3 Leches’ featuring Kona coffee cake, coffee gel, vanilla whipped cream and hazelnut praline crunch; Coconut Liliko‘i Semifreddo with aged Koloa coconut foam; and Lā‘ie Vanilla Pavlova made with li hing meringue, Laie vanilla cremoso and blood orange sorbet.
All of the food from the kitchen is prepared under the direction of executive chef Kyle Marston, who’s been working with Matsuhisa for a decade, previously serving as executive kitchen chef at Matsuhisa Denver before joining Nobu Old Park Lane in London as head chef. Head sushi chef is Bora Oh, previously of Nobu Malibu.
Since opening the first Nobu restaurant in Tribeca in 1994, founders Matsuhisa, Meir Teper, and Robert De Niro have built a global empire of upscale restaurants and hotels, while also creating a sense of community, along with a significant celebrity following. Currently, there are 57 Nobu restaurants with 21 of those inside Nobu Hotels. In addition to Maui, recent restaurant openings include New Orleans, Del Coronado, Manalapan, Bangkok and Rome.
“We have plans for other locations like in Cairo opening this summer and Egypt,” shares Teper. “And we have a few hotels and restaurants in development.”
As for Maui, the opening of Nobu Grand Wailea is somewhat of a full-circle moment for Matsuhisa, whose signature Yellowtail Jalapeño was born on Maui more than 30 years ago when he was among five chefs working a charity dinner at chef Bev Gannon’s Hali‘imaile General Store.
“The party was a success, then after the party ... we started drinking and each chef made something from leftover products (to eat),” recalls Matsuhisa.
He used yellowtail, sliced it thin like sashimi, and mixed ingredients he found from the fridge — serrano chile peppers, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice and soy sauce.
“All the chefs loved it,” he remembers.
Known for his innovative fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine, Matsuhisa has become not just a world-renowned chef but a cultural phenomenon. Now at age 76, he continues to live his childhood dream as a sushi chef and does not plan to stop anytime soon.
“Once you retire it means finish work, to finish work means my passion is gone,” he says. “Cooking is all my life ... I like to see people, make people happy ... and I still want to try my best every day.”
NOBU Grand Wailea
3850 Wailea Alanui Drive
Wailea-Makena
nobugrandwaileamaui.com