November 2025 was a landmark moment for the Dutch hospitality scene with the official ground-breaking ceremony for Nobu Residences Park Meadows Amsterdam. This milestone marks the official debut of the world-renowned Nobu Hospitality in the Nether­ lands. Located near the Beatrix park in Amsterdam-Zuid, the development will feature a signature Nobu restaurant and luxury branded residences. It is due to open in 2027. The three founders, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper together with Nobu Hospitality CEO Trevor Horwell, travelled to Amsterdam during their European tour to be personally present for this special moment: the launch of their first project in the Netherlands. ­ Time to have a conversation with these gentlemen.

Q&A by Mart Engelen with the three founders of Nobu:
Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper and
Nobu Hospitality CEO Trevor Horwell – 2025

Mart Engelen: You are one of the world’s legendary chefs; how do you explain Nobu’s success after more than 30 years? And how has your cooking evolved over that time?

Nobu Matsuhisa: Success, for me, has always come from the heart. I never think about being ‘legendary’ – I just create food with passion and try to make people happy. For more than 30 years, our guests have come to us because they feel the energy. My style of cooking continues to grow because I continue to learn. I travel, I meet people, I discover new ingredients, but the foundation stays the same – Japanese techniques with inspiration from my time in Peru. Simplicity, balance, quality and cooking with Kokoro.

Mart Engelen: You know and have worked with Mr Matsuhisa for many years. How did that relationship begin and what was the quintessential reason for you to start this adventure back in 1994?

Robert De Niro: This is what happened. I was invited to go to Matsuhisa, Nobu’s first restaurant in the US at La Cienega in LA with a friend of mine, Roland Joffé, who is a British director who did The Mission. He said, ‘come’ you are going to like it. I ate there and told Nobu if you ever want to open a restaurant in New York ‘let me know’ and that is how it started.

Mart Engelen: Nobu has become an important gastronomic institution worldwide with, I believe, 43 hotels, 78 restaurants and 15 residences. Can you tell me more about the strategy? And how you adapt in these fast changing times?

Meir Teper: Well, we like to expand the brand into major cities by blending a consistent luxury lifestyle with local authenticity, creating hotels that serve as destinations in themselves. The strategy prioritised creating experiences that keep customers coming back, moving beyond mere hospitality to build lasting connections. Over the last 31 years, we have a very loyal Nobu clientele. Nobu’s strategy is to focus on global expansion, strategic partnerships with developers and the importance of creating unique, authentic hotel experiences that blend luxury with local culture. By developing restaurants and properties with both a hotel and residences, we like to attract a niche clientele, leveraging the brand’s existing reputation for quality food and service.

Mart Engelen: What do you think is paramount for success in hospitality?… read more