Z Notes Blog by Jim Zumwalt
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Second Chances for Entrepreneurs

Aug. 17 - Recently Ann and I visited one of our favorite Tokyo restaurants, called Nobu. We were in for a special treat that night because its owner-chef, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, was visiting from the United States. The last time we had seen Chef Nobu was last year when the U.S. Embassy awarded him our "American Food Ambassador" prize for his efforts to introduce American food ingredients to Japan and for his role as a bridge between U.S. and Japanese food cultures. Over a glass of sparkling white wine, Chef Nobu told us that he truly appreciated the United States because it gave him a second chance.

Chef Nobu said the worst day in his life was when his restaurant in Anchorage, Alaska burned down. Six months earlier, he had departed from Japan for the United States full of hopes. Going into debt to build the restaurant of his dreams, he worked day and night for half a year to design the interior, plan a menu, secure supply channels for ingredients, and train the staff. Then only 50 days after the venture's opening, it burned to the ground.

On the advice of a friend, he moved to Los Angeles and began working again. As Chef Nobu noted in his book, he was not starting from zero, but from less than zero, as he was now in debt due to his failed Anchorage venture. Nonetheless his restaurant in Los Angeles soon developed a reputation for excellent food and high-quality service. By his second year, he began receiving awards, and Food and Wine magazine named him one of America's top-10 chefs.

This year, Ann and I enjoyed one of Chef Nobu's innovative dishes - soft shell crab sushi roll. Fried soft shell crab is a famous dish from Chesapeake Bay in the eastern United States. Chef Nobu took a Japanese approach toward this quintessentially American dish. He added avocado, flying fish roe, chives (asatsuki) and sesame seeds to the deep fried crab in a sushi roll. Around the outside of the vinegared rice and nori seaweed, he wrapped a thin slice of cucumber that gave the roll a fresh feeling.

As Ann and I dined on this and other dishes, we were glad that the United States gave Chef Nobu a second chance. He took full advantage of this opportunity to develop his tremendous talents and create innovative dishes combining the best of Japanese and American cuisines.

Until next time,

Jim

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