Matsuhisa Paris: Japanese gastronomy blossoms at the Royal Monceau
Paris becomes the stage for a culinary dialogue between Tokyo and Lima. This is the daring challenge taken up since 2016 by Matsuhisa Paris, an address as confidential as it is iconic, nestled in the heart of the Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris. At the helm is the legendary Nobu Matsuhisa, chef of 60 restaurants around the world, whose Peruvian-Japanese vision is as unexpected as it is deliciously coherent.
A meeting of two continents on the plate
Matsuhisa’s cuisine doesn’t just assemble flavors: it fuses two cultures, two sensibilities. Born in Japan, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa discovered Peru in the 1970s, when he opened his very first restaurant in Lima. There, faced with the absence of certain Japanese products, he reinvented his recipes, exploring new ingredients, opening himself up to unknown textures, novel marinades and unsuspected spices. This culture shock became a fertile breeding ground, a source of inspiration he would never cease to delve into.
It’s this crossbreeding cuisine, the fruit of a necessity that has become a signature, that he now brings to Paris. His signature dishes include yellowfin tuna with jalapeños, black cod with miso, sashimi with South American condiments and seafood tacos. But the experience is not limited to reproducing a Californian model. In Paris, Nobu takes a detour into the French terroir: wagyu is adorned with black truffle, lobster with wasabi pepper, grilled octopus with subtly seasoned spinach maki.
An elegant interpretation of the exotic
Nothing here is garish. Exoticism, at Matsuhisa Paris, slips gently into a chiseled sensory architecture, into subdued lighting, into a plate that seduces the eye as much as the palate. The experience begins even before you sit down: the atmosphere of the Royal Monceau, redesigned by Philippe Starck, creates a setting that is both refined and sophisticated. The restaurant is in keeping with this aesthetic of controlled gesture and discreet luxury.
The team, trained in the codes of haute gastronomy but nourished by the cosmopolitan energy of Nobu kitchens around the world, orchestrates service with rigor and lightness. We are never overwhelmed by formality, but always guided in discovery.
Chef Emanuele Bombardier: balancing loyalty and innovation
Since October 2022, Italian-born executive chef Emanuele Bombardier has been at the helm. His career is emblematic of the Nobu spirit: fifteen years spent in the Matsuhisa universe, in Europe and South Africa, before joining Paris to head up the French address.
Trained in the exacting standards and creativity of the Nobu house, he creates a cuisine that respects the Nobu DNA while injecting his own sensibility. In the dining room, he oversees the famous Omakase Bar, where he composes live, made-to-measure menus according to guests’ desires. In 2019, he won the French sushi championship, proof of his expertise and ability to combine tradition and inventiveness.
A liquid tribute to the Japanese art of living
The Matsuhisa experience doesn’t stop at the plate. It extends to the Bar Long, the Royal Monceau’s cozy space, where you can discover a selection of signature cocktails. Here, Nobu transposes its culinary philosophy to the glass: revisiting the great classics with a subtle Japanese touch, often using sake. Mojitos are tinged with yuzu, martinis open up to umami, bloody marys flirt with shiso. A liquorous menu that respects balance while venturing into new territory, without ever forcing the issue.
An insider’s address, open to the world
Matsuhisa Paris is not a trendy restaurant. It’s a trusted address, a place where consistency rubs shoulders with inventiveness, where travelers recognize a familiar universe and Parisians discover a cross-disciplinary cuisine of rare finesse. Here, “métissage” is not a marketing posture, but the expression of a journey, a life trajectory of encounters, challenges and exiles.
In a city saturated with concepts, neo-bistros and false simplicity, Matsuhisa Paris offers something else: a vision, patiently constructed, without compromise or ostentation.
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