I don't go out much.

My cooking is simply ingredients plus umami.

The first jolt I received in my life was when I lost my father in a motorcycle accident when I was eight. I would have been with him if he hadn't turned down my request to go out with him that afternoon.

Any kind of vision needs people.

I cannot bring myself to wear the Nobu hats, or the Nobu T-shirts. But the chef's jacket, that is mine. And when I wear it, I am very proud of myself.

If I am at home in L.A. on a Saturday or Sunday, I like to start the day with a hot bath and then do an hour of stretching.

I like to keep healthy physically and mentally, too.

In Japan, I have my own line of dinnerware, but I'm not aggressive about pursuing those projects.

Shellfish is better to buy live. In the U.S., because we eat oysters and clams raw, it is very important that they are alive before we prepare them. It's important to look for a closed shell. If a clam is alive, the shell will be closed. Never buy clams if the shell is open.

Once I fell out of a tree and was hit by a motorbike. I still have the scar on my head now.