Matsugen is the name of several Japanese restaurants owned by the Matsushita brothers located in Tokyo, Hawaii, and New York City). The New York Matsugen is co-owned by the Matsushita brothers and

Jean-Georges Jean-Georges is a two-Michelin-star restaurant at 1 Central Park West (between West 60th Street and West 61st Street), on the lobby level of the Trump International Hotel and Tower, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City, named after ...

, and received three stars from the ''New York Times''. It has 15 bars and restaurants in Tokyo, including Matsugen.

Hawaii branch

In 2007 the Matsushita brothers opened a new Matsugen in Hawaii. The head soba chef at the Hawaii Matsugen, Shingo Chibana, can be seen every day making the soba in the middle of the restaurant. Masashi Matsushita is based at this restaurant, but visits the New York and Tokyo locations regularly to update menus and work with the kitchen staff. Matsugen in Hawaii was on the Food and Wine 2008 "Go List".

New York City branch

In 2000,

met with the Matsushita Brothers in Tokyo after dining at Matsugen. This sparked an opportunity to open in New York, where there was a lack of soba-inspired restaurants. Eight years later, in 2008, Matsugen in New York City was opened in partnership with Jean-Georges. Unlike the Matsugen in Tokyo, this Matsugen served more than just soba, bringing their father's experience in sushi to their own experience in soba The New York Matsugen also featured other traditional Japanese items including shabu-shabu and yakiniku. The New York Matsugen took over Jean Georges' 66, a Chinese Restaurant that closed in April 2007. The original space was designed by

Richard Meier Richard Meier (born October 12, 1934) is an American abstract artist and architect, whose geometric designs make prominent use of the color white. A winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1984, Meier has designed several iconic buildings ...

,Matsugen – Tribeca – New York Magazine Restaurant Guide
Nymag.com (2008-06-12). Retrieved on 2011-04-03. with a new interior by Thomas Juul Hansen. While the soba chef is not front and center in the New York Matsugen, the noodles are still made fresh each day and considered the highlight of the restaurants menu. Takayuki Matsushita, the youngest brother, moved to New York to be the general manager of the New York Matsugen, along with five chefs from Tokyo. The Jean Georges Management Group coordinates all front of the house staff, who are trained in the Jean Georges style. The menu, however, is completely controlled by the Matsushita family, allowing them to maintain true Japanese cuisine. Time Out New York awarded Matsugen the "Best New Japanese Restaurant" Award for 2009. Matsugen closed in 2011 because their contract with Jean-Georges had expired.

References

External links

The Official Website of the New York Matsugen

{{Restaurants in Manhattan Japanese-American culture in Honolulu Japanese-American culture in New York City Japanese restaurants in the United States Restaurants established in 1999 1999 establishments in Japan 2005 establishments in Hawaii 2008 establishments in New York City Restaurants in Manhattan Restaurants in Tokyo Tribeca

Hawaii branch

New York City branch

See also

References

External links