Matsugen facts for kids
Matsugen is the name of a group of Japanese restaurants. They are owned by the Matsushita brothers. You can find Matsugen restaurants in Tokyo, Hawaii, and New York City. The Matsushita brothers also own the New York Matsugen with a famous chef named Jean-Georges. This restaurant even got three stars from the New York Times newspaper!
The Matsushita brothers have 15 bars and restaurants in Tokyo, and Matsugen is one of them.
Matsugen in Hawaii
In 2007, the Matsushita brothers opened a new Matsugen restaurant in Hawaii. The main chef for soba noodles at the Hawaii Matsugen is Shingo Chibana. You can see him making fresh soba noodles right in the middle of the restaurant every day.
One of the Matsushita brothers, Masashi Matsushita, is usually based at this restaurant. However, he often visits the New York and Tokyo locations. He does this to update the menus and work with the kitchen teams.
Matsugen in Hawaii was even featured on the Food and Wine magazine's "Go List" in 2008. This list highlights great places to visit.
Matsugen in New York City
Quick facts for kids Matsugen |
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 2008 |
| Closed | 2011 |
| Current owner(s) | The Matsushita Brothers, Jean-Georges |
| Food type | Japanese |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Street address | 241 Church Street |
| City | Manhattan |
| State | New York |
| Postal/ZIP code | 10013 |
| Country | United States |
| Website | New York Official site: http://www.jean-georges.com/ |
In the year 2000, a famous chef named Jean-Georges visited Tokyo. He ate at Matsugen and met the Matsushita Brothers. This meeting led to an idea: opening a Matsugen in New York City. At that time, New York didn't have many restaurants that focused on soba noodles.
Eight years later, in 2008, Matsugen in New York City opened. It was a partnership with Jean-Georges. The New York Matsugen was different from the one in Tokyo. It served more than just soba noodles. It also offered sushi, thanks to the Matsushita brothers' father's experience. The restaurant also had other traditional Japanese dishes like shabu-shabu and yakiniku.
The New York Matsugen opened in a space that used to be a Chinese restaurant called 66. This old restaurant closed in April 2007. The original building was designed by a famous architect named Richard Meier. A new designer, Thomas Juul Hansen, created the inside look for Matsugen. Even though the soba chef isn't in the front of the restaurant in New York, the noodles are still made fresh every day. Many people think these fresh noodles are the best part of the menu.
Takayuki Matsushita, who is the youngest brother, moved to New York. He became the general manager of the New York Matsugen. Five chefs from Tokyo also came to work there. The Jean Georges Management Group helped train all the staff who greeted customers. This made sure the service was in the Jean-Georges style. However, the Matsushita family completely controlled the menu. This allowed them to keep the food truly Japanese.
Time Out New York magazine gave Matsugen the "Best New Japanese Restaurant" Award in 2009.
Matsugen in New York City closed in 2011. This happened because their agreement with Jean-Georges had ended.
