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On Monday, Academy Award winning actor Robert De Niro alongside his business partners Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Hollywood producer Meir Teper, Melco Crown Entertainment visionaries Mr. Lawrence Ho and Mr. James Packer officially opened Nobu Hotel in Manila. It is one of the three hotels in City of Dreams Manila, and the first Nobu Hotel to open in Asia.
Bobby looked a little unpolished in his dark jeans, untucked gray collared shirt and wavy hair, but we blame the intense summer heat, perhaps the jetlag, but definitely his coat for that.
Together with his partners, De Niro went under the 11am sun for the ribbon cutting ceremonies, after which they headed to the first floor of the hotel where the 335-seater Nobu Restaurant for the press conference. The adoring press, by the way, were all trying to look professional, trying to ignore the Hollywood star and asking business-related questions to everybody else instead.
It was Town and Country editor-in-chief Yvette Fernandez who asked the first question directed to De Niro: May I have a picture with you and the rest of the gentlemen?
The charmer not only agreed to a photo, he also hugged the lucky lady.
Soon after questions about making movies in Manila arose. De Niro said of course, he’s open to filming in Manila, it’s just a matter of getting the right project to come along. He also admited to not having tasted Filipino food yet. “But I’d love to,” he counters. “Eating the local cuisine is something I try to do when I visit a new place.”
Melco Crown Entertainment’s cute CEO Mr. Lawrence Ho demonstrated Nobu’s excellent service by responding to De Niro’s revelation: “If Chef Nobu allows it, we will treat you to Filipino cuisine. There is a Filipino restaurant within the property.”
De Niro was in town less than a year ago to announce that they were going to open the very first Nobu Hotel in Asia. “Back then, my concern was, if we’ll be able to open in time,” he says this afternoon. Well, congratulations sir! Your worry was totally unnecessary.
In 1994, De Niro approached Chef Nobu to ask if he maybe wanted to open a New York location of his favorite restaurant. Twenty-one years later, Chef Nobu’s culinary empire has extended to 36 restaurants in 28 cities across five continents.
Nobu Hotel in City of Dreams Manila is the first hotel the group opened in Asia. Apart from the modern Japanese design and the Nobu restaurant of course, the 321-room boutique hotel is most proud of its hospitality and service.
According to the bosses, they are looking at opening 11 more hotels in 24 months. But that’s getting ahead of the story.
For now, a mightly congratulations for a successful Nobu Hotel Manila! Cheers to that!
L-R: Hollywood producer Meir Teper, Melco Crown Entertainment co-chairman Mr. James Packer, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Melco Crown Entertainment CEO Mr. Lawrence Ho, Hollywood Actor Robert De Niro, and Chief Executive Trevor Horwell
Chef Nobu, Mr. Lawrence Ho, and Bobby
Robert De Niro fielding questions from the press
Headline photo: City of Dreams Manila/Instagram
