Listening

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Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a foodie
    • ex. My aunt travels to many countries just to try the local food. She is a true foodie.
  2. upscale
    • ex. The upscale department store has many expensive brands on every floor.
  3. fusion
    • ex. We tried a special fusion dish that had Italian pasta and Indian spices together.
  4. candid
    • ex. The boy gave a candid answer and told the truth about breaking the vase.
  5. philosophy
    • ex. His philosophy about work is to always try his best, so he never gives up on a task.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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World-famous chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa has impressed foodies for many years. He has opened over 50 upscale restaurants and luxury hotels. A new documentary, “Nobu,” shows his life story and success. The film shares how he created fusion dishes by mixing Japanese food with Peruvian ingredients. But his journey was not easy. Matsuhisa faced many challenges, such as financial problems, people who didn’t believe in him, and a fire that destroyed one of his first restaurants.

The film includes candid interviews with Matsuhisa. He talks honestly about his life and the pain he experienced. Beautiful shots of his cooking are also shown in the movie. Matsuhisa says he learned a lot from his pain and from the people who supported him.

Matsuhisa also talks about his work today. He travels the world to visit restaurants and trains his teams. These teams help teach the next generation about Nobu’s philosophy and passion. For Matsuhisa, success means working like a family. He hopes young people will learn to face problems with courage. He also reminds them not to give up but to follow their passion step by step.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

“Nobu”

  • The film includes candid interviews with Matsuhisa. What do you think about how Matsuhisa shares his pain and life story in the film? Discuss.
  • Matsuhisa says people should never give up and follow their passion step by step. Why do you think taking things one step at a time would help with success? Discuss.
  • Matsuhisa hopes young people will learn to face problems with courage. Why do you think courage is important when facing failures? Discuss.

Food

  • A foodie is someone who loves food a lot and enjoys trying new and different flavors. Would you consider yourself a foodie? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • The film also shares how Chef Nobu created fusion dishes. Are you interested in fusion dishes? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • “Nobu” shows beautiful shots of his food. Do you think cooking is an art form? Why or why not? Discuss.