A veteran chef from the renowned Nobu Malibu was killed early Saturday when a teenage driver crashed into his parked car on Pacific Coast Highway, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and sources who spoke with The California Post.
The 51-year-old chef, who had worked at the oceanfront restaurant since its early years, was found dead in the back seat of a vehicle after the collision, which occurred at about 7 a.m. near Carbon Canyon Road.
Sources said the chef had arrived ahead of his shift and was sleeping in his car while preparing for a catering assignment in Santa Monica. Restaurant employees said he had worked at Nobu Malibu the previous night.
The crash involved an SUV driven by a 16-year-old boy traveling east on PCH. A sheriff’s watch commander told The Post that the vehicle appeared to be moving faster than the posted speed limit.
Investigators said the SUV crossed the road’s fog line—the white marking between the traffic lane and shoulder—and struck the parked vehicle. The force of the collision propelled that car into a second vehicle, which then hit a third.
The teenager was traveling at least 50 mph when he swerved into the parked car, according to 99.1 FM.
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Authorities have not released the chef’s name.
The fatal crash happened just steps from Nobu Malibu, a celebrity-frequented destination known for upscale Japanese cuisine, sushi and its signature black cod miso. The restaurant was closed Saturday as employees mourned the longtime member of its kitchen team.
Sheriff’s deputies blocked off part of PCH with crime scene tape while detectives examined the wreckage. Images from the scene showed a black sedan with severe damage to its front end.
The California Highway Patrol issued a Sigalert at 7:51 a.m., closing the two left lanes for an undetermined period.
The death is the latest major loss to hit California’s restaurant community. In April, Rainer Schwarz, 59, the co-owner and executive chef of Laguna Beach restaurants Driftwood Kitchen and The Deck on Laguna Beach, died in a crash in Dana Point.
For the Nobu Malibu staff, Saturday’s tragedy was deeply personal. The chef had helped shape the restaurant’s operation—and was still preparing to serve its next meal when his life was cut short.
