Katsuya Uechi, the master sushi chef behind Katsuya restaurants, has died, his team confirmed on Instagram. He was 67 years old.
“Katsu-San helped shape the sushi landscape of Los Angeles and beyond, making Katsuya a household name. Today, we honor his life and legacy by proudly carrying forward the vision he spent his entire life perfecting,” SBE Group wrote in its statement.
The Okinawa-born chef altered the DNA of the Los Angeles sushi scene with his innovative, genre-bending creations. Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice, which debuted in the early 2000s, has since become a modern staple at sushi restaurants across the United States.
Uechi also created his own signature style of yellowtail sashimi with citrus ponzu sauce and a spicy jalapeno or serrano disc.
After emigrating from Japan to Los Angeles in the 1980s, Uechi opened the first Sushi Katsu-ya in Studio City in 1997. It was the right place at the right time: Most of the Japanese restaurants on Ventura Boulevard's Sushi Row were traditional, quiet and rigid.
When Uechi arrived with world-class training and innovative ideas, he quickly grew a loyal audience, drawn to his inventive yet still polished flavors.
After expanding Sushi Katsu-ya to additional locations in Studio City, Encino, Northridge and Woodland Hills, Uechi partnered with Sam Nazarian of SBE Entertainment Group and French designer Philippe Starck. Parallel brand Katsuya was born, bringing sleek, high-end outposts to Brentwood, Hollywood, downtown and Century City. In the 2010s, the brand went international with branches in the Bahamas, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.
Along the way, Uechi founded a sushi school with Noritoshi Kanai, the man largely credited with bringing Japanese sushi to Los Angeles. In doing so, Uechi said he hoped to address a shrinking group of professional sushi chefs in the U.S.
“It's very difficult to find good sushi chefs, especially nowadays,” he told The Times in a 2008 interview. “If I can teach how to make sushi well, that's good.”
Uechi opened pub-style Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya in Beverly Grove in 2007. A second location followed in Manhattan Beach in 2010. Just down the street from the original Katsu-ya, he launched upscale Kiwami in Studio City in 2008, where he personally presided over the sushi bar.
The cause of Uechi's death is currently unknown.
“Rest in peace, Chef. Your legacy lives on in every guest we welcome and every dish we serve,” reads the SBE group statement.
