Why Chef Katsuji Tanabe Abruptly Left the NBC Cooking Show 'Yes, Chef!'

What Happened to Chef Katsuji in Yes, Chef?

Chef Katsuji Tanabe abruptly exited NBC's cooking competition Yes, Chef! midway through episode five, vanishing from the kitchen after only a few minutes on screen. The hosts acknowledged his sudden departure during the episode, and later reports indicated that the decision to leave was his own. The rest of this post walks through his polarizing run on the show and exactly how his exit played out.

Many viewers of the show, Yes, Chef!, airing on NBC want to know why Chef Katsuji Tanabe was seen at the beginning of episode 5, "Chefs Rank," for about 3 minutes and 30 seconds, and then in the next scene you hear Peter say, "and  then there were eight." This post will tell you why he left abruptly mid-episode.

Chef Katsuji on Yes, Chef! (credit: NBC)

Background: Chef Katsuji's Polarizing Run on the Show

Was Chef Katsuji a Villain in the NBC Show, 'Yes, Chef?'

Chef Katsuji Tanabe on NBC's cooking competition Yes, Chef! was very much a polarizing character to the point of doing selfish things that made him a reality show villain. He frequently labeled himself as the "best chef in the kitchen" several times in the 4 complete episodes he was in, but something happened to him at the beginning of episode 5, titled "Chefs Rank."

Episode-by-Episode Breakdown

Play-by-Play of What Happened to Chef Katsuji By Episode

This was very unexpected, because in many ways Chef Katsuji was very much the villain at times, such as the infamous episode where he takes all of the eggs during episode 3, "What's in the Box?" where Chef Katsuji is given the hardest task of making spheres via "Spherification," and fails miserably at the task, despite ten style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 19px;">José Andrés that he can play around with it and essentially figure it out, but he is unable to achieve the task. Lee successfully wins the Spherification challenge, and gains admiration from Chef José Andrés for this win.

*Spherification is a culinary process that involves using sodium alginate to form liquid into spheres.

At the end of the episode 3, Chef Katsuji maintains that he is playing the game by taking all of the eggs, while other chefs desperately need eggs to make their dish, but the move was purely out of gameplay to keep others from using the eggs in a pure villainous move.

In episode 4, Peter was in charge, but could not cook, and Chef Katsuji was placed on Peter's team with Christopher. Chef Katsuji was clearly annoyed that neither of his dishes was selected by Peter, but their team still won the challenge thanks to Christopher's skilled dishes, elevating first a hot dog and then nachos.

Chef Peter, Christopher, and Katsuji in Yes, Chef! episode 4 (credit: NBC)

The Abrupt Exit in Episode 5

Chef Katsuji is Seen at the Beginning of Episode 5, Chefs Rank

He was seen with the group at the beginning of episode 5 as they listened to co-host José Andrés, but this scene is cut about 3 minutes and 30 seconds in, and when the competition resumes, Chef Katsuji is no longer in the competition. He was last seen in episode 5 patting Peter on the shoulder, considering that Peter had the guts to not put out either of Katsuji's dishes in the challenge the just took place in episode 4.

At the 4:40 into the episode José Andrés says, "We are starting with one less chef than expected, and that "Chef Katsuji had to leave the competition."

Distractify reported that "Martha Stewart said that Katsuji decided to self eliminate."

Did you notice that Chef Katsuji disappeared in episode 5 of 'Yes, Chef'?

UPDATE (October 2026)

In March 2026, NBC canceled Yes, Chef! after a single season, as reported by Deadline; the Martha Stewart and José Andrés-hosted competition had premiered in April 2025. 

Chef Katsuji Tanabe has stayed busy in the restaurant world: he co-owns KatSushi Bar, a sushi concept at Boxyard RTP in Durham, North Carolina, which opened in August 2026 according to the News & Observer and Axios. 

Earlier in 2026, Atlanta News First and the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported that Tanabe was opening three dining concepts — High Horse, Big Shots, and AJ's Pizzeria — at You42 Studios in Roswell, Georgia.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to Chef Katsuji in Yes, Chef?

Chef Katsuji Tanabe was visible at the beginning of episode five, "Chefs Rank," for about three minutes and thirty seconds before disappearing mid-episode; the next scene opens with Peter saying, "and then there were eight." At 4:40 into the episode, José Andrés tells the remaining chefs, "We are starting with one less chef than expected," and announces that Chef Katsuji had to leave the competition. He was last seen patting Peter on the shoulder.

Why did Chef Katsuji leave Yes, Chef?

According to the post, the decision to leave was his own: José Andrés announced on air that "Chef Katsuji had to leave the competition," and Martha Stewart said, as reported by Distractify, that Katsuji decided to self-eliminate. The post gives no other official reason beyond his choice to walk away.

Where is Chef Katsuji now?

As of the post's October 2026 update, Chef Katsuji Tanabe has stayed busy in the restaurant world: he co-owns KatSushi Bar, a sushi concept at Boxyard RTP in Durham, North Carolina, which opened in August 2026. Earlier in 2026, he was also opening three dining concepts — High Horse, Big Shots, and AJ's Pizzeria — at You42 Studios in Roswell, Georgia.

Related: Katsuji's Yes, Chef! Exit Wasn't the First: 6 Food Network Stars Who Left Abruptly