Katsuya Fukushima
Executive Chef José Andrés Catering by Ridgewell’s

Katsuya Fukushima, Executive Chef of José Andrés Catering by Ridgewell’s, has been one of José Andrés’s closest and most trusted collaborators for over fifteen years. During this time, Fukushima had instrumental roles in opening both the critically acclaimed minibar by josé andrés in Washington, DC, and the Bazaar by José Andrés in Los Angeles, Esquire magazine’s best new restaurant of the year for 2009.

Fukushima has been delighting the palate of Washingtonians with his charming, playful, and highly personal style of cuisine throughout his culinary career. Prior to becoming Executive Chef of José Andrés Catering, Fukushima served as ThinkFood Group’s Executive Chef for Special Projects and before that, Head Chef of Café Atlántico. Fukushima was named Chef of Café Atlántico after a stint at Verbena in New York and a season at the famed el Bulli in Roses, Spain. There Fukushima worked and studied under Master Chef Ferran Adria. This relationship was spotlighted in a special feature published in Gourmet and other food magazines on Spanish chefs and their American protégés.

Fukushima has cooked for some of the world’s most influential chefs-- such as Adria, Thomas Keller and David Bouley-- and worked alongside other culinary leaders including Andrés, founder of Nuevo Latino cooking Douglas Rodriguez, and Sergi Arola of La Broche in Madrid. Fukushima cooked with Rick Tramonto for TRU’s 5th and 10th anniversaries, and is routinely invited to participate in culinary events, celebrations, and assemblies across the U.S.A. Worldwide, he has made appearances at Lo Mejor de la Gastronomia, Spain’s 10 and other international professional conferences.

In 2006, Fukushima presented at Madrid Fusion with noted food science expert Harold McGee. That same year, he was named Rising Star by StarChefs. He has also been nominated several times as Rising Star by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.

Fukushima has been featured in a variety of media outlets including the Washington Post, Washingtonian, Wine Spectator, Food Arts, the Kojo Nnamdi Show, and several episodes of the “Fretz Kitchen”. Smithsonian Resident Associates highlighted Fukushima various times in their popular “Meet the Chef” series. Alongisde Andrés, Fukushima appeared in episodes of Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations”, “Gourmet’s Diary of a Foodie”, and “Iron Chef”.

Fukushima received his formal culinary training at L’Academie de Cuisine. Before deciding on a career in the kitchen, Fukushima attended the University of Maryland and graduated with degrees in mathematics and art.

Fukushima currently lives in Washington, DC.

Chef Fukushima's Cooking Class > >
View Event Schedule > >