I did not like how Chef Katsuji eliminated Chef Petrina from Yes, Chef!

NBC released Yes, Chef!, a unique culinary competition show, on April 28, 2025. Chefs with a temper and poor attitudes participated, hoping to change their behavioral patterns. Set off by the slightest provocation, each had much to work on if they wanted to leave the contest as an improved individual.

Episode one of the series, titled Control Freaks, saw the true selves of the chefs come to the surface, leaving judges Martha Stewart and José Andrés astonished. The contestants bickered and engaged in petty fights to defeat their opponents.

While each tried to emerge on top, the chefs appeared self-absorbed and individualistic, unbothered by the ramifications of their actions.

Chef Katsuji Tanabe was one such participant who proved he would go to any extent to protect his position in the competition and establish himself as the leader of the pack. In episode 1, he won the elimination cook-off against Chef Michelle Francis, earning the privilege of eliminating a contestant of his choice.

He decided to send Chef Petrina Peart home, stating she had one of the worst dishes in the earlier round of the competition. While it may appear that he simply exercised his power and sent a chef packing, there was more behind his decision.

Before announcing his answer, he informed the judges and his co-stars that he and Michelle had agreed she would choose the evictee if he won.

The Yes, Chef! star then praised Michelle for making the "right call," when in reality, Michelle had not nominated anyone. Katsuji manipulated the situation to make it look like she used him as her mouthpiece because she was afraid of nominating someone for elimination. This, in my opinion, was a foul move from Katsuji.

In his Yes, Chef! confessional, Katsuji admitted it was a lie to safeguard his position in the competition. Although he cannot be blamed for wielding his power at will, I cannot help but criticize how he did that by trapping another contestant in his web of lies.

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Yes, Chef! alum Katsuji Tanabe's gameplay is unfair and low

In episode 1 of Yes, Chef!, the contestants were divided into three teams of four and challenged to prepare a four-course meal for the judges. Chef Petrina, a member of the green team, had cooked a lobster gazpacho, plantain, and lobster cream. Contrary to her expectations, her dish failed to leave a lasting impression on the panelists.

Martha, while tasting her dish, pointed out that it was "watered down" and added that the presentation was "sloppy." The feedback was something Katsuji took note of and remembered for the remainder of the segment.

Later in the episode, Michelle, the Most Valuable Chef, went head-to-head against Katsuji for the elimination. She picked him, stating that she disliked his lack of leadership qualities.

If Michelle won, it would send Katsuji packing. However, if Katsuji won, he would get the opportunity to eliminate any contestant, apart from Michelle.

Katsuji Tanabe from Yes, Chef! (Image via Getty)

When it was time for the Yes, Chef! judges to reveal the winner of the round, they granted it to Katsuji, appreciating his avocado nopales salad with chayote, jicama, and tomatillo sauce. Now, with the power to end someone's journey on the NBC show, I am certain Katsuji felt exhilarated. He then asked Michelle:

"What's the name of the one that did the bad gazpacho?"

Michelle immediately responded with "No, no," refusing to participate in his decision-making process and insisting that he choose the evictee. Katsuji explained that he and Michelle agreed she would decide if he won, and added that she did not "have to tell anybody."

The reason I disliked Katsuji's decision-making process was that it was based on a lie.

"Katsuji's lying. You're such a vlaka [stupid/idiot male]," Michelle said in a confessional.

In my opinion, Katsuji is a splendid actor and a master manipulator because he made the rest believe Michelle had a part to play in his decision. He even falsely reassured Michelle for making the right call to keep up with his facade.

In another Yes, Chef! confessional, Katsuji confessed it was all part of his ploy.

"Obviously, that was a lie or sarcasm. Eh, let's call it sarcasm. It's a way to protect myself. Some chefs use anger, I use sarcasm," the Yes, Chef! star added.

What Katsuji thought was a strategic move actually showed his true colors and the boundaries he would cross for his own benefit. Although I cannot blame him for following the rules of the show, I did not like how he used Michelle to justify his decision to eliminate Petrina.

He emerged as a cowardly figure who did not think twice before jeopardizing others for his own good.

Katsuji's manipulation created discord between Michelle and Petrina when the two had nothing against one another. Petrina assumed Michelle had picked Katsuji so she could eliminate her in a "way of absconding guilt."

"Michelle chose someone else [Katsuji], and that person chose me. It was a cowardly way of making a decision," Petrina added.

Katsuji's strategy was simply to remove himself from the spotlight by putting the blame on Michelle and painting her as the mastermind. That way, she would have a target on her back and not be able to bond with the other participants.

I do not think Katsuji needed to play such a foul game, especially in a show that focused on self-improvement.

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Yes, Chef! episodes are available to stream on Peacock.