Where to follow Katsuji Tanabe of Yes, Chef! on Instagram? Age, job, and more explored

Katsuji Tanabe is a 44-year-old chef and restaurateur who gained recognition as a contestant on NBC’s Yes, Chef! season 1. Premiered on April 28, 2025, it is a culinary competition judged by Martha Stewart and José Andrés.

For the fans of the show and Tanabe, his journey can be followed on Instagram under the handle @chefkatsujitanabe. He often shares cooking videos, food photos, and insights from his personal and professional life. Although Tanabe made a strong impression in the early episodes, he unexpectedly quit the competition before episode 5 for reasons that have not been publicly disclosed.

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Yes, Chef! star Katsuji Tanabe's career and Instagram presence

Katsuji's background and culinary career

According to his biography on NBC, Katsuji Tanabe was born in Mexico City to a Japanese father and a Mexican mother. He grew up in a Jewish household and became involved in cooking by helping his grandmother cook meals. He relocated to Los Angeles at 19 and began attending Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in California, despite not being able to speak English.

Tanabe has worked at several well-known restaurants, including Bastide Restaurant and Maestro's Steakhouse in Los Angeles, and Shiloh'S Kosher Ste Akademi to cater to the Japanese audience. Additionally, In 2010, he opened Mexikosher in Beverly Hills, where kosher Mexican cuisine was served for eight years.

Throughout his career, he developed various food enterprises and managed 13 eateries across the United States, including New York and North Carolina. He currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his spouse and two daughters.

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Katsuji on Yes, Chef! and television appearances

On Yes, Chef!, Tanabe was one of 12 chefs competing for a significant cash prize. Throughout the early episodes, he demonstrated an assertive leadership style, which included making decisions such as withholding an ingredient from another contestant and directing blame when sending someone home. These tactics generated discussion among viewers and fellow contestants.

Before joining Yes, Chef!, Tanabe appeared on multiple cooking shows. His credits include Top Chef seasons 12 and 14, Top Chef Mexico, Top Chef Junior, Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay, Bobby’s Triple Threat, and PBS’s Cooking Under Fire.

As stated on his self-titled website, "cooking is the only thing" where Tanabe takes a "serious" approach, while his on-camera personality has been described as straightforward and "sarcastic." Despite his strong presence on the show, Tanabe chose to quit the competition prior to episode 5. The reasons behind his departure have not been publicly explained.

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Tanabe's Instagram presence

Katsuji Tanabe’s Instagram has over 80,000 followers. His posts feature a variety of content, including cooking videos, food photography, and personal moments. On May 25, 2025, he uploaded a video showing a new kitchen shelf setup from @cambromfg, captioned with:

“Just leveled up my adulting game” and the hashtag “#itookarisk.”

On May 6, Tanabe shared a cooking video while asking followers for recommendations on food-related TV shows airing on Monday nights. Earlier, on April 9, he posted a video highlighting a dish called milanesa and cheese at a local eatery, tagging @lataqueriaboxyard and @boxyardrtp.

In another post from March 26, 2025, he made a video of opening a canned seafood and wrote in the caption:

"Do you like eating canned or tin seafood? When's the last time you bought some? I'm wondering why canned seafood isn't more popular in America, except for maybe tuna in water."

Tanabe’s Instagram account offers an ongoing look at his culinary interests, restaurant ventures, and interaction with food communities, reflecting his professional focus beyond his television appearances.

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Yes, Chef! is available to stream anytime on Peacock.