Chef Shots: Kenji Takahashi

Up at dawn at the New Fulton Fish Market with Sasabune’s chef

July 7, 2008

After studying for four years under master chef Nobi Kusuhara at celebrated Sushi Sasabune in West Los Angeles, Kenji Takahashi was ready to be his own master, having perfected his sushi slicing skills and developing a keen eye for fresh fish.

In 2006, Takahashi helped open Sasabune’s New York outpost just off First Ave on 73rd Street, serving Kusuhara’s omakase, or tasting menu—with only one condition: Takahashi must personally select each piece of fish he serves. “If [I] don’t go shopping, I can’t use the Sasabune name,” Takahashi says. “I like to see what I am buying.”

Takahashi takes buying fresh to a new level: He rises before dawn and heads to the New Fulton Fish Market in the Bronx every day (except Sunday, when the market is closed). We set our alarm clocks early to join him on a balmy summer morning and get a glimpse of his daily routine.

Text by Pervaiz Shallwani; photos by Tod Seelie