Rogue Sessions Presents Chef Katsuya Fukushima!

BLAGDEN ALLEY -- With his own restaurant, Daikaya, not scheduled to open for another few months, Chef Katsuya Fukushima had the chance to test some of the dishes he’s been hiding up his sleeves on the city’s foodies last week, during the ninth and final installment of Rogue 24’s exclusive culinary series dubbed ‘Rogue Sessions’.

Slow roasted onion with miso-parmesan fondue.
Inevitably, while some of these dishes might not see the light of the day ever again and while still more might undergo a few more revisions in the coming weeks, the Jose Andres alumnus nevertheless was happy to tryout some of his upcoming menu.

Braised celery root with celery root dashi kombu knot.
“It’s [the menu] done,” he said. “I know what I want to do. But I need to spend a little more time in the kitchen [before finalizing it].”

Grilled pork belly and oyster wrapped in kimchee.
Prior to partnering with Daisuke Utagawa and Yama Jewayni on the still yet-to-open Chinatown restaurant (705 6th Street, NW) next to the Verizon Center, Fukushima spent more than a decade with ThinkFoodGroup’s various properties around the country, including helping Andres open Zaytinya, Oyamel, and Minibar, among others.

Silken celery root tofu with razor clams and pickled celery.
Yet, last week wasn’t the first time Fukushima had been spotted behind the burners at Rogue 24. When Chef R.J. Cooper first opened the Blagden Alley restaurant last summer, the Okinawa-born chef was working diligently alongside him.

Charred Napa cabbage, ikura, Asian pear, kenpie yogurt, and smoked Sriracha.

Suntory whiskey, gelee, cremeaux, coffee ‘grounds’, coffee ice cream, and white chocolate espuma.
From Wendy’s to one of the city’s top chefs… We’re counting the days until the “house of big cooking pots” is open for business!