Yoshi's Cafe Pioneer Yoshi Katsumura Dies at 65

Another one of Chicago's most legendary chefs has passed away. Yoshi Katsumura, a pioneer of French-Japanese fusion most known for his longtime restaurant Yoshi's Cafe at 3257 N. Halsted, succumbed to a long battle with liver cancer on Sunday, the Tribune reports. He was 65.

Katsumura, a Japan native who trained in classical French cooking, worked at Le Francais among other iconic local restaurants before opening Yoshi's Cafe in 1982. He was known for championing gay rights and supporting many other causes in addition to the cooking that earned him a AAA five diamond among the slew of accolades throughout the decades.

Katsumura's "final wish was to keep the restaurant open," the Sun-Times reports. His memorial is planned for Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. at the Midwest Buddhist Temple at 435 N. Menomonee St.