The Charleston native brought his sought-after poultry with a Japanese bent to Park Circle last spring
CM: We hear you’re from Charleston.
JN: Yes, James Island. Dad worked in the Navy Yard. When it closed, we moved to Beaufort. Now, I have a restaurant down the street from the Navy Yard, which he wanted me to call the “Gravy Yard.”
CM: How did you get into F&B?
JN: I was a student in the final Charleston class at Johnson & Wales and finished in Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management in 2005.
CM: Tell us about your steps following graduation, working with Michelin-starred restaurants.
JN: I got a student work visa and applied to several three-star restaurants in the UK. I chose the Waterside Inn [in Bray, North of London] because it offered housing, which mattered since I was fresh out of school and broke. It was the right mix of pedigree and practicality. After that, a year of contacting got me into The Fat Duck.
CM: We see more stops on your star-studded resume. Take us for a spin.
JN: Four and a half years at Per Se in New York [three stars], eight months at Mugaritz in Spain [two stars], and a year at Meadowood in Napa [three stars].
CM: In 2018, you opened your fried chicken spot, KinFolk, on John’s Island with your brother, Kevin, which got rave reviews. Why did you close it in 2023?
JN: Kevin and I decided to close it when the lease ended.
CM: Your 2015 gig at Mu Ramen (two New York Times stars by Pete Wells) came through a Per Se connection. How did your time there influence Katsubō?
JN: It was the foundation for my learning in ramen. In 2021, while still manning the stoves at Kinfolk, we [he and brother, Kevin] did a two-nights-a-week pop-up at The Daily named Katsubō serving ramen and Japanese-style katsu sandwiches.
CM: You opened the brick-and-mortar Katsubō Chicken & Ramen in Park Circle last spring with your partner, Abby Leibowitz. What’s on the menu?
JN: Various flavors of crispy fried chicken, an array of ramen, and numerous Japanese-style dishes, such as okonomiyaki, spicy pickled cucumbers, and katsu sandos. We also have several flavors of ice cream sandos for dessert, such as lemon white chocolate chip with matcha.
CM: Please elaborate on the restaurant’s motto: “Katsubō means craving. Everything we make is done with care, creativity, and the Katsubō hustle—great food, great vibes, no shortcuts.”
JN: We’re intentional about keeping our ramen classic and in true style. We want to honor those traditions, so we don’t cut corners. Our broths take 12 to 14 hours because that’s what it takes to get them right. And we want everyone to feel comfortable here. We’re not trying to cater to one specific crowd—just make good, honest food that anyone can enjoy.
