Yukio Sekikawa

Yukio Sekikawa, the head chef at Seki, Lexington's well-known sushi restaurant, has died.
Authorities said it appeared that Mr. Sekikawa, whose wife died Jan. 13, jumped from the Tyrone Bridge along the Woodford and Anderson county line over the weekend.
Mr. Sekikawa's vehicle was found near the bridge on Saturday morning, and his body was discovered Saturday evening, Woodford County Coroner Steve Ward said.
Mr. Sekikawa and his wife were famous in the Lexington restaurant community for their small sushi restaurant on South Broadway. The restaurant closed temporarily earlier this year after the death of Masako Sekikawa, who served the meals that her husband created. It underwent a renovation after that, and Mr. Sekikawa returned to his position as head chef, said family friend and restaurant owner Shan Tao.
Tao said he plans to keep the restaurant open, saying that it was Mr. Sekikawa's wishes that it stay open and not change names. The late chef also had taught Tao his style and recipes. The restaurant is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and dinner from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Tao has placed a photo of Mr. Sekikawa in a corner of the small restaurant, which holds only eight tables, as a tribute to the chef.
"I feel like he can walk through that door anytime," Tao said.
Mr. Sekikawa was mourned by the restaurant's dedicated customer base.
Dan Wu said he and his wife dined there on Friday night, and Mr. Sekikawa "came by and started chatting."
"When I'd heard he died … it put his uncharacteristic chattiness in a new light," Wu said. "I will miss his expertly made, unfussy sushi, Mrs. Sekikawa's smile and grandmotherly nature, the crowing-chicken jar of candies she handed out with the checks, the Polaroids of customers on the wall, even the fluorescent lights.
"Even though there are a dozen or more Japanese places in Lexington, I'm hard-pressed to think of where we will go for sushi. It truly is the end of an era for us."