Roy Choi
Roy Choi | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 24, 1970 Seoul, South Korea |
| Occupation(s) | Culinary artist, chef, television host, author |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Known for | Founder of Kogi Korean-Mexican fusion taco truck; co-host of Netflix's The Chef Show |
| Notable work | L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food |
Roy Choi (born February 24, 1970) is a Korean-American culinary artist who rose to fame as the founder of the innovative Korean-Mexican fusion taco truck Kogi. He is widely acknowledged as a trailblazer in the upscale food truck industry, celebrated for offering accessible, unpretentious cuisine with wide appeal. In 2019, Choi ventured into television by co-hosting the Netflix cooking show The Chef Show alongside Jon Favreau.
Early life
Choi was born in Seoul, South Korea to Soo Myung Choi, his South Korean father, and Jai Nam Choi, his North Korean mother. Although his parents met in the United States, they returned to Korea after marrying and then permanently emigrated from South Korea in 1972.
Growing up in Los Angeles and the surrounding Southern California area, Choi’s family ran several enterprises including a liquor store, dry-cleaning business, and a thriving jewelry company. During his youth, they also owned a Korean restaurant named Silver Garden in Anaheim, California, for three years. His mother’s kimchi gained local popularity and was commercially packaged. One cherished childhood experience was making dumplings at their family restaurant. The family moved frequently within neighborhoods such as Olympic Boulevard and Vermont Avenue, South Central, the Crenshaw District, and West Hollywood.
Choi initially attended a gifted program but switched schools during early adolescence after his family relocated to Villa Park in Orange County, California, following success in the jewelry business. During this time, his academic performance declined due to new social surroundings. At age 15, he was enrolled at Southern California Military Academy in Signal Hill, California, an experience he recalls positively.
Following high school graduation, Choi spent time teaching English in Korea before earning a bachelor's degree in philosophy from California State University, Fullerton. He briefly enrolled at Western State University law school but left after one semester. At 24 years old, inspired by Emeril Lagasse’s television program "Essence of Emeril," Choi decided to pursue culinary training, crediting Emeril with having a life-changing influence.
In 1996, Choi began formal culinary education at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He valued the institute’s structured curriculum and completed an internship at the prestigious three-Michelin-star restaurant Le Bernardin in New York City during his studies.
Career
Choi accumulated experience working as a hotel chef and joined Hilton Hotels in 2001. By 2007, he had become chef de cuisine at the Beverly Hilton, where he met Mark Manguera, who would become a key business partner. His career also included positions at the Embassy Suites in Sacramento and Rock Sugar Pan Asian Kitchen in Los Angeles.
After gaining classical culinary training and Michelin-star kitchen experience, Choi transitioned to the food truck scene by launching Kogi in 2008 alongside Mark Manguera and Caroline Shin-Manguera. In 2010, Food and Wine recognized him as one of their top ten "Best New Chefs," marking the first time a food truck chef received this honor. Currently, Choi operates Sunny Spot in Venice, California, which features Caribbean-inspired dishes. His previous ventures include Los Angeles-area establishments such as Chego!, noted for its rice bowls; A-Frame, which embodies Hawaiian aloha spirit and occupies a former IHOP building; and Pot located at the Line Hotel in Koreatown. In December 2018, he launched Best Friend in Las Vegas. His culinary style is defined by blending Mexican and Korean flavors.
In June 2013, Choi collaborated with chefs Wolfgang Puck and David Chang at Hotel Bel-Air to incorporate diverse elements like ggaejjang and kochujang into their offerings.
Choi authored his memoir-cookbook hybrid L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food, published in November 2013. The book delves into his immigrant background, contrasts between different food cultures, and the dynamic culinary landscape of Los Angeles.
The film Chef (2014), directed by Jon Favreau, drew loose inspiration from Choi’s experiences and the food truck phenomenon; Choi served as technical advisor and received credit. Favreau trained under Choi’s guidance before partnering with him on Netflix’s The Chef Show (2019).
Choi was featured twice on Time’s TIME 100 list of most influential individuals—in 2011 and again in 2016. Renowned chef Anthony Bourdain praised Choi for elevating food trucks into highly sought dining destinations. In 2015, together with chef Daniel Patterson, Choi opened LocoL in Watts, Los Angeles with a mission to deliver affordable yet nutritious fast food to underserved communities.
In 2019, Choi produced and hosted Broken Bread, a television series on Tastemade and KCET, centered around food activism.
Personal life
Choi, who goes by the nicknames "Papi" and "El Guapo," runs a blog where he shares recipes and personal reflections. He is a father and dedicates time to volunteering as a cooking instructor at A Place Called Home, located in South Los Angeles. Additionally, Choi is a supporter of 3 Worlds Cafe, a community-oriented coffee and smoothie establishment in South Central, created through collaboration with the Coalition for Responsible Community Development, Dole Packaged Foods, and Jefferson High School.
During his younger years, Choi battled addictions to crack cocaine, marijuana, and gambling but managed to overcome these challenges in his late twenties, redirecting his energy toward his culinary pursuits. He now describes his enthusiasm as an obsession with nourishing others.
Publications
- L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food (2013), authored by Roy Choi, Tien Nguyen, Natasha Phan, and Bobby Fisher