Roy Choi facts for kids
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Roy Choi from Kogi BBQ
Aspen Food & Wine Fest 2010 |
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| Born | Roy S Choi February 24, 1970 Seoul, South Korea |
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| Education | Culinary Institute of America California State University, Fullerton Southern California Military Academy |
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Current restaurant(s)
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Television show(s)
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Roy Choi (born February 24, 1970) is a famous Korean-American chef. He is well-known for creating Kogi, a popular food truck. Kogi serves delicious Korean-Mexican tacos. Chef Choi is celebrated for making "food that isn't fancy." He is also seen as one of the people who started the gourmet food truck trend. In 2019, he began a cooking show on Netflix called The Chef Show with Jon Favreau.
Discovering Roy Choi's Early Life
Where Roy Choi Grew Up
Roy Choi was born in Seoul, South Korea. His parents, Soo Myung Choi and Jai Nam Choi, met in the United States. After they got married, they moved back to Korea. In 1972, his family moved from South Korea to live in the US permanently.
Roy grew up in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California. His parents owned many different businesses. These included a liquor store, a dry-cleaning shop, and a Korean restaurant. They also sold jewelry door-to-door. Eventually, they built a successful jewelry company.
Family Restaurant and Childhood Memories
When Roy was young, his parents owned a Korean restaurant. It was called Silver Garden and was in Anaheim, California. They ran it for three years. Roy's mother made amazing kimchi. It was so popular that they packaged it and sold it locally.
One of Roy's favorite childhood memories is making dumplings. He was only eight years old and helping at his family's restaurant. His family moved homes many times while he was growing up. They lived in different areas of Los Angeles.
School Days and New Paths
Roy attended a special program for gifted students. However, his family moved to Orange County when his parents' jewelry business did well. He started facing some challenges in school.
At age 15, Roy's parents sent him to Southern California Military Academy. This was in Signal Hill, California. Roy remembers this time as a good experience for him.
After high school, Roy went to Korea. He taught English there for a while. Then, he attended California State University, Fullerton. He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy. Roy also went to law school for one semester but decided it wasn't for him.
Finding His Passion for Cooking
When he was 24, Roy became very interested in a cooking show. It was called "Essence of Emeril" and hosted by Emeril Lagasse. This show inspired him to go to culinary school. Roy even said, "Emeril saved my life."
In 1996, Roy started studying at the Culinary Institute of America. This famous school is in Hyde Park, New York. He really liked the way the programs were set up. While studying, he worked as an intern. He worked at Le Bernardin, a very fancy restaurant in New York City.
Roy Choi's Culinary Journey
Starting as a Hotel Chef
Roy Choi gained a lot of experience as a hotel chef. In 2001, he began working for Hilton Hotels. He was promoted within the company. By 2007, he became the head chef at the Beverly Hilton. There, he met Mark Manguera, who would become his business partner. Roy also worked at other hotels and restaurants.
The Birth of the Food Truck Movement
After years of training in fancy kitchens, Roy made a big change. He decided to focus on food trucks. He said this shift was "great." In 2008, Roy founded his company, Kogi. He started it with partners Mark Manguera and his wife, Caroline Shin-Manguera. Their first food truck was in Venice.
Roy Choi was named one of the top ten "Best New Chefs" of 2010. This honor came from Food and Wine magazine. He was the first food truck owner to receive such an award.
Roy Choi's Restaurants and Style
Roy Choi runs Sunny Spot in Venice, California. This restaurant serves Caribbean-inspired food. He also used to run Chego!, which offered rice bowls. Another restaurant was A-Frame, which had a Hawaiian feel. It was built in a former IHOP. He also had Pot at the Line Hotel in Koreatown.
In December 2018, Roy opened a restaurant called Best Friend in Las Vegas. His cooking style mixes Mexican and Korean flavors. In 2013, Roy worked with other famous chefs. They added different Korean styles to the menu at the Hotel Bel-Air.
Sharing His Story and Food
In November 2013, Roy Choi released his book. It was called L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food. It shares stories from his life and recipes. Roy said he didn't plan to write a book at first. But people kept asking him about his food and how he made it.
The book shows what it was like growing up as an immigrant in the 1970s. The food his family ate at home was different from what they served in their restaurant. The book also talks about how Los Angeles has changed over the years.
Roy Choi in Movies and TV
The movie Chef (2014) was inspired by Roy Choi. It was also inspired by the food truck movement. Roy worked as an advisor for the movie. He helped with the cooking and restaurant scenes. He even appears in the end credits.
In 2019, Roy and Jon Favreau worked together again. They created a cooking show on Netflix called The Chef Show.
Time magazine included Roy Choi on their TIME 100 list. This list features the most influential people in the world. He was on the list in both 2011 and 2016. Fellow chef Anthony Bourdain said Roy changed the food truck idea. He made it into a popular and democratic way to enjoy great food.
In 2015, Roy Choi and chef Daniel Patterson opened a restaurant called LocoL. It was in Watts, Los Angeles. Their goal was to bring healthy and inspiring fast-food to inner-city neighborhoods. In 2019, Roy also hosted a TV series called Broken Bread. It aired on Tastemade and KCET.
Roy Choi's Personal Life
Roy Choi has a few nicknames, like "Papi" and "El Guapo." He enjoys teaching cooking to others. He volunteers at a place called A Place Called Home in South Los Angeles.
Roy also supports 3 Worlds Cafe. This is a community coffee and smoothie shop in South Central. It's a team effort between Roy, a local community group, Dole Packaged Foods, and nearby Jefferson High School.
He also has a blog where he shares recipes. Roy Choi has a daughter.
