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David Chang’s Culinary Empire Stretches from Noodles to Netflix
By James Moreau | 16 Jul, 2025
David Chang is reshaping the global culinary landscape with Momofuku and a distinctive voice in food media.
Celebrity chef David Chang combined innovative techniques and quality ingredients to reimagine modern Asian cuisine in the U.S.
Momofuku, which means “lucky peach” in Japanese, is on the entrance to eight restaurants across New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Chang opened his first Momofuku in 2004, a Noodle Bar in NYC’s East Village which quickly garnered critical acclaim for the bold flavors of its pork belly buns, fried chicken and ramens.
Two years later he opened Momofuku Ssäm Bar featuring Korean fusion wraps. Chang’s tasty eclectic creations were featured on season 5 of the popular foodie TV show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations showcasing cured hamachi, uni with chicharrónes, and slow roasted pork shoulder served with oysters and two kinds of kimchi. It was awarded two Michelin stars in 2009.
In 2015 the Momofuku Group launched Fuku, a fried chicken sandwich chain located in ballparks and arenas across the country including Madison Square Garden and Allegiant Stadium. Four years later the brand expanded into restaurant-quality pantry items. By 2023 Momofuku reported gross revenues of $50 million.
Guest judge appearances on several culinary TV programs and hosting the first season of PBS’s The Mind of a Chef in 2012 made Chang practically ubiquitous on the hip restaurant scene. A quarterly food publication “Lucky Peach” launched in 2011 ceased publication after 6 years.
In 2018 Chang achieved household status after Netflix debuted Ugly Delicious, a series in which he not only stars but also creates and produces. The show connects cultures through cuisine and examines the history or evolution of a specific dish or culinary theme. It ran for 12 episodes across two seasons.
His second Netflix series Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner premiered in 2019 to explore a new city with a celebrity guest in each of its four episodes.
In 2021 Chang created a six-episode Hulu docuseries The Next Thing You Eat focusing on food production technologies.
His most successful Netflix series, Dinner Time Live with David Chang, debuted in 2024 andhas run 37 episodes to date.
As if that weren’t enough time away from a hot stove, Chang also hosts a podcast called “The Dave Chang Show”.
Chang Seok-ho was born 47 years ago and grew up in Arlington, Virginia. His parents had emigrated from Korea in the 1960s and came to own a golfing goods store and two restaurants. Chang studied at the French Culinary Institute in 2000 and worked in acclaimed New York City restaurants. In 2020 Chang made history as the first celebrity to win the $1 million top prize on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” The proceeds went to the Southern Smoke Foundation which provides emergency relief grants and mental health services to food and beverage industry workers.
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