From Seoul to L.A.: The Flavors That Shaped Roy Choi   

• Roy Choi was born in Seoul and moved to Los Angeles when he was 2. As his parents worked long hours running small businesses, he spent his childhood exploring the city streets. At home, large containers of his mother’s kimchi filled the kitchen with familiar aromas. Outside, he discovered American fast food and Mexican-style grilled meats sold from street stands and parking lots. Choi later studied at the Culinary Institute of America, one of the world’s leading cooking schools, and went on to work in high-end hotel kitchens. Even in fine-dining settings, he kept returning to the bold, comforting tastes of his childhood. That blend of Korean home cooking and Los Angeles street food inspired Kogi, his food truck. Kogi’s tacos, filled with Korean barbecue, kimchi, and Mexican-influenced sauces, quickly gained a devoted following and helped spark the modern food truck movement. For his later project, POT at The Line Hotel in Koreatown, Choi traveled frequently to South Korea. He visited underground food courts, tteokbokki streets, night markets, and bakeries selling red bean buns and everyday snacks. He brought those flavors back to Los Angeles, creating dishes that merge Korean traditions with his American upbringing, resulting in food that feels both familiar and new. May For The Teen Times teen/1764139303/1613367679