David Chang is noted for being a restaurateur, a man who runs a group of restaurants taking care of the stomach needs of millions in America where he is based. His famous restaurants Momofu Restaurant group includes Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Milk Bar, and Momofuku Ko in New York City; Momofuku Noodle Bar and Kojin in Toronto; and Momofuku CCDC in Washington, DC.
David Chang is not a man to settle for only one career path; though he is famous for being a restaurateur, David is also an author, podcaster, and television personality.
This is just about enough gist about who David Chang is, but there is more to know about him. In this article, we look at his biography, career trajectory, education, family, awards he has won thus far, and the money he has made.
David Chang Biography
Chang was born on August 5, 1977.
He is an American restaurateur, author, podcaster, and television personality.
Born in Washington, D.C, Chang grew up in Arlington, Virginia with two older brothers and one sister.
David Chang’s parents immigrated from Korea as adults in the 1960s, his father from North Korea, his mother from the South.
They owned a golfing goods warehouse and two restaurants.
As a child, Chang was a competitive golfer who participated in a number of junior tournaments.
David Chang educational background
Chang attended Georgetown Prep and then Trinity College, where he majored in religious studies.
After graduating from college, Chang pursued a variety of jobs, including teaching English in Japan, then bussing tables, and holding finance positions in New York City.
David Chang career
Chang has built a reputation for himself as an owner of many prestigious restaurants but he has also built a career in the media as a television personality. Among the many other things that he does are writing and podcasting.
Chang started attending the French Culinary Institute (FCI)—now known as the International Culinary Center—in New York City in 2000.
While he was training, he also worked part-time at Mercer Kitchen in Manhattan and got a job answering phones at Tom Colicchio’s Craft restaurant.
Working for and under people had shaped David’s own skills in that in 2004, Chang opened his first restaurant, Momofuku Noodle Bar in the East Village, one of many to come.
He went on to operate many other restaurants.
Chang’s website states Momofuku means “lucky peach”, but the restaurant also shares a name with Momofuku Ando—the inventor of instant noodles.
David Chang media career
Apart from the restaurant business, David Chang also built a career in the media.
In 2010, he appeared in the fifth episode of Season One of HBO’s Treme alongside fellow chefs Tom Colicchio, Eric Ripert, and Wylie Dufresne.
His presence on the show was expanded in the second season when one of the characters, a New Orleans chef who has moved to New York City, takes a job in his restaurant.
Chang has also served as a guest judge on the reality show Top Chef: All Stars.
David Chang writing career
In summer 2011, David Chang released the first issue of his Lucky Peach food magazine, a quarterly publication created with Peter Meehan and published by McSweeney’s.
The theme of Issue 1 was Ramen.
David Chang net worth 2021: How did the famous restaurateur make his money?
Contributors included Anthony Bourdain, Wylie Dufresne, Ruth Reichl, and Harold McGee. The theme of Issue 2 is The Sweet Spot, and Issue 2 reached #3 on the NY Times bestsellers list.
Contributors to Issue 2 include Anthony Bourdain, Harold McGee, Momofuku Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi, Daniel Patterson, and Russell Chatham.
Issue 3: Chefs and Cooks, was released on March 13 and was also a New York Times Bestseller.
Each subsequent issue has continued to focus on a particular theme.
David Chang book publications
The following are the books published by David Chang:
- David Chang; Peter Meehan (2009-10-27). Momofuku. Clarkson N Potter Publishers. ISBN 978-0-307-45195-8.
- David Chang; Chris Ying; Peter Meehan (2011- May 2017). Lucky Peach.
- In September 2020, Chang released his memoir, Eat a Peach, in which he talks about his difficult relationship with his father, his long-time struggles with depression and anger, and recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
David Chang restaurants
David Chang owns a number of restaurants scattered around America and Canada. His restaurants include:
- 2004: Momofuku Noodle Bar (New York, NY)
- 2006: Momofuku Ssäm Bar (New York, NY)
- Booker and Dax – located in Ssäm Bar (New York, NY)
- 2008: Momofuku Ko (New York, NY)
- 2010: Má Pêche – located in Chambers Hotel (New York, NY)
- 2011: Momofuku Seiōbo – located in The Star (Sydney, Australia)
- 2012: Momofuku (Toronto, Canada) – includes Momofuku Noodle Bar, Nikai, Daishō and Shōtō
- Noodle Bar (Toronto, Canada)
- Nikai (Toronto, Canada)
- Daishō (Toronto, Canada)
- Shōtō (Toronto, Canada)
- 2015: Momofuku CCDC (Washington, DC)
- 2016: Momofuku Nishi (New York, NY)
- 2017: Momofuku Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)
- 2018: Majordōmo (Los Angeles, CA)
Honors and awards received by David Chang:
- 2006 James Beard Rising Star Chef of the Year Nomination
- 2007 James Beard Rising Star Chef of the Year
- 2008 James Beard Best Chef New York City for Momofuku Ssäm Bar
- 2009 James Beard Best New Restaurant for Momofuku Ko
- 2010 Momofuku – Cookbook Nomination
- 2012 James Beard Outstanding Chef (nominated)
- 2013 James Beard Outstanding Chef
- 2014 James Beard Foundation Who’s Who in Food and Beverage in America
Is David Chang married?
David Chang is married to Grace Seo Chang.
Grace is of Korean ancestry, but all other background details about her remain unknown; she has successfully hidden every important detail about herself, which includes age, names of parents, whether she has any siblings or not, and which schools and colleges she attended.
Hopefully, Grace changes her mind and we find out more about her in the near future.
David Chang net worth 2021
David Chang’s chain of restaurants has brought him quite some fortune as he is reportedly worth millions of Dollars.
Ніѕ nаturаl gіft оf сооkіng, соuрlеd wіth hіѕ еduсаtіоn аnd trаіnіng аѕ а Сhеf, mаdе hіm а fоrmіdаblе рrоfеѕѕіоnаl whо соmbіnеd hіѕ сооkіng ѕkіllѕ аnd hіѕ еntrерrеnеurѕhір tо ореn ѕеvеrаl rеѕtаurаntѕ, аll оf whісh wеrе nоt оnlу tор fооd dеѕtіnаtіоnѕ but аlѕо ѕuссеѕѕful buѕіnеѕѕ vеnturеѕ.
David Chang’s net worth 2021 is reportedly around 70 million Dollars; he made all this money working as a chef.
Source: GhBase.com