IamA Roy Choi. I make Korean BBQ tacos and worked with Jon Favreau on the movie, “Chef.” You may have seen me on TV, but not in a Humvee, or on the streets serving it up. Now I’m on CNN. AMA!

adios from LA - Papi

Who is your favorite Korean-American, and why is it David Choe?

David Choes is fucking porn stars, is a millionaire, talented artist, humble dude, tender soul, and loves my food. he is a pretty good korean to favorite. but i like all the young homies coming up in ktown right now as my favorite KA's

Can you please bring this party to the DC Metro area?!

Go-Go DC style

I wonder - do you ever cook something up and then not want to eat it? It's pretty common (for everyone who cooks for themselves), yeah?

of course. i fucked up a lot of things trying to impress girls back in culinary school. i was like yo eat this even tho i wouldn't. ha ha

Oh god if I could get Kogi locally, I might never go home for dinner ever.

home is where you lay your taco

Hi Roy! Thanks for doing this AMA. Last July, I picked up an issue of Lucky Peach magazine which featured your trip to Honolulu with Christina Tosi. I was depressed for quite some time and had very little interest in anything, but after reading the editorial, I decided to book a trip to Hawaii. Going to Hawaii was life changing and perhaps one of the best things I did for myself, and it started with your feature in the magazine so much thanks!

My question is, what are the top 5 favourite places you look forward to eating each time you're in Honolulu?

oh man, that is such a wonderful story. i'm touched and i hope you are out of depression now. i have delt with it deeply before too and it's a muthafucka, i know. i love side street inn, helena's bbq. leonard's, rainbow drive in, young's fish market

Hello Roy! Thanks so much for doing this AMA. I’ve read that Emeril was an inspiration to getting you into cooking. Emeril is Portuguese and so is my husband. Can you throw out a couple of Asian/Portuguese fusions you think might work? Kale, cod and kimchi?

just think hawaii. i think all the food of hawaii is a portuguese fusion in some sorts. malasadas with lilikoi powder anyone?!

Hi Roy! Have you and Anthony Bordain had a session yet?

they don't call me papi thc for nothing

Roy! What is your favorite burrito in LA?

i used to like chabelita on western. but right now i gotta go with my own. kogi por vida. burrito life

Chocolate Tres Leches looks like the most amazing thing ever! Any chance on the recipe? You have a book?

dude, the tres leches is the stoner ultimate cake of ultimate stoner cakes. we once cooked them with 1/2 ounce of weed each and tripped for days. I have a book called LA Son but no tres leches, sorry

Enjoyed Chef, glad to hear you were a part of it. Had a discussion about the Kogi truck right after we watched it too (before I knew you were involved).

How difficult has it been to adapt to the growing competition in OC/LA? No doubt your Kogi truck established a trend of gourmet food trucks in the area. I remember the hours long wait to get some of your food back in college.

i don't think about competition in that way. we focus on the food, our staff, and our people and the streets. what happens beyond that is out of our control. kogi is strong because we care. it's strong because we focus on what's in front of us, the moment. not the drama around it

I think your Korean tacos solidified my love for tacos and have made me realize that LA has its own culture of tacos worth exploring. Of the traditional and creative types of tacos, what are your favorite spots in LA?

PS. The drunk version of me thanks you immensely for all the burritos and tacos I've had from Kogi.

my undrunk self accepts your thanks on behalf of kogi. traditional depends on which neighborhood you are in. some are: mariscos jalisco, leo's, ariza, taco zone

signing out at exactly 2pm pacific. this was fun. like really fun.

Roy, I really admire your candor and passion when it comes to food and life. Could you speak a little bit about your time in law school?

law school was a joke for me. socratic method was not a good thing for a guy who has problems with authority. i was doing what i was supposed to do as a asian kid but i found out that i needed to follow my own path and not one that was determined for me. law school is good for others tho, just not me.

Do you have any advice for other up and coming gay chefs?

other? i'm so flattered

i see no color or race or whatever, it's the skill that makes you a chef and your culture and personality that make the flavor. just be you.

Firstly: short rib burrito is truly a thing of beauty and i want them all.

Secondly: craft beer scene is growing huge in LA right now what local breweries would you recommend pairing with some of the kogi menu?

thanks on kogi. we love LA. Golden Road is killing it right now locally and they have been good to Kogi.

Any plans to bring Chego back to the westside?

we serve three bowls at the alibi room on washington. but as far as a chego store, still searching on the west. i hope one day soon but i barely know what i'm doing next week. really.

Big fan! I wanted to know, how were you able to open your first food truck and how does it compare to running a traditional restaurant?

i was out of a job, my friend called me, he had access to the truck, we trained on trucks for weeks, then gathered all the money we had and made the kogi taco. it blew us away and we were possessed. then we went out on the streets and put our heart and soul out there and people responded. twitter was huge too, technology and food. we were honest and naive. those were the keys.

Were you/are you shy at all when it comes to being on camera?

of course, it's always nerve racking. but i found a strength in the streets and stopped being self conscious

What's gonna be the next big food trend?

Filipino bbq

What is your favorite burger in LA?

Been a fan of Kogi since the beginning and my mom enjoyed her experience at Pot. Keep up the great work!

thanks on kogi and pot. OG kogi followers know the deal. I love the burger at in-n-out and plan check

I saw chef multiple times and I have to say, that was the hungriest I've felt after watching any movie ever! You have done such a brilliant job at making the food look so appetizing and appealing. Kudos for that.

So, as an expert in the field, what is the key to making food look so appetizing?

i think it was a collection of talented individuals with a collective goal. we had the best camera people, the best stylists, the best lighting and props, the best director, etc. then what i did was just cook food from the soul and Jon allowed it to make it past the cutting room floor. it was a team effort on Chef. but my advice is, cook with deliciousness in mind and focus on color and composition.

Do you know any other ways to make good ramen noodles besides hot sauce or an egg? I'm broke as hell at school, and I'm experimenting with my microwave.

american cheese my friend. also use salted nori sheets and canned meats. do it up mang

Hey Roy, thanks for the AMA. I saw your segment on Parts Unknown and was happy to see you expose Bourdain to Jollibee's. If you could order only one item from Jollibee's, what would it be?

fried chicken and spaghetti combo with a halo halo at the end. ya heard?!

What is your favorite dish to make?

i still love cooking the kogi taco because the way it affects everyone who eats it inspires me to believe in the good things in life even amidst the bad sometimes

Hey Mr. Choi,

I don’t know if you remember me or my group, but we were there for your A-Frame soft opening in LA. My group was a little larger than, I believe, you’d expected and may have caused you extra stress that you didn’t need that night. I just wanted to apologize for that and thank you so much for your hospitality and the delicious Furikake Kettle Corn and Cracklin Beer Can Chicken with the salsa roja & verde (and the drinks!).

I moved to the East Coast, so I’m not able to visit your restaurants as often as I’d like, but I’ve heard nothing but good about your new Line Hotel – can’t wait to try it out.

Question: How and when did “feeding the people” become your mission?

damn that was a long time ago at AF, no need to apologize. I found my mission six years ago on the streets of LA. The energy from the people in line opened a door in my soul and I honor that everyday

When are you bringing Kogi to the San Jose area?!

shit, you got Meal Top ot there (my FAVORITE) red bean shaved ice. Trade?

Congratulations on your success!

Also, is Wolf Blitzer a cyborg?

i am the teen wolf blitzer and THIS is CNN

What are your favourite cooking(-related) TV shows to watch?

Can you come to Vancouver and fix our food truck scene?

i like pbs food shows like america's test kitchen. absolute FAVE. vancouver seems nice, i got homies in Seattle. would love to feed y'all. you know good food up there and have such a great bounty from the earth

Man, thanks for bringing Chego to Chinatown! I love how that area is slowly starting to become an exciting food and cultural destination once again, and I think Chego is partially to thank for that. Did the Chinatown community embrace you once you started to set up shop?

not only did they embrace us, they HELPED us. it's the youth, their moms, dads, grandparents, everyone. chinatown showed massive love for chego. george yu was instrumental in helping us build a shop and yes now others are believing in chinatown again too. pok pok, starry kitchen, scoops, etc

I love all of your restaurants (favorites are Pot and A Frame)

What's your favorite ramen spot in LA? What's your favorite type of ramen (other than Shin Ramyun)? Any other ramen thoughts?

people are gonna hate me but i love Tatsu ramen in LA. go ahead and sound the firing squad i know because i'm supposed to say Tsujita Ramen because everyone loves Tsujita Ramen but I think they are kinda just ok even tho we showcase them in the show. so what the fuck do i know?! ha

Your cooking style fuses Mexican and Korean. Is there another style you'd like to try to learn about and fuse with others?

i love french food and am truly interested in the foods of southeast asia. i don't know if i would ever fuse them but i would love to visit indonesia and eat and cook

Roy ! Thanks for this! Big fan of what you do & your food. Any plans to hit up Miami ? When did you know cooking was what you wanted to do? Any tips for an aspiring chef with a lot of love but little experience ?

thanks, i love miami. i love your hip hop radio stations out there because y'all curse on the air n shit. experience is everything. don't take short cuts.

What's the weirdest thing you've ever cooked for yourself while you were high?

soupy chilaquiles with canned chili and cheese

Hey Roy, Big Fan. I love your idea of "locol" fast food. When that hits the ground running what type of expansion are you looking into? I'd love to get some of your inspired foods on the east coast.

thanks, we want to go toe to toe with all the big boys. start small in SF and LA then we are gonna go to Detroit for first location outside of cali then the world. so you will see us for sure on the beast coast

Hi Roy! As a Korean-American, any Korean food made by my mom brings me home. What's the dish your mom makes that no one else can make better?

kimchi jiggae and mauen tang. her bbindaedduk is pretty unbeatable too. i grew up on all this. it made me into the twisted soul that i am :)

LAST CALL FOR ALCOHOL Y'ALL I WILL ANSWER FOR 10 MORE MINUTES THEN AFTER THAT IF I MISSED YA THEN GO TO @RIDINGSHOTGUNLA ON TWITTER AND HIT ME UP THERE. PEACE, PAPI cnn.com/roychoi

Hi Chef!

What are you thoughts on balancing authenticity and tradition, while still trying to push the boundaries of food? Can you shout out other restaurants who are also killing it on that front?

See ya at LINE soon. K-Town reppin'! :)

nothing is authentic and tradition is in the human mind. we can create new ones as long as we are honest. I think it's more important to challenge authenticity and tradition than accepting them if they are old and irrelevant. Thanksgiving anyone?!!! Momofuku is legend

Love your food! What cuisine do you feel is not represented well in the Los Angeles street food scene?

i would say thai street food. it's amazing over there and if we had that on our streets, shit would be crackin

Hey Roy, as someone who has climbed the ladder to being the sous chef of a fine dining establishment locally and looking to move up in a larger city, what advice can you offer for obtaining that goal?

focus on your craft. when it's time to be a chef and run your own kitchen you will know or the universe will throw you into the deep end and you will have to figure that shit out. but if you chase your tail and skip steps like some of these competition contestants do then you will struggle the rest of your career. head down, knife sharp, taste everything, corner to corner. focus on that! then you move on and you will be ready

Unfortunately I was offered the position of Head Chef at the restaurant, but turned it down because I thought I was going to quit for something higher paying (my checks are not that great), and they offered it to a new hire, fresh out of culinary school. I feel like I set myself back.

pay is never great in the kitchen, even when you make it to the top. don't worry, you didn't miss out. the craft itself is all you got. stay true to it and it will be true to you. if you need more money then go to a hotel for awhile and get a good pay and benefits, work on the craft, and bounce back to something else more high profile if you want

hey, what are some of your favorite food trucks in the Northeast area? I loved Street Food with Roy Choi!

thanks on street food for loving it. we did our best, convince cnn to take it long form and on tv. ha! cnn.com/roychoi northeast i don't know too well sorry

Hey Roy! Which "celebrity chef" do you respect the most and why?

i respect eric ripert but he's not a celebrity chef per se. he is the truth and a seeker of it.

What is your favorite board game to play ?

i roll weed on board games

i like chess tho

What album is on heavy rotation for you rn?

Dilated Peoples: Directors of Photography

Love your food, Roy. Been to all your places. After seeing your CNN series, I get the feeling you can take the Tony Bourdain route, but you'll be going to various hoods and barrios around the world. If this happens, will your career as a chef be put on the side burner?

thanks!!! depends on the show. right now i am heavily involved in all my restaurants and trucks. they are my family. just because you get a job do you leave your family? so it would depend. i don't think i could ever leave them all the way, but if i do get a show that goes around the world then yes i will have to re calibrate everything. it will all reveal itself it it's meant to be

Favorite diner in LA?

The Nickel and Pann's

Hey Ryan, thanks for the great food! Question, why do your trucks only give out sporks? I ask because I ordered a wet burrito a month ago and eating it with a plastic spork was one of the most frustrating things I have ever attempted. Great burrito, but damn man, that fucking spork.

we consolidate for the sake of the environment. i know that sounds stupid but it's true. the spork is the answer.

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fuck what your parents think (in regards to your career) love them for being them and love them for being family. but this is your life. do what you want and do your best, they will love you more for that, even if the road is difficult in the middle.

Hey Roy! I've had so many great meals at your restaurants in LA; saw you once at Chego in Palms and it made my day. Also loving the new CNN series.

What's your favorite dish at POT? Or I guess: what would you recommend ordering your first time at POT?

thank you. i love the Jamaal Wilkes and Kimchi Fried Rice at POT. tofus soup and fried rice respectively. they mean a lot to me

Hi Roy,

I'm really excited for your digital series. Also, Chef was one of my favorite films of the year - thanks for making it so delicious.

If you could have one last meal, what would it be?

Also, what is your favorite book?

Thanks so much!

why do you want me to die? i'm just getting started. ha. but let's eat burritos for this imaginary death today. favorite book is on the road and where the wild things are and the giving tree

www.cnn.com/roychoi

HAHA, great imgur pic! Have you lost the facial hair for good?

growing it back now as we speak. muthafuckas all asking me where's your goatee. even in spanish my crews have been clowning me like jefe, adonde su bigote? i'm growing it back. too much stress...

Hi Roy -what's the best way for me to get your book signed by you to me? I kind of want you to write down that I'm the baddest mofo you've ever met.

Ha. I feel like a character in a Tarantino movie with that title. just come by POT or Chego and drop it off and I will sign

Hey Ryan, big fan. What are some of your favorite spices to use?

coriander seed, black pepper, cumin seed, juniper berries

I'm moving to LA soon. Would you sit down for a meal with me?

from one prettymuthafucka to another, sure.

And a blunt of course. I'll bring that you cook?

ha.

Hey chef! I'm going to Seoul in two days! I plan on crushing food 24/7. Any street food recommendations???

seoul is not like that where you name a specific stall or anything. it's always changing. so it's important to focus on neighborhoods and float. shinsa dong, hongdae, shinchon, apkujong, wangshimni, myung dong. have fun

From the movie "Chef" has the thought about taking one of the Kogi trucks on a road-trip come up? Like a long distance kind of road trip for a few weeks to visit college campuses, culinary schools, etc?

shit we can barely make it out of LA. it's like roulette everytime we turn the key. but a road trip sounds fun. with LOTS of weed and good tunes

Hi Roy;

Did you ever envision the explosion of the food truck industry? Is this industry here to stay or is it a launching pad for new foods that will eventually get delivered through traditional mean, e.g. brick and mortar restaurants?

Thanks for inspiring all the good eats through out LA.

i never imagined anything other than making tacos for the people in front of me. but the energy then gave me and my team the imagination to dream and trust our instincts. of course it's here to stay because it was here before twitter. it's the way the whole latino culture eats and working class citizens enjoy their lunch. and now it's spread it's wings to involve everyone. it's a beautiful thing that helps small business in america and beyond. grassroots underground independent love

Will you ever start another truck?

kogi is my life. i am a one woman truck man

hey Roy, what's your favorite chipotle order? they forgot to interview the king of street food for this article.

http://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/best-things-to-get-at-chipotle-chefs-favorite-orders?vc=2322

i don't really eat chipotle but much love to them

When was the last time you and Eddie Huang hung out?

i saw the Based FOB about two months ago in chinatown. i love what he's doing and will champion the homie in whatever he does. we ate chego with Andy Ricker, talked about shorties, and just hung out

You ever consider having your own YouTube channel and show how to prepare some of your favorite dishes? Also I loved the movie chef! It was really good.

i do have my own channel now cnn.com/roychoi peep it. thanks on chef the movie. more to come on the videos hopefully. bother cnn for season 2

Hey Roy, Have you considered expanding your dessert menu? They're so good!

ha, thanks. it's all from the hip. we used to have a pastry chef but she moved on to pie hole and since then it's been us savory guys trying our best. i appreciate that. at POT tho, we have an amazing pastry chef and i'm proud of the desserts at the line hotel and POT. people sleep on our red bean ice

What aspect of the Line Hotel are you most proud of?

POT

What's the weirdest street food that you've ever tried?

the dirty water hot dog in NYC is pretty weird in a delicious way too

silk worms in korea

Hi Roy! Love what you stand for and the love you bring to the people of LA. If you were to get stuck with 3 chefs in an island with you, who would it be and why?

Daniel Patterson Jon Shook Vinny Dotolo because i love these three fools and we are intertwined already

Are there any popular dishes that you can't stand?

kale salad

Hi Roy,

I was wondering if you could tell me what your go to cook books are/were (when you were starting out)? Whether it's just for a recipe to make or for inspiration. I do a lot of cooking at home and I'm always looking to expand my abilities.

Also, how much work did it take to get Jon Favreau up to your standards, since I know that he did a lot of the cooking in "Chef"? The movie was absolutely fantastic, by the way. My girlfriend and I enjoyed it so much that we were smiling for hours afterwards.

thank you on Chef. Half the work was Jon being able and willing. He really made the role, I just gave him some thoughts and details but he had to bring it to life. He is a talented mutha that man is. early cookbook loves are Sauces by James Peterson, Escoffier, Zuni Cafe, Jacques Pepin La Methode and La Technique

What do you order to judge a taco truck?

al pastor and carne asada plus i taste the salsas and look at the taquero's face

Roy Choi! I loved the movie Chef, and I'm going to use your pork recipe in the slow cooker this weekend. Any chance of bringing some korean street food onto trucks? I'd love to see what you could do with dukbokki and soondae, but please leave the silk worms alone! Much love from ktown!

have you ever heard of Kogi? we have been bringing ktown food to the streets for six years

What works best with korean bbq? Having it for the first time tomorrow.

soju, kimchi, friends, old clothes that you don't mind stinking up, stretchable pants. enjoy!!!

How'd you get to know/reach out to Bambu from LA? #partyWorker

Bambu!!!!!! i've been a fan like forever then through kogi it all connects. the hip hop community has mad love for kogi, so whenever i meet someone they just give love like no other. i started connecting with Bam over twitter just like we all do these days then finally met him through Evidence at Ev's concert at The Viper Room where Bam opened up for him. I was so nervous like yo that's Bam then he found I was the kogi dude and he was like yo that's the kogi due...ha and we both got over our excitement and kicked it.

haha, I was starstruck first time I met him too.

just saw your name on this Party Worker album liner notes (just came out today for backers!) and didn't know you had such a big contribution to that project aside from the collaborative Kickstarter rewards.

peace from Orlando.

O-Town

I'm from the Bay Area and can't wait for Loco'l to open. Any chance Kogi and Chego might make their way up too?

thanks on loco'l. Bay Area Kogi would be a beautiful thing. I love the Yay so much. we are trying but like I said before, Kogi is a spiritual beast and very stubborn. everytime we try to grow it, it wants to stay underground and low low. but we are trying to grow it. it's kinda like me in my early twenties. stubborn and powerful.

I remember you were in Austin, Texas awhile back. I'm planning a BBQ crawl next year for my vacation. So I'd like to know which BBQ joint has the best brisket?

FRANKLIN'S FTMFW

How many waffles does it take to cover a roof?

watch out for the fries