Eight years after opening his flagship restaurant, Momofuku Noodle Bar
in
the East Village, David Chang is still on top of the food world and only
getting bigger (cameos on
Top Chef and HBO's hit show
Treme, plus a
new
restaurant set to open in Sydney, Australia).
Google his name and
millions
of articles will come up, most raving about his superstardom.
Unlike
most
star-hungry bastards, he despises such articles, but in spite of that,
here's another one to add to the list.
Let me count the ways in which he is so awesome (in no particular
order)...
5. Lucky Peach magazine
debuted
to the online world on June 7 and officially hit newsstands and
bookstores a
week ago (June 22). What is it? It's his very own quarterly food-based
magazine. Each issue will focus on one food topic alone that will be
explored through a variety of subjects, i.e., art, anthropology,
science,
etc. And since it is David Chang, expect lots and lots of cameos. The
first
issue's already got the likes of Ruth Reichl, Anthony Bourdain, and
Wylie
Dufresne.
The theme of issue one is ramen, and here are some articles you will
find:
- John T. Edge introduces the New Orleans specialty, ya ka mein
- Debunking the Myth of Authenticity with Todd Kliman
- David Chang's very own eating escapades in Japan
- Recipes, recipes, recipes!
Oh yeah, and if you despise paper, there's an iPad app for it too.
4. He always speaks his mind. Like Bourdain, he is known for being a badass. He says whatever the
hell he wants, whenever he the hell he wants. For some examples click here, here, here, and here.
3. Pillowy clouds are what his pork buns are made of. Have you had
them
yet? They are simple but the stuff of dreams: bun, pork belly,
scallions,
cucumbers, and sweet hoison sauce. Put eating them on your bucket list,
if
you haven't done so already. Get them at either Momofuku Noodle
Bar
or Momofuku Ssam Bar.
2. Milk Bar exists. The
sweet shop originally surfaced in 2008 adjacent to Momofuku Ssam Bar and
has
since expanded to locations in Midtown and Billyburg. Aside from the
funky
named items that can be found on the menu -- Crack Pie and Compost
Cookie --
there's Cereal Milk Soft Serve. It tastes like leftover milk from your
cereal bowl infused with cornflake cereal. It's genius!
1. And finally, the internet. Like any chef who wants to make a name for himself, he
has
some serious
swag online: a
cookbook,
food items from Milk Bar, totes, and even cooking sauces modeled after
the
very sauces used in his restaurants (sold exclusively at
Williams-Sonoma).
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