Momofuku

by David Chang, Peter Meehan

With 200,000+ copies in print, this New York Times bestseller shares the story and the recipes behind the chef and cuisine that changed the modern-day culinary landscape. 

Never before has there been a phenomenon like Momofuku. A once-unrecognizable word, it's now synonymous with the award-winning restaurants of the same name in New York City (Momofuku Noodle Bar, Ssäm Bar, Ko, Má Pêche, Fuku, Nishi, and Milk Bar), Toronto, and Sydney. Chef David Chang single-handedly revolutionized cooking in America and beyond with his use of bold Asian flavors and impeccable ingredients, his mastery of the humble ramen noodle, and his thorough devotion to pork. 

Chang relays with candor the tale of his unwitting rise to superstardom, which, though wracked with mishaps, happened at light speed. And the dishes shared in this book are coveted by all who've dined—or yearned to—at any Momofuku location (yes, the pork buns are here). This is a must-read for anyone who truly enjoys food.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Culinary, Reference, Asian Literature

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 27, 2009

Reviews

[Chris "Stu" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I just read a cookbook cover to cover. Yes, it's crazy. Yeah, I don't think I have the cooking ability to do all the recipes.

But I think i can do some. I'm going to try, at least. The Momofuku Cookbook is three things, primarily. It's a coffeetable book, for sure. The photos are beautiful, absolutely gorgeous food porn. It's also a cookbook, which, to my eye, seems thorough and comprehensive. I have yet to try to cook out of it, but reading through a lot of recipes it seems that you need only to have the will and drive to actually try things. It's nothing compared to the Thomas Keller impossible recipes from his French Laundry cookbook. But, third, the Momofuku book is a narrative of the rise of David Chang. Chang gets the proper humble but arrogant narrative voice to drive his story forward, and, having eaten at all of his recipes, he deserves some of the arrogance.

Most importantly, this is the first time reading a cookbook has made me actually excited about the idea of cooking, rather than just challenged and nervous. I'm excited to maybe take a stab at some of the more daunting recipes, and see just how they cheat me. Who knows, maybe I'll have some edible failures.

[Forest Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is currently changing my life. Some dodo reviewers on amazon claim it's impractical... yeah, if your a complete pussy! It's actually really easy to cook from as long as you have an asian market close, or the internet. The "sources" page is awesome. I found it's actually cheaper, including shipping, to order bacon from the guy momofuku gets their bacon from, than buying whole foods' inferior but still good shit. A revelation!

[Ehrrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

When reading cookbooks I usually read the foreword to get a sense of the author's perspective and philosophy, and then page through the recipes, reading here and there when something strikes me. But, I read David Chang's Momofuku book cover-to-cover, and thought obsessively about it when I wasn't reading it--like I would an engrossing novel. The book is set up that way--it's the story of how the Momofuku empire came into existence, and, more fascinatingly, how the dishes evolved. Chang's love of the food and reverence for his ingredients is palpable.

Even though I'm (mostly, with the recent exception of occasional seafood) vegetarian, and Momofuku incessantly insists on celebrating meat, and even though many of these recipes are beyond what one could achieve even as an ambitious home cook, I just love this cookbook! There are several places where Chang really goes into incredible detail in tutorials so that even if you've never tried what he's doing, and never even considered trying it before, you'd have a tough time not doing it right if you follow his careful instructions.

I can imagine he's extremely difficult to work with, and his references to frequenting strip clubs made me think that he's likely a bit of a tool at times, but I have no doubt in his brilliance as a chef and innovator. I've been a little obsessed with trying the Momofuku restaurants since I saw Chang featured on the food porn episode of "No Reservations" with Anthony Bourdain last year, and reading this book just kicked my desire up to a frenzied pitch. Must get to NYC asap, and make several Momofuku stops.

[reading is my hustle]

Recipes are a bit too fussy for my liking- especially since many of the ingredients necessitate a trip to a specialty store.

The ginger scallion sauce was pretty tasty and the only recipe I ended up making:

Ingredients

* 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions (greens and whites; from 1 to 2 large bunches)
* 1/2 cup finely minced peeled fresh ginger
* 1/4 cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons usukuchi (light soy sauce)
* 3/4 teaspoon sherry vinegar
* 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

(Makes about three cups)

Directions

Mix together the scallions, ginger, oil, soy, vinegar, and salt in a bowl. Taste and check for salt, adding more if needed. Though it’s best after 15 or 20 minutes of sitting, ginger scallion sauce is good from the minute it’s stirred together up to a day or two in the fridge. Use as directed, or apply as needed.

[Alopexin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Inspiring and ingenious, but whenever he tries to talk about Asian stuffs (esp Vietnamese stuffs) I had to roll my eyes. He can try to make fusion and Asian inspired American food all he likes but the pretense that he understands Asian food culture is too much. The bit where he trash talked his mom's fridge kimchi was hard to read, but I don't think I could comment on that bc my mom doesn't make kimchi. But the bit where he was like "if a Vietnamese family doesn't have a jar of fish sauce vinaigrette in the fridge then something is wrong" set my eyebrow twitching (first, maybe we don't want a jar of stale sauce to stink up the fridge, maybe we mix a fresh batch every time we need some. Maybe there are different proportions of ingredients and we adjust each batch to the dish. Also, just fundamental non comprehension of difference in northern and southern Vietnamese cooking.) The pompously named "xo sauce" is something we call in Vietnamese mắm kho quẹt, aka caramel porks but with extra salty sauce and pork scraps to stretch a meal. Don't get me started on "oriental sauce" and how uncharacteristically lazy and flippant that is. If the point is to continue to promote that all Asians are the same, maybe the chef needs to rethink his origins.
A lot of "I'm just a dude, why am I oh so successful" is kinda annoying, as well as the "I'm an asshole and a bully in the kitchen and I throw temper tantrums at my employees." But you gotta hand it to him: his ideas work, and he built what he has.

[Yaaresse]

Man, social media's emphasis on personal branding and FoodTV's invention of the celebrity chef has killed cookbooks.

I'm burned out by the "let me brag about how amazing I am while making constant snarky comments about everything that doesn't live up to my personal vision....oh, and here are some recipes that may or may not be what my restaurant serves -- not that most of you will ever know for sure because you're not influential enough to get a reservation -- and, BTW, these recipes may or may not have been properly tested for a home kitchen." If you want to write a memoir, write a memoir. If you want to write a cookbook, write a cookbook. Bonus: you might sell two books instead of one. This trying to kludge the two together thing, though, has resulted in a flood of books that are unusable, annoying half-ass cookbooks and insufferable, obnoxious half-ass memoirs.

It's a very pretty book, and some of the recipes sounded interesting enough that I might have learned something from it if I could have gotten past the author's tone. It's got the problem of the main ingredient on nearly every page being a giant pile of swagger.

[Abby Stopka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. The second one I have read from him. And the recipes and everything are great and listening to his stories and explanations are absolutely wonderful.

[Netts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved his amusing, humblebrag story about how he stumbled into the hipster food fad vortex of questionably earned success. I can't help but like his bombastic self promotion because he does it intelligently and with a sense of humor. It's done in a tone that makes you a co-conspirator in his great food bamboozle and it's genuinely entertaining.
On the other hand, and not surprising, I'm completely unimpressed by the pedestrian recipes. This is not some kind of kitchen bible. There are a few decent techniques (which you can also find elsewhere) and a couple of good recipes interspersed among a whole lot of underwhelming ones. If calling a cucumber salad a "quick pickle" makes you swoon then this is the book for you but if you can actually cook, you're not going to find much new stuff here.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly awesome book.I was up all night reading it.Some early critiques mentioned that this is not for your average home cook,and it's not.Not many people are going to blow torch hair off a pig's head.(I would).But his story is worth the read about how he built his restaurants.
He said the editors got him to eliminate a lot of the "fucks",but there are are still plenty.He said "That's the way I fucking talk!"I curse a lot in the kitchen,it comes with the territory.
He issued Blackberrys to his chefs to have round table discussions after service each night.Problems,ideas and SHITTY TIPPERS.How cool is that?Hey jerk you just got blacklisted from three places at once.

[Robyn Hawk · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Momofuku David Chang does for Asian cooking what Julia Child did for French cooking...Asian recipes you can make in your American kitchen.

Chang writes in the smart,edgy, funny and somewhat irreverent style that put him where he sits today, at the head of an Asian cooking dynasty! With four award winning restaurants (of the same name) in New York City, (Chang conquered this city that can take a new chef, chew him up and spit him out) we know that this is more than chef this is a business man.

The partnership with Peter Meehan gives Momofuku the feel of two guys talking over a couple of beers. This book is written as only a friend can help you write about yourself - the honesty in both the story and the dialog is genuine and will speak to most readers. And the tone is set with the dedication page where the authors print a quote from a fifteenth century Zen Buddhist high priest next to one from Born Standing Up by Comedian Steve Martin.

If you are looking for a book full of recipes - this delivers. But Chang takes you through his story and reveals the process and journey he took to not just cook but to understand. From his journey to find the perfect ramen to his story of finding the secret to cooking the perfect steamed buns for his famous steamed pork buns...you actually read through the book and the stories spur you on to try the recipes.

With each recipe he gives you substitutions that work in an American kitchen and how to find hard to source ingredients.

BRAVO to both David Chang and Peter Meehan!!!

Reviews from Amazon:
“The breathless hype is true. His food is as good and as exciting as everyone says it is. David Chang has opened up a new direction in dining and cooking. With his troika of Momofukus, he changed the whole game. Scary-smart, funny, and ambitious, the wildly creative Chang is the guy all chefs have got to measure themselves by these days.”
—Anthony Bourdain

“As a food professional I am always on the look out for the new, the different, and the delicious. It was with great pleasure that one day I tasted David Chang’s pork buns at Momofuku. Since then, I have sampled almost all of his delectable creations and I am so pleased that I finally have a book of recipes that will allow me to try to emulate them at home.”
—Martha Stewart

[Miya Kakuda · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We're hoping to succeed, we're okay with failure." - Dave Chang

My awe and respect for David Chang started when I transitioned into the food science industry and began watching PBS's Mind of a Chef program. As an Asian American, I am always excited to see others being recognized and doing well. But more importantly, I am excited to see those who are creative do well.

After becoming loosely obsessed with the Chang's view of food, I became interested in getting to eat at one of his restaurants. But living far from New York made this difficult, so reading Momofuku was the next best thing.

Chang and Peter Meehan marvelously retell the opening of Chang's restaurants. The narrative is honest and raw, no hiding behind their successes and highlighting the hardships and failures. Reading of his difficulties, made me appreciate his food and his work more.

While the book tells a narrative, it is also filled with recipes. The book is formatted with the recipes relating to a specific restaurant's menu. The two recipes that I was lusting for, ramen and XO sauce, were included and I was thrilled!

The difficulties of the recipes are a wide range, but the hardest part is definitely the sourcing of ingredients or controlling the portion sizes. I recognize that this book is meant more as a companion to Chang's empire, but I appreciate the chance to try my hand at his famous noodles.

I read this book, a cookbook!, from cover to cover, and have tried some of the recipes.

I would recommend this book: Anyone interested in food. Food is "in" right now, so why not read about one of the more prominent faces? Also anyone who is curious about restaurant life. Momofuku may not be a Kitchen Confidential but it is of a similar frankness and character.

[lifelike · Rating 2 out of 5]

Half-memoir, half-cookbook. Hundreds of pages of navel-gazing stories, on subjects like "he didn't have enough money to open the restaurant yet spent thousands of dollars at a strip club, then forced his co-owners to bring their own kitchen gear to open the restaurant." Recipes towards the end of the book are mostly unnecessarily complicated and pretentious, which is funny, because half the book is clearly intended to make the reader think that this guy is totally unpretentious and casual. If you are into that combination of "someone teaching you how to grate your frozen foie gras torchon while desperately trying to sound like he isn't stuck-up," you'll love this. Hundreds of pages long, and maybe only two or three recipes I'd consider trying. The first half of the book mostly featured basic Korean/Japanese fusion stuff that many of us have done before, like pickled vegetables, ginger dipping sauce, etc. The second half of the book is more molecular gastronomy and foie gras. Thanks for telling us where you source your "methylcellulose f50"; it's definitely every home cook's go-to ingredient. Some of the techniques were downright ridiculous. Why would anyone ever simmer pistachios in liquid for an hour? What I appreciate about this book is how he constantly says that he's not deserving of all the accolades, and how he really mistreats the people around him. At least he knows! Lots of celebrity chefs are this shitty to other people, and have absolutely no self-awareness. I'm sure his food is acceptable- at least he's passionate about what he does - but after reading this, I have no desire to visit his restaurants, one of which sells a $1,888 "caviar and fried chicken" dish. If this makes you roll your eyes, you may want to skip this book.

[Aaron Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this book at Elliot Bay books which is across the street from the fine dining Mexican restaurant I worked at would kill time before my shift started. I thumbed through the forward and read about the author's obsession with ramen and his time in Japan, eventually landing back in NYC and opening up a noodle shop of his own. I then saw the chef at the Mexican restaurant experiment with making ramen noodles for himself and a few lucky staff and kinda chuckled. That chef told me about the Momofuku Milk bar pastry cookbook, which I bought and it became my favorite book on pastry; sending me all over town, the internet, and the rest of creation in search of freeze dried corn, glucose syrup, and sheet gelatin. So I finally come back to this book, which I have renewed the maximum times from the library (which indicates that I will now buy it) and learned something that my chef knew a year ago- this book is the truth! Although the techniques explained are usually quite simple (how to pickle vegetables, or how to temp a steak) the author's approach to cuisine is just radical enough to put him in that rare-to-find category of original. The idea to use the rich salty/smoky flavor of bacon to emulate bonito (dried fish flake) used in dashi to make a uniquely american take on a japanese mother sauce is emblematic of his ability to take what is great about the flavors of a classic dish and recreate that using surprising elements from the culinary palate. This book is useful to home cooks and professionals alike. Anyone who loves to cook will find something useful, if not relavatory, within it's pages. A definite must-have for the modern line cook.

[Liana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a vegan puts me at great odds with someone like David Chang, but it doesn't stop me from being a big fan. I binge-watched his Bourdain-narrated PBS series "Mind of a Chef" in a manner of days last month, and it blew my mind. Since I could never eat at Momofuku Noodle Bar (or Ssam Bar or Ko or Milk Bar--Chang flatly refuses to cater to vegetarians), reading his cookbook was the next best thing. The sheer creativity and effort that goes into Chang's cuisine is far beyond anything I could ever imagine up myself. Though I obviously can't eat things pork belly sandwiches, I read every recipe with a slack-jawed, drooling mouth. One noodle dish was actually vegan, and some of the recipes might be adaptable without dairy or meat. I am also excited to experiment with pickling fruits and vegetables--his whole section on pickling was worth the price of the book.
That said, Momofuku loses a star for its autobiographical/narrative content. While engaging, acerbic and funny, Chang paints a picture of Momofuku (and himself) as some sort of struggling underdog, always striving to prove people wrong, always on the brink of disastrous failure. But--by the third or fourth opening--Chang's narrative becomes so repetitive it's almost boring. His "surprise" successes stop being surprising--especially given the fact that I found out about him through his TV show and his Michelen stars, not some obscure word-of-mouth Yelp review. Hearing the origin stories of some of the dishes and his adventures learning noodle-making in Japan was much more interesting than the repeatedly rehashed tale of opening another wait-outside-in-the-cold-to-get-a-table restaurant.

[John Mendiola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Momofuku may be the first book that has so tangibly affected my life. It's inspired me to be more creative in the kitchen. Since starting adulthood, I've enjoyed cooking but it's always been pretty standard affairs. This makes me want to elevate what I do in the kitchen. It's given me a look behind the kitchen that shows like No Reservations don't give and shows like Top Chef give poorly. Cooking is such a science and an art and a craft all at once and I can't wait to keep doing it.

Also, the Momofuku story is really interesting. It's a very atypical journey but one full of creativity and hard work (with a dash of luck) that is truly inspiring.

P. S. We went to Noodle Bar in NY so that's worth another extra star, at least.

[Emilie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I'll only eat about a quarter of these recipes as written. But everything I have made using these recipes as a jumping off point has been delicious.
Although-- I will say that Francis Lam's ginger scallion sauce is superior and suitable for bathing. I wouldn't kick David Chang's ginger scallion sauce out of bed, but I probably wouldn't call it the next day.

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written fun read: a mix of cookbook and biography.. The recipes are a mix of totally doable to not at all possible. We've made some of the recipes including sauces and pickles.

Back in the old days cookbooks often had guides at the back. Suggestions of foods that would go together and could be done in one night. This book could really use that.

[gudetamama · Rating 3 out of 5]

What got me to sit down for a long read (although I'd only planned to browse through it casually) was that it opens up like a quest story: the quest for a then-English tutor living in Japan, to find a master (shi fu) to teach him the secrets arts of making ramen. Then the usual hurdles he and his growing team faced as they first opened up the Momofuku Noodle Bar... But then-- bam. They're successful and famous. (It happens so fast, but I guess that's real life for you.) Because they'd started cooking the things they liked, and not what they were expected to cook, as a Japanese restaurant.

This is exactly the type of cuisine I want to try my hand at: strongly Asian-influenced but infused and delivered with that American attitude. It inspired me to start writing down ingredients to buy, so I can surprise my Chinese boyfriend with how great I am. I want to see his eyes pop open wide with amazement, and make his tastebuds sing. And that's exactly the thing about this book: it hints at culinary alchemy, like if you just follow the recipe and put this and this together, and though it looks simple enough, you'll get something unexpected and magical.

BUT this book isn't for the beginner like me, it's more for the already proficient home cooks looking to break out of their comfort zones. So this makes me curse my ineptitude in the kitchen. Plus a lot of pork products aren't easily available where I live. :( I will, however, try the famous ginger scallion sauce, which looks simple enough. And you know what's better than this book? (or at least, a good supplement) Blogs about this book. Like one reviewer said, this is like the Julia Child of Asian cooking. And I found a couple of Julie and Julia's on the Internet. Their entries are more beginner-friendly, and the photos are beautiful. I am SO going to try the Milk Bar, and the Crack Pie... Gaahr I want a pork bun right now. Gotta love food writing (on blogs) that gets you reaching for your spatula.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Momofuku felt intimate and authentic - David Chang has been a favorite chef to follow on social media, and he reminds me so much of the late Anthony Bourdain: irreverent, passionate, and charmingly lacking much of an internal dialogue. His journey from religion studies graduate to renowned chef was interesting to read, and his drive to produce food that is, at once both true to his Korean roots yet elevated without pretension, is translated beautifully in this cookbook/memoir of his start in the restaurant world.
Although recognition of and appreciation for POC chefs have increased in the past decade, there is still much to be done in the way of normalizing Asian cuisine as something beyond Chinese take out and Korean bbq tables. Chang leads the way with heart and ambition...but I adore his effusive love for instant ramen and other humble yet delicious mainstays of every day cuisine that deserve to be applauded as well next to fancier fare. An engaging read for both the home cook and the devoted foodie.

[Bradley Mckellip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a cookbook for your home kitchen. You simply can't make most of the shit he can, and that's why he's awesome. He has earned his reputation for his uncompromising commitment to food that tastes good, with absolutely no regard for convention. If you want to know how to make a multi-course dinner just like Momofuku Ko, this book will tell you how to do it. You simply have to understand that Momofuku Ko is one of the most respected restaurants in the world because no one else can do it like Chang and Co. This cookbook is so great because has a truly endearing voice that he uses to describe his gonzo mad scientist ramen-meets-haute cuisine-meets-PBR-fueled-imagination techniques. The way the book flows-from the ramen restaurant, to a more standard sit-down, to the 12-seat gastro-shrine of Momofuku Ko-demonstrates Chang's breadth of genius so quietly that one must finish reading from cover to cover before it becomes apparent. And goddamn is it apparent.

[Nicholas Aune · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alright. I'm on the fence with this guy.

On one hand, some of the recipes just look brilliant. And the pickle recipes as well as the explanation on how to clarify stocks with gelatin are awesome. Also, Chang's story of trying only to fail, only to get the guts to keep on going is kind of charming.

Then again, most of the really impressive recipes that won him these awards aren't his. And a lot of the recipes are admittedly failures, and he explains that the restaurant currently uses different variations created by other cooks. And Chang's story really isn't that enjoyable. He comes off as an egotistical jerk, and makes no secret that he is aware of this, and doesn't care.

Still, he is an award winning chef who has the highest accolades in the trade. He is the poster boy for the new generation of cooks. This book is essential to understand the man and where all of this success came from.

[Eling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decided this counts as a "real" book as well because it is as much the story of Dave Chang + Momofuku + how the recipes came to be as it is recipes.

Really enjoyed this. Am probably skewed to like David Chang anyway; have liked everything I've had at Noodle Bar & Milk Bar, enjoy swearing, pork, and LOVE noodles, plus we share a surname, but am fully Team Momofuku after reading this. I think it was the use these two phrases: "the rest of the round-eye crew" and "I popped my meat glue cherry" that really won me over.

While some of the recipes are very involved and require some real dedication (Chang even admits that some are honestly crazy to attempt in a home kitchen, but shares the info anyway, which I find endearing), others couldn't be easier or would be easy enough to attempt with a little extra effort. I'm definitely off to make pickles ASAP.

[Mili · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conozco a Chang de verlo en televisión y generalmente no me gusta. No me gusta su acercamiento a la comida, no me gustan los ingredientes que utiliza, no me cae bien su personalidad.

A pesar de todo lo anterior, este libro resultó ser un gran hallazgo. Tiene buenas historias que hablan sobre platos legendario y la creación de un restaurante y tiene recetas simples pero alucinantes. Es un libro pensado para cualquier amante de la gastronomía, amateur o experto, bien escrito, con lindas fotos y lleno de inspiración.

No es un libro fundamental en la biblioteca, pero es lindo tenerlo. Este libro es un homenaje a todo lo que la buena cocina significa: tradición, ingredientes frescos, dedicación, innovación y mucho amor.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chang's writing leaves a little to be desired and there are some editing quirks, but he and Meehan have more than made up for that with Lucky Peach. A lot of the recipes skew a little sweet/sugar-heavy for my taste but that is easily remedied. Some of the temperature/timing needs to be played with to get the most out of your home kitchen—true for all cookbooks but somehow more frequently here in the recipes I tried. Most importantly, the food is delicious and the skill level required is relatively low. First thing I made was a quart of ginger-scallion sauce that disappeared almost immediately.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I, as a normal human not living in NY city, am not usually too aware of "hot" or "hip" restaurants "happening" in the The City. The husband found this cookbook while idling around B&N one day and being a lover of Ramen soups promptly put it on hold at the library to test out. Happy surprise, the writing is engaging, the recipes are exhilarating and the whole feel of the book is one of giddy rebellion. We fought over who would read it cover to cover first.

I made the best english muffins from their recipe. I plan on purchasing this book to cook my way through it.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a cookbook, this is pretty useless unless you have an insanely well-stocked kitchen and a lot of time on your hands. The most basic recipes call for specialty ingredients I would never use for anything else, and I can't really make 10 servings of ramen broth in my studio apartment's kitchen. I was also put off by the "story" of Momofuku; I wish this had been all cookbook and no story.

Maybe I'm just annoyed because the recipe for chilled spicy noodles isn't included. Back to hunting on food blogs!

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a very intimidating cookbook. I personally completed several recipes and by following the steps as directed, the dishes were delicious. The recipes were well written and illustrated. But again I need to state, each dish required multiple steps, hours of prep work and sometimes required 24 hours of prep work as well. Because this cookbook was chosen by my cooking club, I also had the opportunity to sample over 30 dishes from the book, ALL were delicious. It’s a great cookbook but not one that would consider as a cooking bible for the kitchen.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a result of reading this book, I now have Maldon salt, grapeseed oil, and a spider utensil in my Amazon shopping card. I took a deep dive into David Chang and watched an episode of Ugly Food on Netflix. He is a deeply authentic person. I would like to eat at one of his restaurants some day! Fun Fact: There is an awesome picture book biography written by Andrea Chang about Momofuku Ando, who invented instant ramen. It’s title is Magic Ramen and bc I enjoyed that book the title of this book caught my eye. Small world.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love food. I love reading about food and talking about food, and especially cooking food. Eating is OK too.

This book was an inspiration to me. I really like their approach to food, and I've had a lot of success playing with the flavors from some of their dishes in other contexts, too. I love the experimental attitude - this shit is delicious, AND fun to make. Win!

No chickens allowed in this kitchen. And I don't mean the feathered ones..

[Yvonne Edwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn't cook out of this book (most of the recipes are far too complicated for me) but I loved reading David Chang's story of how he got to where he is today. This is more than a book about food - it's about having a passion for something, working hard at it, and disregarding social expectations.