
By Jacqueline Briggs Martin, June Jo Lee, Man One has been a pioneer in the graffiti art movement in Los Angeles since the 1980s. His work has Man One (Illustrator)
Part of the Food Heroes series
A chef transforms street food into a cultural revolution on wheels.
Meet Chef Roy Choi, a culinary innovator who blends the flavors of his Korean heritage with the vibrant cultures of Los Angeles. From his food truck, he serves dishes infused with 'sohn maash'—the love and care of generations. As he cooks for outsiders and skateboarders alike, Roy redefines what it means to eat on the streets. Will his culinary remix inspire a new wave of food culture? Discover the story of a chef who turns meals into moments of connection and joy, inviting everyone to savor the taste of community.
Chef Roy Choi calls himself a “street cook.”He wants outsiders, low-riders, kids, teens, shufflers and skateboarders, to have food cooked with care, with love, with sohn maash. “Sohn maash” is the flavors in our fingertips. It is the love and cooking talent that Korean mothers and grandmothers mix into their handmade foods. For Chef Roy Choi, food means love. It also means culture, not only of Korea where he was born, but the many cultures that make up the streets of Los Angeles, where he was raised. So remixing food from the streets, just like good music–and serving it up from a truck–is true to L.A. food culture. People smiled and talked as they waited in line. Won’t you join him as he makes good food smiles? Jacqueline Briggs Martin, author of the Caldecott Medal winner, Snowflake Bentley as well as Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table, and Alice Waters and the Trip to Delicious continues her Food Heroes series with Chef Roy Choi on people who change what and how we eat. Together with food ethnographer June Jo Lee and internationally renowned graffiti artist Man One, they bring an exuberant celebration of street food and street art. Chef Roy Choi is also available in Spanish as El Chef Roy Choi y su Remix de la Comida Callejera. Both language editions are available in audiobook editions, narrated by illustrator Man One. The English recorded edition was “Earphones Award” winner from Audiofile magazine.
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