David Chang, celebrity and James Beard award winning chef has released a new memoir about his life. In this interview with Anthony Mason, he is insightful and painfully honest about his life as an Asian American, growing up “in-between” cultures and the cliche stereotype of all American immigrants who want a better life for their children. Without any bias or stereotype, he reminds me of a great Korean-American man for whom I used to work, who was the Vice-Chairman of McCann Erickson — Intense to a level of kafkaesque cruelty, brilliant, driven, courageous and yet with a kindness that only a patriarch can exhibit.
It seems incredulous that he is still surviving in a city where retail rents are astronomical and yet will not not allow retailers like restaurants to re-open to a capacity where you can afford to pay the rent. David Chang has closed several of his restaurants in an effort to save the core business in the face of terrible odds but we are all just very happy that he is still available somewhere in NYC.
Despite being gentler and kinder, as expressed in his interview, his fiery entrepreneurial drive has lead him to seek out new ways to connect with his fans and customers. David has a regular podcast and is promoting his new book. You can of course buy his book or attend his live video interview and receive a signed copy of his book when you buy a ticket.
