Eat A Peach by David Change

I am currently obsessed with the celebrity chef David Chang, which is curious because I have never eaten at one of his restaurants. I first heard him interviewed on my favorite new podcast "Smartless" with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. From that, I watched two seasons of Chang's Netflix series "Ugly Delicious," which is wonderful. In the series, he is honest, funny, open, and his passion for food and its origins are infectious. He is the antithesis of “snooty,” and even has appreciation for Domino’s Pizza. I followed up the series by reading Chang’s memoir "Eat a Peach," which was just the perfect complement to the podcast and the series. If you are a foodie, you probably already know that Chang is not only a chef but also a restaurant mogul. In 2004, he opened a noodle restaurant called Momofuku in New York's East Village. By 2018, he owned more than 15 restaurants around the world, including Ko which received two Michelin stars and Milk Bar, Momofuku's bakery. How he became a successful chef is as important as his accomplishments. He grew up in Virginia, the son of Korean immigrants, and his dad wanted him to become a golf pro. When that dream did not pan out, Chang went to college but was plagued by feelings of anxiety, depression, suicide and isolation. After college he convinced his father to loan him money to open a restaurant, which seemed an unlikely venture. His ramen bowls and pork buns soon attracted a cult following, and his interest in food dove tailed into an incredibly successful business. His career was sweetened later by the addition of his wife Grace, and young son Hugo. I loved readying "Eat A Peach," and hope to try one of his ramen bowls on day, too. Chang’s story demonstrates that life can be, at times, very difficult. But finding a passion for something you love, being tenacious and working very hard at that job, sometimes can pay off victoriously. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.