Momofuku (restaurants)

Momofuku is a culinary brand established by chef David Chang in 2004 with the opening of Momofuku Noodle Bar. It includes restaurants in New York City, Sydney, Toronto, Washington, DC, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles (Noodle Bar, Ssäm Bar, Ko, Má Pêche (defunct)[1], Seiōbo, Noodle Bar Toronto, Kōjin, Fuku, Fuku+, CCDC, Nishi, Ando, Las Vegas, Fuku Wall St, Kāwi), a bakery established by pastry chef Christina Tosi (Milk Bar), a bar (Nikai), and a quarterly magazine (Lucky Peach). The restaurants are notable for their innovative take on cuisine, while supporting local, sustainable and responsible farmers and food purveyors.

Momofuku
IndustryCulinary
Founded2004 in New York City, New York, United States
FounderDavid Chang
Headquarters
United States of America 
Key people
David Chang
ProductsMomofuku Noodle Bar
Momofuku Ssäm Bar
Momofuku Ko
Websitewww.momofuku.com 
Pork ramen from New York restaurant Momofuku Noodle Bar

Chang has written that the name "Momofuku" is "an indirect nod" to Momofuku Ando, the Taiwanese-Japanese inventor of instant ramen. Chang has suggested it is not an accident that he chose a word that sounds similar to the curse word "motherfucker".[2]

History

With experience in restaurants in New York City, Chef David Chang opened up his first restaurant in 2004, Momofuku Noodle Bar. It was influenced by his time spent working in Japan and visiting ramen shops.[3] After about a year of trials, Noodle Bar took off as a success when the chefs began cooking what they felt like — more adventurous dishes with better ingredients.[4] Growing, Noodle Bar eventually moved up the street and Momofuku Ko took over the space.

Momofuku Ssäm Bar opened after Noodle Bar and originally had the concept of an Asian style burrito bar (ssam is Korean for wrap).[5] After experiencing troubles, Chang and his cohorts decided to change the style of the menu, away from the burrito-centered cuisine. This change led Ssäm Bar to success, as it received two stars (eventually three) from The New York Times.[6]

The third restaurant to open was Momofuku Ko. Chang describes the idea behind Ko as a, "cook-centric restaurant with just a few stools, a collaborative kitchen, and a constantly changing menu."[7] Má Pêche was the fourth restaurant to open and the first to open outside of the East Village neighborhood.

Momofuku Seiōbo in October 2011 was the first restaurant to open outside of the U.S.[8] In January 2012, Momofuku opened the cocktail bar Booker & Dax in the back of Ssäm Bar in collaboration with Dave Arnold.[9] Momofuku Toronto followed in 2012 alongside the opening of the Shangri-La Hotel.[10] Fuku, a chicken sandwich restaurant, opened in the original Noodle Bar location in June 2015.[11]

Doing office work for Ssäm Bar at the time, pastry chef Christina Tosi began the desserts program at the three Momofuku restaurants, first at Ssäm Bar, then Noodle Bar, and then Ko.[12]

The first Momofuku Milk Bar started in the laundromat next to Ssäm Bar. After a year and a half, a second Milk Bar opened in Midtown, in the Chambers Hotel.[13] In November 2010 the Williamsburg, Brooklyn kitchen opened to accommodate the growth of Milk Bar.[14] On September 24, 2011, Milk Bar opened its fourth location on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.[15] In March 2012, Milk Bar opened a fifth location in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, and its most recent, sixth, location opened in SOHO in September 2014.[16]

In April 2018, Momofuku signed a deal with Kraft Heinz to start selling their chili sauce in American grocery stores.[17]

Restaurants
Momofuku's signature Gua bao dish

Momofuku Noodle Bar[18] was the first Momofuku restaurant; it opened in August 2004. It serves ramen, seasonal dishes, and a variety of buns.[19]

Since opening in 2006, Momofuku Ssäm Bar[20] has been listed as one of The World's 50 Best Restaurants for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012.[21] Weekday lunches feature an all-rotisserie duck menu.[22] Booker and Dax (the bar at Ssäm) is open late serving drinks made with new techniques and technologies.

Momofuku Ko[23] opened in March 2008.[24] At Momofuku Ko (ko means "child of"), guests sit along a kitchen counter and are served by the cooks. Dinner is a set tasting menu devised by the chef, Sean Gray, and his aides-de-cuisine. It is usually about 10 courses long;[25] at lunch the menu stretches out to 16 courses. Since opening in 2008, Momofuku Ko has earned two Michelin stars, which it has retained for eleven years.[26] Ko is No. 70 on the San Pellegrino World's Best Restaurants list.[27]

Má Pêche ("mother peach") is in Midtown Manhattan in the Chambers Hotel.[28] Má Pêche opened in 2010 with co-owner and executive chef, Tien Ho, with Chef Paul Carmichael taking the reins in October 2011.[29] This change prompted a shift in Má Pêche's cuisine from French-Vietnamese to American.[30] Má Pêche includes a midtown outpost of Christina Tosi's bakery, Momofuku Milk Bar.

Fuku is a casual chicken concept by Momofuku. Originally started as a fried chicken sandwich joint, Fuku has since grown to serve a variety of chicken and seasonal offerings, along with beer, slushies, and more. Fuku has locations in the East Village, Wall St, Madison Square Garden, Citi Field, and the Seaport in South Boston.[31]

Seiōbo is Momofuku's first restaurant outside of New York City.[32] In Sydney, it opened at The Star Casino in late October 2011.[33] "Seiōbo" (Japanese: 西王母) is the Japanese pronunciation for the traditional Chinese "goddess of the West", who is known in mythical stories, such as Journey to the West, as owning the celestial peach orchards. Momofuku Seiōbo has two hats from The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide and was named Best New Restaurant.[34]

Milk Bar Nolita sign

In 2012, David Chang opened Momofuku Toronto, Momofuku's first location in Canada.[35] It is in a three-story glass cube on University Avenue in Downtown Toronto and is home to Noodle Bar, Nikai, Daishō and Shōtō.[36]

Noodle Bar is on the ground floor and is a sister-restaurant to the one the same name in New York City. The menu features bowls of ramen and a roster of dishes like steamed buns and rice cakes. The restaurant is home to a custom piece of art created by Steve Keene.[36] Nikai is a bar and lounge on the second floor of Momofuku Toronto. The menu features cocktails, beer, wine, and sake. Guests can order items from both the Noodle Bar and Daishō menus.[36] Daishō is on the third floor. The menu features large format meals meant for parties of 4–10 guests, as well as an à la carte menu that includes dishes to share.[36] Shōtō is in the Daishō dining room on the third floor. Shōtō serves a roughly 10-course tasting menu that is based on market availability. Guests are seated along the counter and served by the chefs.[36]

Momofuku CCDC opened in October 2015 and is Chang's first restaurant in the Washington, D.C. area and the first in the United States outside of New York. It is in the downtown CityCenterDC development. The restaurant includes a Milkbar location.[37]

Crack Pie, a Momofuku Milk Bar original recipe and in its first cookbook[38]

Momofuku Milk Bar, under the direction of pastry chef Christina Tosi, is based in New York City and has several locations in the cities of Washington and Toronto.[39][40]

Momofuku Nishi (which means "west") opened in January 2016 and is Momofuku's first restaurant on the west side. In New York City's Chelsea neighborhood, guests can choose from à la carte offerings for lunch or dinner.

Momofuku Las Vegas is Momofuku's first restaurant in the western U.S. It is inside of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The menu draws influence from all over the world, including the U.S., Korea, and Japan. The constantly evolving menu features steamed buns, noodles, and meat and seafood meant for sharing.

Publications

In 2009, David Chang, Peter Meehan, Gabriele Stabile and the Momofuku team produced the Momofuku cookbook. It features recipes and photographs from Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssam Bar, Momofuku Ko, and Milk Bar. The cookbook was a New York Times Best Seller.[41][42]

Written by Christina Tosi with a foreword by David Chang, the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook was released in October 2011. Christina Tosi included her recipes for Cereal Milk, Crack Pie, the Compost Cookie, and other popular Milk Bar desserts.[12]

Scraps is a limited edition collection of outtakes and artwork from the Momofuku cookbook photographer, Gabriele Stabile.[43]

From 2011 to November 2013, Lucky Peach,[44] a quarterly journal of food writing, was published by McSweeney's.[45][46] Since then, it has been self-published.[47] Lucky Peach was then created by David Chang, Peter Meehan, and Zero Point Zero production.

The first issue of Lucky Peach centered on ramen.[48] The second issue, "The Sweet Spot", included articles on the neurobiology of how the brain detects sweet foods. This issue was a New York Times Best Seller.[49][50][51] The third issue, "Chefs and Cooks", was also a New York Times Best Seller.[52][53]

The fourth issue of Lucky Peach was about American food.[54] The fifth issue was about Chinatown and was released in November 2012.[55] The sixth issue was centered on the theme of the apocalypse and was published in January 2013.[56] The seventh issue of Lucky Peach was about travel. Released in May 2013, the issue featured one of Christopher Boffoli's "Big Appetites" photographs as its cover image.[57] The eighth issue centered on the idea of gender in the food world.[58]

In March 2017, Lucky Peach announced it would cease publication after printing a double issue in the fall of 2017.[59] Meehan stated that the shuttering of the publication was due to its partners' differences in creative direction and financial strategy.[60]

Awards and honors
  • 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants: Momofuku Ssam Bar[61]
  • 2011, 2012, 2013 San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants: Momofuku Ko[62][63][64]
  • 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Michelin Guide: Momofuku Ssäm Bar and Momofuku Noodle Bar, Michelin Bib Gourmands Guide to NYC[65][66][67][68]
  • 2008 James Beard Awards: David Chang (momofuku ssäm bar), Best Chef New York City[69]
  • 2009 New York Magazine Where to Eat[70] Momofuku Ko and Momofuku Milk Bar
  • 2009 James Beard Awards: Momofuku Ko, Best New Restaurant New York City[71]
  • 2009 Zagat Survey: Momofuku Ko, Best Newcomer[72]
  • 2009 Michelin Guide: Momofuku Ko, 2 Stars[73]
  • 2010 Time Out New York Eat Out Awards: Momofuku Noodle Bar, Best Fried Chicken[74]
  • 2011 Time Out New York Food and Drink Awards: David Chang, Empire Builder of the Year[75]
  • 2011 James Beard Awards: Christina Tosi (Momofuku Milk Bar), Rising Star Chef of the Year (nominated)[76]
  • 2011 New York Magazine: Momofuku Ko, The Five Most Influential Restaurants of the Past Six Years[77]
  • 2012 James Beard Awards: Christina Tosi (Momofuku Milk Bar), Rising Star Chef of the Year[78]
  • 2012 James Beard Awards: David Chang (Momofuku Ssäm Bar), Outstanding Chef (nominated)[79]
  • 2012 Time Out Sydney: Momofuku Seiōbo, Restaurant of the Year 2012[80]
  • 2013 James Beard Awards: David Chang (Momofuku Noodle Bar), Outstanding Chef[81]
  • 2013 Bon Appétit: Momofuku Restaurant Group, most important restaurant in America[82]
  • 2013 Toronto Life: Momofuku Shōtō, Best New Toronto Restaurants, #1[83]
  • 2013 Toronto Life: Momofuku Daishō, Best New Toronto Restaurants, #3[83]
  • 2013 Gourmet Traveller: Momofuku Seiōbō, Restaurant of the Year[84]
  • 2014 James Beard Awards: David Chang (Momofuku), Who's Who in Food & Beverage[85]
gollark: Only 12? Huh.
gollark: Exciting.
gollark: h inheed.
gollark: -1.2e+11ns to go!
gollark: 3*10⁸µs to go!

See also

References
  1. Sutton, Ryan (March 16, 2018). "David Chang's Má Pêche Will Close This Summer After 8 Years in Midtown". Eater New York. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  2. Chang, David; Stabile, Peter Meehan; photographs by Gabriele (2009). Momofuku (1st ed.). New York: Clarkson Potter. p. 28. ISBN 0-307-45195-X.
  3. Gordinier, Jeff (December 30, 2013). "2004, the Year That Changed How We Dine". New York Times. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  4. MacFarquhar, Larissa. "Chef on The Edge". The New Yorker. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  5. "The I Chang". New York Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  6. Bruni, Frank (December 3, 2008). "Serious Strides, but Keeping Its Cool". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  7. Chang, David; Stabile, Peter Meehan; photographs by Gabriele (2009). Momofuku (1st ed.). New York: Clarkson Potter. p. 126. ISBN 0-307-45195-X.
  8. "Momofuku Seiobo Opening This Week in Sydney". Eater. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  9. Pepitone, Sara (September 26, 2012). "They have great chemistry!". Eater.
  10. "Chef on The Edge". The Star. Toronto. September 19, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  11. "David Chang opens Fuku, a fried chicken sandwich shop". New York Daily News. June 10, 2015.
  12. Tosi, Christina (2011). Momofuku Milk Bar (1st ed.). New York: Clarkson Potter. ISBN 0-307-72049-7.
  13. Muhlke, Christine (January 6, 2010). "The Nifty 50 | Christina Tosi, Pastry Chef". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  14. Kludt, Amanda (November 22, 2010). "Momofuku Milk Bar's Brooklyn Commissary Opens to Public". Eater.com. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  15. Fabricant, Florence (September 20, 2011). "Off the Menu". New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  16. Morabito, Greg (March 29, 2011). "Momofuku Milk Bar Carroll Gardens to Open on Saturday". Eater.com. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
  17. Siegner, Cathy (April 19, 2018). "Kraft Heinz partners with Momofuku to take chili sauce nationwide". Retail Dive. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  18. "noodle bar". momofuku. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  19. "The Real Top Ramen". New York Magazine. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  20. "Ssäm Bar". ssambar.momofuku.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  21. "The World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards 1–50 » Momofuku Ssam Bar". S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants List. William Reed Business Media Ltd. Archived from the original on March 23, 2010. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  22. "Duck, It Turns Out, Really Is The New Pork". New York Magazine. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  23. "Ko". ko.momofuku.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  24. Bruni, Frank (November 18, 2014). "A First Glimpse Inside Momofuku Ko 2.0, Fully Formed and Glowing". The New York Times. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  25. Bruni, Frank (May 7, 2008). "To Dine at Momofuku Ko, First You Need Nimble Fingers". The New York Times. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  26. "New York 2013 Starred Restaurants". Michelin Guide. Archived from the original on November 27, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  27. "The World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards 51–100". William Reed Business Media Ltd. Archived from the original on February 20, 2010. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  28. "The Chambers Hotel". The Chambers Hotel. Archived from the original on January 20, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  29. Kludt, Amanda (October 25, 2011). "Paul Carmichael to Replace Tien Ho at Ma Peche". The New York Times. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  30. Morabito, Greg (April 27, 2011). "Má Pêche to Introduce 'American' Menu". Eater. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  31. "Fuku". Fuku. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  32. "Seiōbo". seiobo.momofuku.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  33. "Chang makes beeline for city's heart by pleasing its stomachs". The Sydney Morning Herald. October 25, 2011. Archived from the original on March 13, 2015.
  34. "Winners, losers, and lots of hats". The Sydney Morning Herald. September 3, 2012.
  35. "momofuku toronto". Momofukutoronto.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  36. Ulla, Gabe (September 26, 2012). "All Four Momofuku Restaurants in Toronto: NOW OPEN". Eater.
  37. Frederick, Missy (October 24, 2015). "Momofuku Is Open in D.C. RIGHT THIS SECOND". dc.eater.com.
  38. Christina Tosi (April 7, 2015). Milk Bar Life: Recipes & Stories. Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony. ISBN 978-0-7704-3511-0.
  39. Mishan, Ligaya (April 7, 2009). "Let's See if Mikey Likes It". New York Times. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
  40. "Milk Bar Bakery". Milkbarstore.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  41. Mclaughlin, Katy (October 23, 2009). "Recipe for an Outrageous Cookbook". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  42. Holbrook, Stett (September 21, 2012). "Maker Faire New York: An Interview with Lucky Peach Editor Peter Meehan". Make: magazine.
  43. "Gabriele Stabile's Momofuku Scraps". The Fader. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  44. Taking "Momofuku" as momo (桃, peach) and fuku (福, good luck)
  45. Sietsema, Tom. "The search for America's best food cities: San Francisco". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  46. Merwin, Hugh. "Lucky Peach Splits With Publisher McSweeney's". Grub Street. New York Media LLC. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  47. Dixler, Hillary. "Lucky Peach Goes Solo, Splits From McSweeney's". www.eater.com/. Vox Media, Inc. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  48. Chou, Kimberly (June 14, 2011). "iPad App or Magazine? A Chef Orders One of Each". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  49. "Home - Lucky Peach". Luckypeach.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  50. "Lucky Peach Issue 2". store.mcsweeneys.net. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  51. Cowles, Gregory. "Print & E-Books". The New York Times.
  52. "Lucky Peach, issue 3". store.mcsweeney.net. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  53. Cowles, Gregory. "Print & E-Books". The New York Times.
  54. "Lucky Peach, issue 4". store.mcsweeney.net. Archived from the original on May 14, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  55. "Lucky Peach, issue 5". store.mcsweeney.net. Archived from the original on May 1, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  56. "Lucky Peach, issue 6". store.mcsweeney.net. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  57. "Photographer Christopher Boffoli Uses Art to Underscore America’s Obsession With Food". Grub Street. June 5, 2013.
  58. Lucky Peach, issue 8 Archived October 23, 2013, at Archive.today
  59. Kludt, Amanda. "Confirmed: 'Lucky Peach' Is Definitely Closing". Eater. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  60. Rao, Tejal. "Behind Lucky Peach's Closing, Colliding Visions". The New York Times. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  61. "Ssam Bar". San Pellegrino. Archived from the original on March 23, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  62. "Ko". Last Bash. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  63. "Ko". New York: San Pellegrino. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  64. "Ko". San Pellegrino. Archived from the original on May 1, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  65. "Michelin Guide Announces NYC Bib Gourmand Picks for 2011". Eater. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  66. "Michelin Guide Announces Bib Gourmand Picks for 2012". Eater. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  67. "Michelin Picks 138 New York Restaurants Offering Value". Bloomberg. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  68. "Michelin Guide Announces NYC's 2014 Bib Gourmands". Eater. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  69. "Best Chef New York City". The James Beard Foundation. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  70. "Where to Eat 2009". New York Magazine. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  71. "Best New Restaurant New York City". James Beard Foundation. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  72. "Zagat '09 Guide OUT". Eater. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  73. "Ko – New York - a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  74. "Eat Out Awards, Best Fried Chicken". Time Out New York. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  75. "Empire Builder of the Year: David Chang". Time Out New York. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  76. "James Beard Award Nominees 2011" (PDF). James Beard Foundation. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  77. "The Five Most Influential Restaurants of the Past Six Years". NY Mag. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  78. "Rising Star Chef of the Year Christina Tosi". James Beard Foundation. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  79. "James Beard Foundation Award Nominees 2012". James Beard Foundation. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  80. "Momofuku Seiobo named Time Out Restaurant of the Year". Time Out Sydney. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  81. "Winners: 2013 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards". Eater. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  82. "Momofuku, the Most Important Restaurant in America". Bon Appetit. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  83. "Best New Toronto Restaurants 2013". Toronto Life. Archived from the original on April 6, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  84. "Momofuku Seiobo in Sydney Wins Gourmet Traveller's Restaurant of the Year". Eater. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  85. "Winners: 2014 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards".

Further reading

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.