Roy Choi

5 out of 5

Television & Film Celebrity Chef; Co-Founder of Kogi BBQ; Bestselling Author

Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Roy Choi Biography

Roy Choi is a chef and entrepreneur known for his influence at the intersection of food, technology, culture, and business. Choi, along with a group of friends and family, launched Kogi BBQ, a food truck that gained national attention for its innovative use of social media and its role in shaping the food truck movement. Newsweek referred to Kogi BBQ as America’s first viral restaurant, highlighting its impact on the culinary landscape and digital marketing in the restaurant industry. Choi's operation has grown to include several trucks, a full catering operation, a bar called Alibi Room, a Taqueria, and a rice bowl counter shop, Chego!

Choi has been recognized with several honors, including Food & Wine Best New Chef, inclusion in the TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World, and LA Times Restaurant of the Year. His memoir, "L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food," became a New York Times bestseller and received critical acclaim.

Choi serves as host and executive producer of the docuseries "Broken Bread," which examines social justice issues related to food access and equity in Los Angeles and beyond. The series earned him the James Beard Award for Outstanding Host/Personality. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Choi and the Kogi BBQ team organized free-food drive-thrus to support the local community, reflecting his commitment to addressing food insecurity and nutrition challenges.

Based in Los Angeles, Choi oversees several restaurants, including Kogi BBQ, Chego!, A-Frame, Alibi Room, LocoL, and Best Friend at Park MGM in Las Vegas. He is co-producer of the movie "Chef" and executive producer and co-host of "The Chef Show" on Netflix. Choi is a frequent speaker at industry events and panels, contributing to discussions on culinary innovation, food justice, and entrepreneurship.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 12/16/2025.

Roy Choi Speaking Topics

  • Leadership on a Shoestring: Caring as a Concept

    “Call me Papi.” There are no rules on the street beyond moral codes, and by respecting these, Roy Choi was able to build an archetype and structure of leadership. He doesn’t have much to offer employees beyond hard work, miles of travel on the road, and not so high wages in a low-margin business that delivers great value to the consumer. Yet employee morale is high. “Most people try to motivate through money or power; what I do is motivate through honesty,” Roy says. It’s almost like martial arts. It takes a lot of unlearning for a chef to learn the Kogi method, but Roy’s staff have acclimated to it: One does not bring preconceived notions to the dojo; instead one absorbs what the sensei has to offer. With very low turnover in his operation, it might seem surprising that he admittedly “hasn’t much to offer but knowledge.” Then again, with an apt instructor at the helm, it’s an easy task to hold the attention of the students in dojo. In this inspiring talk, Roy will demonstrate ways anyone in a leadership position can inspire staff –and he’ll touch on his amazing volunteer work teaching brightest young people in the deepest urban cores of Los Angeles to become food entrepreneurs in their own right.

  • Riding Shotgun with an L.A. Chef: An Evening with Roy Choi

    “Come with me and ride shotgun, because I’m driving,” writes Roy Choi. “It’s a long ride but I’ve got a full tank.” How did this amazing culinary shape shifter evolve? How does he come up with these new yet ancient-rooted flavors? In this entertaining talk, Roy Choi, whose book Riding Shotgun with an L.A. Chef will be published in the fall of 2013 by Anthony Bourdain Books at Ecco Press, reveals that his own experience is the secret ingredient in his recipes. Growing up, he moved from one part of the city to another, and later went from the renowned Le Bernardin to cooking at a country club for retirees in the California desert to creating a street food truck social revolution. Evolution tells us that adaptation is crucial to survival, and Roy’s success is a result of an awakening about the disconnection between the obsessive celebrity food culture and those getting by with two or three jobs. Realizing that he could feed 10,000 hungry people each day with delicious real food they had never experienced was an epiphany, on many levels. By observing and listening to the community, then modifying his menu accordingly, he tapped into a whole new marketplace and delivered results that were profitable because they were true to the palate – and budgets – of Angelenos. Says Roy, “I want to break down the difference between being a chef and actually feeding people.”

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Roy Choi Videos

Get To Know Koda 2 Max With Roy Choi

Get To Know Koda 2 Max With Roy Choi

Roy Choi pushes the Koda 2 Max to the max using this spacious versatile oven to cook everything for his Korean-inspired short-rib taco.

Roy Choi Teaches Intuitive Cooking | Official Trailer | MasterClass

Roy Choi Teaches Intuitive Cooking | Official Trailer | MasterClass

Roy Choi, the mastermind behind the Korean taco trucks

Roy Choi, the mastermind behind the Korean taco trucks

Roy Choi, the mastermind behind the Korean taco trucks Kogi, wants his food to make a tangible difference.

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  • What topics does Roy Choi speak about?

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Roy Choi is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Leadership on a Shoestring: Caring as a Concept , Riding Shotgun with an L.A. Chef: An Evening with Roy Choi and The Twitter Taco and the Digital Handshake: Leveraging Social Media for Authentic Success. The estimated speaking fee range to book Roy Choi for your event is available upon request. Roy Choi generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Cat Cora, David Chang, Carla Hall, Will Guidara and Christine Ha. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Roy Choi for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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