Momofuku (restaurants)

Momofuku
Industry Culinary
Founded 2004 in New York City, New York, United States
Founder David Chang
Key people
 David Chang
Products Momofuku Noodle Bar
Momofuku Ssäm Bar
Momofuku Ko
Website www.momofuku.com
Pork ramen from New York restaurant Momofuku Noodle Bar

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, and Las Vegas (Noodle Bar, Ssäm Bar, Ko, Má Pêche, Seiōbo, Noodle Bar Toronto, Daishō, Shōtō, Fuku, Fuku+, CCDC, Nishi, Ando, Las Vegas, Fuku Wall St), 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.

Chang has written that the name "Momofuku" is "an indirect nod" to Momofuku Ando, the Taiwanese-Japanese inventor of instant ramen. Chang has also suggested it is not an accident he chose a word that sounds similar to the curse word "motherfucker".[1]

History

With experience in various 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.[2] 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.[3] 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).[4] 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 3) from The New York Times.[5]

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.”[6] 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.[7] In January 2012, Momofuku opened the cocktail bar Booker & Dax in the back of Ssäm Bar in collaboration with Dave Arnold.[8] Momofuku Toronto followed in 2012 alongside the opening of the Shangri-La Hotel.[9] Fuku, a chicken sandwich restaurant, opened in the original Noodle Bar location in June 2015.[10]

Doing office work for Ssäm Bar at the time, Pastry Chef Christina Tosi began the desserts program at the 3 Momofuku Restaurants, first at Ssäm Bar, then Noodle Bar, and then Ko.[11]

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.[12] In November 2010 the Williamsburg, Brooklyn kitchen opened to accommodate the growth of Milk Bar.[13] On September 24, 2011, Milk Bar opened its fourth location on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.[14] In March 2012, Milk Bar opened is fifth location in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, and its most recent,sixth, location opened in SOHO in September 2014 [15]

Restaurants

Momofuku's signature pork buns dish

Momofuku Noodle Bar[16] was the first Momofuku restaurant and opened in August 2004. It serves ramen, seasonal dishes, and a variety of buns.[17]

Since opening in 2006, Momofuku Ssäm Bar[18] has been listed as one of The World's 50 Best Restaurants for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012.[19] Weekday lunches feature all-rotisserie duck menu.[20] Booker and Dax (the bar at Ssäm) is open late serving drinks made with new techniques and technologies.

Momofuku Ko[21] opened in March 2008.[22] At Momofuku Ko (which means “son 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 camp, and it is usually about 10 courses long;[23] 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 six years.[24] Ko is No. 70 on the San Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants list.[25]

Má Pêche (”mother peach”) is located in Midtown Manhattan in the Chambers Hotel.[26] Má Pêche opened in 2010 with co-owner and executive chef, Tien Ho, with Chef Paul Carmichael taking the reins in October 2011.[27] This change prompted a shift in Má Pêche's cuisine from French-Vietnamese to American.[28] Má Pêche also 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, and Citi Field.[29]

Seiōbo is Momofuku's first restaurant outside of New York City.[30] Located in Sydney, it opened at The Star Casino in late October 2011.[31] "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 three hats from The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide and was named Best New Restaurant.[32]

Milk Bar Nolita sign

In 2012, David Chang opened Momofuku Toronto, Momofuku’s first project in Canada.[33] It is located in a three-story glass cube in the heart of downtown Toronto and is home to Noodle Bar, Nikai, Daishō and Shōtō.[34]

Noodle Bar is located on the ground floor and is a sister-restaurant to the restaurant of 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.[34] 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.[34] Daishō is located on the third floor. The menu features large format meals meant for parties of 4–10 guests, as well as an a la carte menu that includes dishes to share.[34] Shōtō is located within 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.[34]

Momofuku CCDC opened in October 2015 and is Chang's first restaurant within the Washington, D.C. area and the first in the United States outside of New York. It is located in the downtown CityCenterDC development. The restaurant also includes a Milkbar location.[35]

Crack Pie, a Momofuku Milk Bar original recipe, and in its first cookbook[36]

Momofuku Milk Bar, under the direction of pastry chef, Christina Tosi, is based in New York City and has seven locations: in Washington, DC at CityCenterDC; in New York, NY at East Village, Midtown, Upper West Side, Williamsburg, and Carroll Gardens; and in Toronto, Canada.[37][38]

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

Momofuku Las Vegas is Momofuku’s first restaurant on the West Coast and is located inside of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The menu draws influence from all over the world, including the US, 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.[39][40]

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.[11]

Scraps is a limited edition collection of outtakes and artwork from the Momofuku Cookbook photographer, Gabriele Stabile.[41]

From 2011 to November 2013, Lucky Peach,[42] a quarterly journal of food writing, was published by McSweeney’s.[43][44] Since then, it has been self-published.[45] Lucky Peach was then created by David Chang, Peter Meehan, and Zero Point Zero production.

The first issue of Lucky Peach centered on ramen.[46] 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.[47][48][49] The third issue, "Chefs and Cooks", was also a New York Times Best Seller.[50][51]

The fourth issue of Lucky Peach was about American food.[52] The fifth issue was about Chinatown and was released in November 2012.[53] The sixth issue was centered on the theme of the apocalypse, and was published in January 2013.[54] 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.[55] The eighth issue centered on the idea of gender in the food world.[56]

In March 2017, Lucky Peach announced it would cease publication after printing a double issue in the fall of 2017.[57] Meehan stated that the shuttering of the publication was due to its partners' differences in creative direction and financial strategy.[58]

Awards and honors

See also

References

  1. ↑ Chang, David; Stabile, Peter Meehan; photographs by Gabriele (2009). Momofuku (1st ed.). New York: Clarkson Potter. p. 28. ISBN 0-307-45195-X.
  2. ↑ Gordinier, Jeff (30 December 2013). "2004, the Year That Changed How We Dine". New York Times. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  3. ↑ MacFarquhar, Larissa. "Chef on The Edge". The New Yorker. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  4. ↑ "The I Chang". New York Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  5. ↑ Bruni, Frank (December 3, 2008). "Serious Strides, but Keeping Its Cool". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  6. ↑ Chang, David; Stabile, Peter Meehan; photographs by Gabriele (2009). Momofuku (1st ed.). New York: Clarkson Potter. p. 126. ISBN 0-307-45195-X.
  7. ↑ "Momofuku Seiobo Opening This Week in Sydney". Eater. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  8. ↑ Pepitone, Sara (September 26, 2012). "They have great chemistry!". Eater.
  9. ↑ "Chef on The Edge". The Star. Toronto. September 19, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  10. ↑ "David Chang opens Fuku, a fried chicken sandwich shop". New York Daily News. June 10, 2015.
  11. 1 2 Tosi, Christina (2011). Momofuku Milk Bar (1st ed.). New York: Clarkson Potter. ISBN 0-307-72049-7.
  12. ↑ Muhlke, Christine (January 6, 2010). "The Nifty 50 | Christina Tosi, Pastry Chef". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  13. ↑ Kludt, Amanda (November 22, 2010). "Momofuku Milk Bar's Brooklyn Commissary Opens to Public". Eater.com. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  14. ↑ Fabricant, Florence (September 20, 2011). "Off the Menu". New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  15. ↑ Morabito, Greg (March 29, 2011). "Momofuku Milk Bar Carroll Gardens to Open on Saturday". Eater.com. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
  16. ↑ "noodle bar". momofuku. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  17. ↑ "The Real Top Ramen". New York Magazine. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Ssäm Bar". ssambar.momofuku.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  19. ↑ "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 23 March 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  20. ↑ "Duck, It Turns Out, Really Is The New Pork". New York Magazine. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  21. ↑ "Ko". ko.momofuku.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  22. ↑ 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.
  23. ↑ Bruni, Frank (May 7, 2008). "To Dine at Momofuku Ko, First You Need Nimble Fingers". The New York Times. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  24. ↑ "New York 2013 Starred Restaurants". Michelin Guide. Archived from the original on November 27, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  25. ↑ "The World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards 51–100". William Reed Business Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 20 February 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  26. ↑ "The Chambers Hotel". The Chambers Hotel. Archived from the original on January 20, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  27. ↑ Kludt, Amanda (October 25, 2011). "Paul Carmichael to Replace Tien Ho at Ma Peche". The New York Times. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  28. ↑ Morabito, Greg (April 27, 2011). "Má Pêche to Introduce 'American' Menu". Eater. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  29. ↑ "Fuku". Fuku. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Seiōbo". seiobo.momokufu.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  31. ↑ "Chang makes beeline for city's heart by pleasing its stomachs". The Sydney Morning Herald. October 25, 2011.
  32. ↑ "Winners, losers, and lots of hats". The Sydney Morning Herald. September 3, 2012.
  33. ↑ "momofuku toronto". Momofukutoronto.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 Ulla, Gabe (September 26, 2012). "All Four Momofuku Restaurants in Toronto: NOW OPEN". Eater.
  35. ↑ Frederick, Missy (October 24, 2015). "Momofuku Is Open in D.C. RIGHT THIS SECOND". dc.eater.com.
  36. ↑ Christina Tosi (7 April 2015). Milk Bar Life: Recipes & Stories. Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony. ISBN 978-0-7704-3511-0.
  37. ↑ Mishan, Ligaya (April 7, 2009). "Let's See if Mikey Likes It". New York Times. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
  38. ↑ "Milk Bar Bakery". Milkbarstore.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  39. ↑ Mclaughlin, Katy (October 23, 2009). "Recipe for an Outrageous Cookbook". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  40. ↑ Holbrook, Stett (September 21, 2012). "Maker Faire New York: An Interview with Lucky Peach Editor Peter Meehan". Make: magazine.
  41. ↑ "Gabriele Stabile's Momofuku Scraps". The Fader. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  42. ↑ Taking "Momofuku" as momo (桃, peach) and fuku (福, good luck)
  43. ↑ Sietsema, Tom. "The search for America’s best food cities: San Francisco". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  44. ↑ Merwin, Hugh. "Lucky Peach Splits With Publisher McSweeney’s". Grub Street. New York Media LLC. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  45. ↑ Dixler, Hillary. "Lucky Peach Goes Solo, Splits From McSweeney's". www.eater.com/. Vox Media, Inc. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  46. ↑ Chou, Kimberly (June 14, 2011). "iPad App or Magazine? A Chef Orders One of Each". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  47. ↑ "Home - Lucky Peach". Luckypeach.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  48. ↑ "Lucky Peach Issue 2". store.mcsweeneys.net. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  49. ↑ Cowles, Gregory. "Print & E-Books". The New York Times.
  50. ↑ "Lucky Peach, issue 3". store.mcsweeney.net. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  51. ↑ Cowles, Gregory. "Print & E-Books". The New York Times.
  52. ↑ "Lucky Peach, issue 4". store.mcsweeney.net. Archived from the original on May 14, 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  53. ↑ "Lucky Peach, issue 5". store.mcsweeney.net. Archived from the original on May 1, 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  54. ↑ "Lucky Peach, issue 6". store.mcsweeney.net. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  55. ↑ "Photographer Christopher Boffoli Uses Art to Underscore America’s Obsession With Food". Grub Street. June 5, 2013.
  56. ↑ Lucky Peach, issue 8
  57. ↑ Kludt, Amanda. "Confirmed: ‘Lucky Peach’ Is Definitely Closing". Eater. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  58. ↑ Rao, Tejal. "Behind Lucky Peach’s Closing, Colliding Visions". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  59. ↑ "Ssam Bar". San Pellegrino. Archived from the original on 2010-03-23. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  60. ↑ "Ko". Last Bash. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  61. ↑ "Ko". New York: San Pellegrino. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  62. ↑ "Ko". San Pellegrino. Archived from the original on 2013-05-01. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  63. ↑ "Michelin Guide Announces NYC Bib Gourmand Picks for 2011". Eater. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  64. ↑ "Michelin Guide Announces Bib Gourmand Picks for 2012". Eater. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  65. ↑ "Michelin Picks 138 New York Restaurants Offering Value". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  66. ↑ "Michelin Guide Announces NYC's 2014 Bib Gourmands". Eater. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  67. ↑ "Best Chef New York City". The James Beard Foundation. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  68. ↑ "Where to Eat 2009". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  69. ↑ "Best New Restaurant New York City". James Beard Foundation. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  70. ↑ "Zagat '09 Guide OUT". Eater. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  71. ↑ "Eat Out Awards, Best Fried Chicken". Time Out New York. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  72. ↑ "Empire Builder of the Year: David Chang". Time Out New York. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  73. ↑ "James Beard Award Nominees 2011" (PDF). James Beard Foundation. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  74. ↑ "The Five Most Influential Restaurants of the Past Six Years". NY Mag. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  75. ↑ "Rising Star Chef of the Year Christina Tosi". James Beard Foundation. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  76. ↑ "James Beard Foundation Award Nominees 2012". James Beard Foundation. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  77. ↑ "Momofuku Seiobo named Time Out Restaurant of the Year". Time Out Sydney. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  78. ↑ "Winners: 2013 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards". Eater. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  79. ↑ "Momofuku, the Most Important Restaurant in America". Bon Appetit. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  80. 1 2 "Best New Toronto Restaurants 2013". Toronto Life. Archived from the original on 2013-04-06. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  81. ↑ "Momofuku Seiobo in Sydney Wins Gourmet Traveller's Restaurant of the Year". Eater. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  82. ↑ "Winners: 2014 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards".

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