Momofuku (restaurants)
Encyclopedia
Momofuku is a group of award-winning restaurants owned by chef David Chang
. The restaurants are: Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Má Pêche, Momofuku Ko, Milk Bar and Momofuku Seiōbo. Locations are primarily in New York City except for Momofuku Seiōbo, located in Sydney
, Australia, and two new restaurants planned to open in Toronto
, Canada in 2012.
"Momofuku" could be translated from Japanese as "lucky peach", though Chef David Chang has written that the name is "an indirect nod" to Momofuku Ando
, the Taiwanese-Japanese inventor of instant ramen. Chang also suggested it's not an accident he chose a word that sounds like a particular English curse word (i.e. wikt:motherfucker)
Momofuku Ssäm Bar opened after Noodle Bar and originally had the concept of an Asian style burrito bar (ssäm is Korean for wrap). 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.
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.”
Má Pêche was the fourth restaurant to open and the first to open outside of the East Village neighborhood.
Momofuku Seiōbo is the first restaurant to open outside of the U.S.
The first Milk Bar started in the Laundromat next to Ssäm Bar. After a year and a half Milk Bar opened a new location in Midtown, in the Chambers Hotel.
In November 2010 the Williamsburg, Brooklyn kitchen opened to accommodate the growth of Milk Bar.
On September 24, 2011, Milk Bar opened its fourth location on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
(Opened August 2004)
Momofuku Noodle Bar was the first Momofuku restaurant opening in August of 2004. It serves ramen, seasonal dishes, and a variety of buns.
(Opened August 2006)
Since opening in 2006, Momofuku Ssäm Bar has been listed as one of The World's 50 Best Restaurants for 2009, 2010, and 2011. Weekday lunches feature all-rotisserie duck menu. Momofuku Bar Bar (the bar at Ssäm) serves snacks with a full bar.
(Opened March 2008)
At Momofuku Ko (which means “son of”), guests sit along a kitchen counter and served by the cooks. Dinner is a set tasting menu devised by the chef, Peter Serpico, and his aides de camp, and it is usually about 10 courses long; at lunch the menu stretches out to 16 courses.
Since opening in 2008, Momofuku Ko has two Michelin Stars, which it has retained for four years. Ko is #65 on the San Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants list.
(Opened April 2010)
Má Pêche (which means ”mother peach”) is located in Midtown Manhattan in the Chambers Hotel. Opened in 2010 with co-owner and executive chef Tien Ho, the menu has a French-Vietnamese focus.
Má Pêche also includes a midtown outpost of Christina Tosi’s bakery, Momofuku Milk Bar.
(Opened Late October 2011)
Seiōbo (which means "Japanese Goddess of the West"; her sign is the peach tree) is Momofuku's first restaurant outside of New York City. Located in Sydney, it opened at The Star in late October of 2011. They serve a constantly-changing tasting menu by using Native Australian ingredients.
. It features recipes and photographs from Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssam Bar, Momofuku Ko and Milk Bar.
David Chang
David Chang is a noted Korean-American chef. He is chef/owner of the Momofuku restaurant group, which includes Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Má Pêche, Milk Bar and Momofuku Ko in New York City, the latter for which he was awarded two Michelin stars in 2009, and Momofuku Seiōbo in...
. The restaurants are: Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Má Pêche, Momofuku Ko, Milk Bar and Momofuku Seiōbo. Locations are primarily in New York City except for Momofuku Seiōbo, located in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia, and two new restaurants planned to open in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada in 2012.
"Momofuku" could be translated from Japanese as "lucky peach", though Chef David Chang has written that the name is "an indirect nod" to Momofuku Ando
Momofuku Ando
, ORS, was a Taiwanese-Japanese businessman who founded Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. He is famed as the inventor of instant noodles and cup noodles.- Early life :...
, the Taiwanese-Japanese inventor of instant ramen. Chang also suggested it's not an accident he chose a word that sounds like a particular English curse word (i.e. wikt:motherfucker)
History
With experience in various restaurants in New York City, Chef David Chang opened up his first restaurant, Momofuku Noodle Bar, influenced by his time spent working in ramen shops in Japan. 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. 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 (ssäm is Korean for wrap). 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.
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.”
Má Pêche was the fourth restaurant to open and the first to open outside of the East Village neighborhood.
Momofuku Seiōbo is the first restaurant to open outside of the U.S.
Milk Bar History
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.The first Milk Bar started in the Laundromat next to Ssäm Bar. After a year and a half Milk Bar opened a new location in Midtown, in the Chambers Hotel.
In November 2010 the Williamsburg, Brooklyn kitchen opened to accommodate the growth of Milk Bar.
On September 24, 2011, Milk Bar opened its fourth location on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Momofuku Noodle Bar
171 First Ave., New York, NY(Opened August 2004)
Momofuku Noodle Bar was the first Momofuku restaurant opening in August of 2004. It serves ramen, seasonal dishes, and a variety of buns.
Momofuku Ssäm Bar
207 Second Ave., New York, NY(Opened August 2006)
Since opening in 2006, Momofuku Ssäm Bar has been listed as one of The World's 50 Best Restaurants for 2009, 2010, and 2011. Weekday lunches feature all-rotisserie duck menu. Momofuku Bar Bar (the bar at Ssäm) serves snacks with a full bar.
Momofuku Ko
163 First Ave., New York, NY(Opened March 2008)
At Momofuku Ko (which means “son of”), guests sit along a kitchen counter and served by the cooks. Dinner is a set tasting menu devised by the chef, Peter Serpico, and his aides de camp, and it is usually about 10 courses long; at lunch the menu stretches out to 16 courses.
Since opening in 2008, Momofuku Ko has two Michelin Stars, which it has retained for four years. Ko is #65 on the San Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants list.
Má Pêche
15 West 56th Street, New York, NY(Opened April 2010)
Má Pêche (which means ”mother peach”) is located in Midtown Manhattan in the Chambers Hotel. Opened in 2010 with co-owner and executive chef Tien Ho, the menu has a French-Vietnamese focus.
Má Pêche also includes a midtown outpost of Christina Tosi’s bakery, Momofuku Milk Bar.
Momofuku Seiobo
80 Pyrmont Street, Level G / Sydney, NSW 2009 at The Star Casino(Opened Late October 2011)
Seiōbo (which means "Japanese Goddess of the West"; her sign is the peach tree) is Momofuku's first restaurant outside of New York City. Located in Sydney, it opened at The Star in late October of 2011. They serve a constantly-changing tasting menu by using Native Australian ingredients.
Milk Bar
Milk Bar, under the direction of pastry chef Christina Tosi, has four New York City locations:- East Village: 251 East 13th St., New York, NY
- Midtown: 15 West 56th St., New York, NY
- Upper West Side: 561 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY
- Brooklyn: 382 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn, NY
Momofuku Cookbook
In 2009 David Chang, Peter Meehan, Gabriele Stabile and the Momofuku team produced the Momofuku CookbookMomofuku (cookbook)
Momofuku is a cookbook by American award winning chef David Chang and The New York Times food writer Peter Meehan. The book was released in October 2009 by Clarkson Potter, a subsidiary of Random House...
. It features recipes and photographs from Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssam Bar, Momofuku Ko and Milk Bar.
Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook
Written by Christina Tosi and the foreword by David Chang, The Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook was released in October of 2011. Christina Tosi reveals her recipes for Cereal Milk, Crack Pie, the Compost Cookie, and other popular Milk Bar desserts.Scraps
Scraps is a limited edition collection of outtakes and artwork from the Momofuku Cookbook photographer, Gabriele Stabile.Lucky Peach
In the summer of 2011 Lucky Peach, a new quarterly journal of food writing, was published by McSweeney’s. Lucky Peach is the creation of David Chang, Peter Meehan, and Zero Point Zero production. The first issue of Lucky Peach centers around Ramen. The second issue of Lucky Peach, 'The Sweet Spot,' will be in stores on November 15, 2011.Awards
- 2008 James Beard Awards: David Chang, Best Chef New York City
- 2009 New York Magazine Where to Eat Momofuku Ko and Momofuku Milk Bar
- 2009 James Beard Awards: Momofuku Ko, Best New Restaurant New York City
- 2009 Zagat SurveyZagat SurveyZagat Survey was established by Tim and Nina Zagat in 1979 as a way to collect and correlate the ratings of restaurants by diners. For their first guide, covering New York City, the Zagats surveyed their friends. As of 2005, the Zagat Survey included 70 cities, with reviews based on the input of...
: Momofuku Ko, Best Newcomer
- 2010 Time Out New York Eat Out Awards: Momofuku Noodle Bar, Best Fried Chicken
- 2009, 2010, 2011 San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants: Momofuku Ssam Bar
- 2011 Time Out New York Food and Drink Awards: David Chang, Empire Builder of the Year
- 2011 James Beard Awards: Christina Tosi (Momofuku Milk Bar), Rising Star Chef of the Year
Articles
- Charlie Rose interviews David Chang (video)
- New York Magazine Articles
- Food & Wine Interview with Best New Chef David Chang
- "Hungry Heart", Gourmet, October 2007 (broken link)
- Richman, Alan. "Year of the Pig", GQ Magazine, December 2007
- http://www.savorycities.com/newyork/restaurant/momofuku-ssam-bar/207-2nd-ave on Savory NY
- Chef on the Edge article in The New Yorker
- Award-Winning David Chang Revealed Washington Post, October 7, 2009
- 'iPad App or Magazine? A Chef Orders One of Each', Kimberly Chou, The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, 14 June 2011