momofuku ko

[SethG]

1 hour ago, MitchW said:

But the main problem I have with this is that he was a douche to many employees. And probably a few customers as well.

Well there’s that. He seemed to grow out of his douchedom towards customers (oh look, chairs with backs!) - as for his staff, I dunno, heard the tales. But I gather he hasn’t been involved in the day to day of any of his restaurants in a decade or so.

[mongo]

he's helped make a lot of people stupider about food via ugly delicious.

[MitchW]

2 hours ago, SethG said:

But I gather he hasn’t been involved in the day to day of any of his restaurants in a decade or so.

Probably the smartest thing he ever did…or someone helped him do.

[Diancecht]

4 hours ago, SethG said:

2023 David Chang is a west coast suburban dad. 

 

if you are involved with vc, you may have heard something about this in 2016.

 

it looks like momofuku goods raised $11.5m in its latest round. this company was the lead investor.

[AaronS]

5 hours ago, bloviatrix said:

Speaking of which, didn't he post handful of times on MF? I recall quite a bit of heavy-duty snark.

his posts in the ssäm bar thread were incredible.

[Steve R.]

And were mostly in response to a "situation" that I, and several other MF members, had experienced at Ssam Bar & written about.  I never went to any of his places afterwards.

[Anthony Bonner]

I've told my story before of a manager at Ssam challenging a guest to fight.

[Wilfrid]

He was always nice to me, that's the main thing.

[Anthony Bonner]

I mean the guest did deserve to get thrown out.  I just thought the invitation to donnybrook a bit much.

[backyardchef]

1 hour ago, Anthony Bonner said:

I've told my story before of a manager at Ssam challenging a guest to fight.

I believe Danny Meyer calls this hospitality trait, 're-centering the salt shaker.'

[Diancecht]

“The funny thing is — I don’t even know if you guys know this — we never even wanted to have a fancy restaurant. The original version of Ko was a $75 tasting menu,” he said. “I didn’t open Momofuku to get glory or to have a sommelier — all these things we ended up having.”

 

uh huh

[mongo]

i have no memory of chang participating on mf. and thanks to the old site disappearing, i don't have to read it now.

[relbbaddoof]

I think there was a threat that if the geriatrics here were unpleasant to his staff again they'd need more than walkers to get around. But geriatrics are not strong on memo -- what was that word again?

[relbbaddoof]

As a general comment, Ssäm having been my source for country häm for many years (which ham you could take away from the restaurant), I view the entire Chang operation through ham-tinted glässes. Consider this order from 2017ish (all prices per 1/4lb):

Lady Edison $20

Finchville (mildish) $12

Benton's (saltish) $12

Broadbent (slightly smokish) $12

Edward's wigwam (oddly coffeeish) $13

Woodlands mountain (fatty) $22

(strangely, no Edwards Surryano in this order).

What did I do with all this ham (and I bought 1/2lb in most cases)? I flew the lot to Boston and inflicted it on our international Thanksgiving dinner crowd along with cheeses from Cato Corner (they sent me cheeses at various stages of maturity -- young Womanchego, Womanchego, and Mrs. Robinson -- among others), and said this is how we eat in America.

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by relbbaddoof

[Orik]

Well 2017 was after the fire at Surry so that's why no Surryano. 

[relbbaddoof]

1 hour ago, Orik said:

Well 2017 was after the fire at Surry so that's why no Surryano. 

Ah, yes.

ETA: On looking through my spotty records, I find that I seem to have started getting it again in February 2018, first at Ssäm, then also from Heritage.

Edited November 1, 2023 by relbbaddoof

[backyardchef]

Whoa. Chang trying to trademark Chili/Chile Crunch and put the other condiment makers in that market out of business. Apparently saying Chili Crisp is ok. 

 

Trademark Bully

Edited April 4, 2024 by backyardchef

[Orik]

Quote

Tew described receiving the letter as “a punch in the gut”. Momfuku’s Chang, who is of Korean descent, has helped to push Asian food forward into the mainstream, she said. “If Kraft Heinz hit me up [with a cease-and-desist] it would have been so distressing,” says Tew, “but the fact that it was Momofuku makes me feel really, really sad.”

Err...
 

Quote

Momofuku partnered with Springboard, a new platform from Kraft Heinz dedicated to accelerating the growth of disruptive brands within the food and beverage space, to bring Ssäm Sauce to retail nationwide. Momofuku’s Culinary Lab collaborated closely with Springboard to scale up the original Ssäm Sauce recipe for national distribution and to develop the new Smoky and Spicy flavors. 

 

[Sneakeater]

Mean Old Lady could beat the shit out of Chang.

[Sneakeater]

Also, what exactly does it mean when a major industry player seeks to be "disruptive"?

[Sneakeater]

Can we have our Revolution already?  This Capitalism stuff is getting unbearable.

[backyardchef]

2 minutes ago, Sneakeater said:

Mean Old Lady could beat the shit out of Chang.

Show your work

[small h]

1 hour ago, Sneakeater said:

Can we have our Revolution already?  This Capitalism stuff is getting unbearable.

Wait, I need to buy more canned food.

[relbbaddoof]

42 minutes ago, small h said:

more canned food

Your stash of Güeyu Mar tins will be the first thing that the SRB (Sneakeater Revolutionary Brigade) will come for.

[small h]

3 hours ago, relbbaddoof said:

Your stash of Güeyu Mar tins will be the first thing that the SRB (Sneakeater Revolutionary Brigade) will come for.

Excuse me while I bury them under the floorboards.