Creative Minds 2011: Watch David Chang's Exclusive Interview (VIDEO)

As we we reach the end of the year, you'll no doubt be inundated with "best of 2010" lists on every topic imaginable. But we also want to look ahead to 2011--to the creative minds we're expecting great things from. These people have wowed us in many ways, but are nowhere near done.

A decade ago, "momofuku" didn't mean much to many, but today chef David Chang has built an empire out of it. His first restaurant, Momofuku Noodle Bar, opened in 2004 offering smoked chicken wings, perfect pork buns, and (of course) noodles. (Chang's website says momofuku means "lucky peach" in Japanese, but it's also the name of a popular ramen noodle.) Chang quickly received praise from press and patrons alike, all of whom noted his hands-on approach, reasonable prices and delicious creations.

He quickly expanded his burgeoning empire with Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Momofuku Ko, and Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar (which offers cornflake-marshmallow-chocolate-chip cookies, crack pie and cereal-soaked milk). Chang's daring food and excellent execution earned him several awards including the James Beard 2009 Best New Restaurant award for Momofuku Ko, Bon Appetit's 2007 Chef of the Year title, and Food & Wine's 2006 Best New Chef prize.

Recently, Chang released his first (profanity-laced) cookbook with New York Times reporter Peter Meehan and opened Má Pêche, his only restaurant outside the East Village, which offers French-Vietnamese food.

Watch our exclusive interview with Chang, below.

WATCH THE SHORT VERSION:

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW:

Comments

[Giuseppe Sansone]

07:14 AM on 11/20/2010

Hi,
one trick to cook Spaghetti with Garlic, Oil and Chili ? in Italian (Aglio Olio And Peperoncino)

[Colin Kruzic]

02:26 AM on 11/20/2010

why wont AC or eddie leroux eat at your restaurants?where is jaquin nowadays?why do you think youre a chef?

[SalesmanForLife]

01:44 AM on 11/20/2010

Why would the everyday person want to spend their time emulating your creations? Are you a chef that teaches or a chef that feeds or a chef that knows a lot of secrets?

[bgaassoc]

11:44 PM on 11/19/2010

How can I learn how to use a knife. I love watching Chefs cook, but what also gets my attention watching them dice. I can cook, but I am a novice at using a knife.
Thank You

[GOP1]

02:07 PM on 12/02/2010

For starters you must have a very sharp 8" (min) Chef or French knife, a dull knife is actually more dangerous, as it can slip and cut you, where a sharp knife will bite into the food..clean. Keep your fingers crimped or tucked away and focus while cutting the food. There are many different cuts like: Julleine (match stick size), Battonnet (like small planks about 1/2" X 1/4 X 2 1/2), Brunoise (Like tiny cubes), Paysanne (thin squares)...Keep your knives sharp. After your done cutting put the edge back on your knife by using a sharpening rod, 15 degree angle, couple of swipes and good as new...hope that helps. Oh...and never scrape the food you just cut, off the cutting board with the blade side, it will destroy your edge, use the back side of your knife.

[liberalbug]

10:29 PM on 11/19/2010

Here is my celebrity chef question. Do you think the celebrity chef craze currently sweeping america and causing people to spend ridiculous sums of money to eat at celebrity chef branded restaurants is as lame as the folks who drink overpriced bottles of wine at parties, everyone dressed in black, claiming that the wine tastes of plums with hints of cigars, slight notes of cherry and has nice legs?

[Indrid Cold]

08:59 PM on 11/19/2010

What... is your name?

What... is your quest?

What... is the capital of Assyria?

[MISTERUNCONVENTIONAL]

08:41 PM on 11/19/2010

How do you boil water without burning it?

How do you hard boil eggs without 'em turning green?

How do you feel about Ms. Stouffer in the kitchen? What about the bedroom?

[jbentley4]

07:36 PM on 11/19/2010

I work for a new academy that trains people to go abroad to teach English and I know that you went to Japan to teach English. My question is, how did this experience influence your life and would you recommend to others who want to go abroad to explore new cultures and cuisines?

[Linda Williams]

06:30 PM on 11/19/2010

Must I refridgerate natural peanut butter? I purchase it freshly ground.

[Mark Schmid]

05:47 PM on 11/19/2010

Do you see the sourcing of sustainable food manly as a selling point or do you want to educate the wider public/change humanity for the better? if you do it to educate, do you think it would be possible on a scale to accommodate 6.8 billion people or for the first world population excusively?

[MossyOak]

05:35 PM on 11/19/2010

What are the health benefits of wakame over dulse and what's your favorite application for both?

[BlueKansas]

04:52 PM on 11/19/2010

If you could have only have six knives, what would they be? And what type of sharpener do you prefer?

[GOP1]

02:15 PM on 12/02/2010

A 8" Chef knife, 10" Chef knife, 6" deboning knife, Paring knife, Bread knife, 10" Slicing knife. All Victorinox brand. Great value and they hold an edge.

[static void Main]

04:36 PM on 11/19/2010

and while we're at it...why does peanut butter taste so good with bacon?

[zoodc]

04:27 PM on 11/19/2010

David, why EXACTLY does peanut butter taste so good with chocolate?

[Sridhar Reddy]

04:25 PM on 11/19/2010

Do you think "upscale comfort food" has spelled the demise of fine dining?