February 2012: The Food Issue

We Are What We Eat

Edited by Y. Peter Kang

Food is more than sustenance and nutrition, according to Korean American chef Corey Lee. “It’s part of who you are,” the James Beard Award-winning chef once told KoreAm. For those of us who grew up in houses with refrigerators overflowing with countless containers of kimchi and other banchan, we can definitely relate.

This could be why watching Korean food steadily gain popularity in the United States over the last several years sort of feels like watching one of your family members become successful. We want them to succeed, but at the same time, we are fearful if they fail. But in the end, we will love them no matter what. Yes, we feel this strongly about food.

In this special package, we document the reasons behind the recent Korean food boom in the States as well as chronicle the latest culinary trends in Seoul. See delicious photographs of beautifully arranged bento box lunches (and the people behind them), and find out why a New York restaurant’s bibimbapburger was named best in the U.S. We also profile Chef Roy Choi in an in-depth cover story about the food truck pioneer and explore why Asian American girls love taking pictures of their food. OMG, like, yum.

To read this month’s cover story on Chef Roy Choi and the rest of the food issue, purchase a single issue copy for $6.50, shipping included! (U.S. addresses only.) For international shipping rates, please call 310-769-4913.