The New York mastermind behind Momofuku is one of the most copied chefs of the last decade. His brand of fusion—Asian street food elevated to fine dining—has been inspiring Toronto chefs for years. In fact, if you’ve eaten at the restaurants below, chances are you’ve already tasted Chang’s influence. Here, eight Momofuku signatures and their Toronto counterparts.
Ramen
Chang studied the art of ramen in Japan and turned his obsession into Noodle Bar, his
first restaurant
On Toronto menus:
Chicharrón
Chang got a kick out of serving glorified pork rinds as a fancy amuse at Ko in 2008
On Toronto menus:
Ssäm
Ssäm, Chang’s second N.Y. spot, popularized the DIY Korean meat-and-lettuce wraps
On Toronto menus:
Pig’s-head torchon
At Ssäm, Chang boiled pig’s head, rolled it up, deep-fried it and sliced it
On Toronto menus:
Bao
Pork belly steamed buns, on Chang’s first menu at Noodle Bar in 2004, are his most
replicated dish
On Toronto menus:
Brussels sprouts
Chang tossed them with fish sauce, mint and cilantro at Ssäm, and with kimchee at
Noodle Bar
On Toronto menus:
Haute bánh mì
When Chang put bánh mì on the menu at Ssäm Bar, he elevated the $5 street snack to a seat-worthy status
On Toronto menus:
Shaved foie gras
At Momofuku Ko, Chang froze the duck liver and grated it over pine nut brittle and
riesling gelée
On Toronto menus:
NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY
Sign up for Table Talk, our free newsletter with essential food and drink stories.