Here's How Much Money David Chang Is Really Worth
Momofuku means lucky peach in Japanese, and if anyone is lucky it's David Chang. Unless you've been living under a rock, you likely know who this chef superstar is. The celeb cook is best known for his Momofuku restaurant group, which includes 15 eateries around the world.
He started in 2004 with the opening of Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York City, and Chang quickly gained recognition and was credited with "the rise of contemporary Asian-American cuisine" by The New York Times and named the "most important restaurant in America" by Bon Appétit. If that's not enough to make this chef special, add in his participation in several Netflix documentary series like Ugly Delicious and Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, an award-winning cookbook, and two Michelin stars and it's difficult to make a case against his talent (via Momofuku).
Changian means a full wallet
David Chang is so influential in the food world that fans have even created a new adjective that's a derivative of his name. "Changian" describes restaurant elements that are linked or inspired by the chef. The Washington Post summarized it by explaining, "If you've ever eaten pork buns, or fried Brussels sprouts with fish sauce — maybe you didn't know they had fish sauce? — that is David Chang. If you've had ramen in a smaller city, circa 2014, that's David Chang. If you've heard Notorious B.I.G. or LCD Soundsystem in a restaurant. If you've sat before an open kitchen, in a place with a minimalist, plywood aesthetic. If your neighborhood has a restaurant started by a young chef with an attitude, and an eclectic menu of whatever the hell he feels like cooking, all of those things are David Chang."
With all this success comes cash, and a lot of it, as an estimated $60 million is in Chang's pockets (via Celebrity Net Worth). But let's be honest, he needs capital to fund all sorts of exciting things for fans. From expanding his restaurant locations, to hosting a podcast and Netflix series, it's not like that money was made out of thin air.
If you get a chance to participate in a bit of David Chang's true Changian, be sure to take it and you'll get to experience what the man behind the legacy is really worth.