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In a Minute with Evan Lovett

The Roy Choi Origin Story: from K-town to Kogi

In a Minute with Evan Lovett

Audacy

Society & Culture, Places & Travel

51K Ratings

🗓️ 12 December 2025

⏱️ 97 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Simply put, Roy Choi is on the modern Mount Rushmore of Los Angeles. He not only created a food movement, but changed the culture in the city that defined him. A true L.A. American Dream story, we discuss the experiences that shaped who he is, and how he become one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

You are a street cook. Like when you're a chef, but I've seen you self-describe as a street cook and a man in the streets.

0:09.2

I mean, that's what Kogi's about. You have your restaurant, breaking mortar, all this kind of stuff.

0:14.1

If I put it on my tombstone, I'd rather you put street cook than chef.

0:17.4

Yes. Okay. So I can just say it like that. Let's get into it. All right.

0:21.9

Let's get into it.

0:27.9

Yo, welcome to a very special episode of In a Minute with Evan Lovett.

0:33.0

Coming to you live from the IM studios in the heart of Los Angeles. And the man I'm with today is

0:39.5

feeding the heart of Los Angeles through the stomach. This is the legend. This is on my

0:47.4

Los Angeles Mount Rushmore. Roy Choi. Roy Choi, thank you so much for being here. I'm finally

0:53.3

here. Sorry, it took so long. I'm like the Asian

0:56.9

Bill Murray. It's hard to get a hold of me, man. And also a special shout out to our sponsor,

1:02.5

Ardo Brick, third generation American dream story, my man Armin, his dad started the company as an Armenian

1:10.7

immigrant fabricating tiles, bricks for

1:15.0

historic landmarks in Los Angeles, Alvera Street, Mariachi Plaza, La Plaza de Couture and Artes,

1:21.3

employs 60 people down in Gardina.

1:24.1

They say manufacturing can't be done in L.A.

1:26.5

Not only is he doing it, he's doing it

1:28.4

beautiful and doing it for important historic LA landmarks. So Armand, Ardo Brick, keep on doing that.

1:34.7

There you go. Brick by brick. There you go. But I'll tell you what, thank you for being responsive.

1:40.3

Thank you for engaging throughout the years. And I got to tell you, I've been kind of knocking at your door a little bit.

1:49.0

So I do appreciate you coming here.

1:51.3

But I do want to talk about my wife reminding me this yesterday.

...

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