Finally! Famed Los Angeles celebrity chef Roy Choi will add his flair to the Las Vegas Strip this fall when he debuts a Koreatown-inspired concept. This new, dynamic destination will be located at the reimagined Monte Carlo as it fully morphs into Park MGM on the Las Vegas Strip.
He is a big deal — a very big deal. Time magazine included Choi on its TIME 100 Poll list of “The Most Influential People in the World, in 2011 and 2016, and in its April 21, 2016, issue, chef-author-TV personality Anthony Bourdain called him a “culinary trailblazer.”
Celebrity chef Roy Choi
It all started in Choi’s hometown, with a little taco truck named Kogi that used Twitter and started a food revolution in 2008 known as the Korean short rib taco.
This inauspicious startup, with a crew of “family” members, grew by making delicious-tasting tacos filled with short ribs in its food truck and parking in front of the area’s nightclubs late at night. At midnight on Nov. 19, 2008, Kogi opened for business, and it’s been on a roll ever since.
The little food truck has gone on to feed many fans, including those from LA, Orange County, South Bay, San Fernando Valley, Inland Empire, Ventura and Santa Barbara County in California, to major music festivals and even around the world.
“I cannot wait to share what we have in store for Las Vegas at Park MGM,” said Choi. “This restaurant will be full of soul and culture that is influenced by the energy of Koreatown in Los Angeles, my hometown.”
“Roy Choi and Sydell Group transformed Koreatown with new experiences that area never had before. It’s very exciting to get that dream team back together to create an unforgettable experience at Park MGM,” said Ari Kastrati, MGM Resorts International senior vice president of food and beverage.
Few details about the venue exist beyond its Koreatown influence, but Choi’s track record might provide some insight. Choi began as a pioneer of the food truck movement with Kogi, the Korean taco truck.
Kogi Korean short rib taco truck (Courtesy of Kogi BBQ)
That success led to the launch of his brick-and-mortar restaurants Chego!, A-Frame and Commissary. More recently, he has gained recognition for bringing quality fast food to the Watts neighborhood of LA with Locol.
“We are building this place to celebrate the fans and families that have supported us, and to welcome new friends around the world to the culture, personalities and amazing food experiences born on the streets of LA,” Choi added.
Choi will be joined by the team behind New York City’s NoMad and Las Vegas’ first Eataly. Stay tuned for more on this extraordinary new addition to the culinary all-stars of Las Vegas.
