Esther Choi (born November 20, 1985) is an American chef, restaurateur, and television personality from New Jersey. She owns the mŏkbar restaurant group and co-hosts Food Network’s 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing alongside chef Michael Symon.
Her Korean-American cooking and growing TV presence have made her one of New York City’s most recognized culinary voices.
Who is Esther Choi Chef?
Esther Choi is a Korean-American chef and entrepreneur who owns multiple restaurants across New York City, New Jersey, and Las Vegas. She built her culinary career around the flavors and traditions of her Korean grandmother’s kitchen.
Her flagship restaurant, mŏkbar, opened in Chelsea Market in 2014. Since then, she has expanded the brand to Brooklyn, Midtown Manhattan, Newark, and Las Vegas, along with launching the Korean supper club Ms. Yoo on the Lower East Side.
Beyond her restaurants, Choi has become a recognizable television personality. She hosted Heat Eaters for First We Feast in 2023 and currently co-hosts 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing on Food Network.
In 2015, Zagat named her a “30 Under 30 NYC Culinary Rockstar,” one of the early honors that confirmed her rising profile in the New York food scene.
Early Life of Esther Choi Chef
Esther Choi was born on November 20, 1985, in New Jersey and grew up in Egg Harbor Township, a small town near Atlantic City. Her parents and grandparents had immigrated to the United States from South Korea.
Her family relocated to Korea for three years while Choi was in elementary school, roughly from third grade to sixth grade. During that time, she attended a Korean school and learned to speak Korean fluently.
Her grandmother had the biggest influence on her cooking. Growing up, she watched her grandmother improvise traditional Korean dishes using locally grown Korean herbs and whatever American grocery stores had available.
Choi got her first restaurant job at the age of 14 in Egg Harbor. That early experience set the direction for everything that followed.
Esther Choi Chef Age
Esther Choi is 40 years old as of June, 2026, born on November 20, 1985. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio. Season 2 of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing premiered in April 2025, keeping her visible on Food Network throughout the year.
Esther Choi Chef Ethnicity and Nationality
Esther Choi holds American nationality. She is of Korean descent, with her parents and grandparents having immigrated to the United States from South Korea.
Her family’s decision to raise her with Korean cultural immersion, including three years of schooling in Korea, shaped both her identity and her approach to food.
Esther Choi Chef Education
Choi earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Rutgers University. After graduating, she redirected her focus entirely toward food and enrolled in culinary school.
She completed her professional culinary training at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York City. ICE grounded her in classical techniques while she was already working in professional kitchens.
After culinary school, she worked at ilili and La Esquina, two well-regarded New York City restaurants. She also worked in the purchasing department at Food Network before launching her own business.
Esther Choi Chef Career
Esther Choi built her career through a combination of restaurant entrepreneurship and an increasingly prominent presence on food television.
Her path moved from behind-the-scenes work at Food Network to owning a multi-location restaurant brand and co-hosting national TV shows.
Early Career
Choi started working in restaurants at age 14 in New Jersey. After culinary school at ICE, she took positions at ilili and La Esquina in New York City, building her technical skills in professional kitchens.
She also worked at Food Network in its purchasing department, sourcing ingredients for the network’s talent. That experience gave her an early window into food media that she would return to years later.
Her first media moment came in 2012 when Food Network’s FN Dish blog featured her preparing a family meal for her coworkers. By then, she was already planning her own restaurant.
Founding mŏkbar and Expansion
Choi opened mŏkbar in Chelsea Market in 2014, competing against other concepts for the space through a multi-month proposal process. The restaurant focuses on Korean ramen, dumplings, rice bowls, and kimchi, drawing on her grandmother’s recipes.
Village Voice readers named mŏkbar the Best New Restaurant of 2014. The following year, Epoch Taste awarded it Best Kimchi, and Zagat named Choi a “30 Under 30 NYC Culinary Rockstar.”
In February 2017, she opened mŏkbar Brooklyn near Barclays Center. That same year, in July 2017, she launched Ms. Yoo, a Korean bi-level supper club on the Lower East Side named after her grandmother Jungok Yoo.
She later opened additional mŏkbar locations in Midtown Manhattan, Newark, and Las Vegas. She also opened GAHM, a Korean restaurant in Brooklyn, and Ö BAR, a modern Korean bar in the Hugh culinary collective in Midtown East.
Television Career
Choi became a challenger chef on Netflix’s Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend in 2022, reaching the final round and losing by a single point. She appeared on several Food Network shows, including Beat Bobby Flay, Bobby’s Triple Threat, and Chopped, where she competed and served as a guest judge.
She also appeared alongside Selena Gomez as a guest chef on HBO’s Selena + Chef. In 2023, she hosted Heat Eaters for First We Feast, the YouTube spinoff of the hit series Hot Ones, eating her way through the world’s spiciest cuisines.
In April 2024, she began co-hosting 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing on Food Network alongside Michael Symon. The series was renewed for a second season, which premiered in April 2025.
Current Ventures
Choi partnered with CookUnity, a subscription-based meal delivery platform, in 2020. Her meals are available in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Chicago, and Seattle.
In 2020 and 2021, she produced and hosted two podcasts: iHeartRadio’s Get Down w/Ktown, covering Korean-American culture, and Food52’s Hot Offline, a call-in show for home cooks.
Her official website, estherchoi.com, details her restaurants, media work, and meal delivery partnerships.
Esther Choi Chef Companies and Investments
Esther Choi owns the mŏkbar brand, which currently operates locations in Chelsea Market, Brooklyn, Midtown Manhattan, Newark, and Las Vegas. She also co-owns the Ms. Yoo supper club and the GAHM restaurant in Brooklyn.
Her CookUnity partnership allows her to reach home diners across multiple U.S. cities without operating traditional restaurant spaces in each market. That platform extends her brand to a national audience.
Her sister Jennifer Choi serves as managing partner and controller for the Mokbar restaurant group, handling the business operations side of the family enterprise.
Esther Choi Chef Business Achievements
Choi’s Chelsea Market location was a major early win, as securing space in that competitive food hall required a lengthy proposal process against other restaurant concepts. Winning it launched her public profile.
Food Republic named her a “New Rising Chef” after the 2014 mŏkbar opening. By 2015, she had earned the Zagat 30 Under 30 recognition and back-to-back awards for her food.
Her ability to advance to the final round of Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend in 2022 put her on a national platform. She lost the title by a single point, but the performance raised her profile significantly in the food world.
Esther Choi Chef Partner
Esther Choi lives in New York City with her partner, Joshua Griffiths. Griffiths works in the hospitality industry and owns KG Fare Catering and Events LLC.
The two welcomed a son, Leonardo, in February 2024. Choi shared updates about motherhood on her social media, including a newborn photoshoot featuring Leonardo alongside her King Charles spaniel, Persimmon (“Persy”).
Choi has kept much of her personal life private throughout her career, focusing her public presence on her work in food and television.
Esther Choi Chef Children
Esther Choi has one child, a son named Leonardo, born in February 2024. She shared the news publicly on social media and spoke openly about the challenges and joys of balancing new motherhood with a demanding career.
Choi and her partner Joshua Griffiths live with Leonardo in a renovated New York City apartment. She also recently restored a cabin in upstate New York, complete with a newly designed kitchen.
Her family, including her sister Jennifer and her grandmother’s culinary legacy, has always been central to her personal and professional identity.
Esther Choi Chef Net Worth
Esther Choi’s estimated net worth is $2 million as of 2026. Her income comes from her mŏkbar restaurant group, her Ms. Yoo partnership, television appearances, podcast production, and her CookUnity meal delivery deal.
Her restaurant business spans multiple cities and has operated for over a decade. Television work on Food Network, Netflix, and YouTube has broadened her income streams beyond restaurant revenue.
She has also expanded into podcasting and brand partnerships, diversifying her earnings across food, media, and hospitality.
Esther Choi Chef Social Media
Choi is active on Instagram under the handle @choibites, where she shares updates on her restaurants, television work, and personal life, including her son Leonardo.
She uses Instagram as her primary platform for connecting with fans and announcing new projects. Her posts range from behind-the-scenes cooking content to glimpses of her life as a restaurateur and mother.
Fans can also follow her work through her official website at estherchoi.com for restaurant locations, press features, and upcoming appearances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What companies does Esther Choi Chef own?
Esther Choi owns the mŏkbar restaurant group, with locations in Chelsea Market, Brooklyn, Midtown Manhattan, Newark, and Las Vegas. She is also a chef and partner at Ms. Yoo, a Korean supper club on the Lower East Side, and operates GAHM, a Korean restaurant in Brooklyn.
How old is Esther Choi, Chef?
Esther Choi is 40 years old as of June, 2026. She was born on November 20, 1985, in New Jersey.
What is Esther Choi Chef’s net worth?
Esther Choi’s estimated net worth is $2 million as of 2026. Her earnings come from her restaurants, Food Network appearances, and her CookUnity partnership.
Where did Esther Choi Chef study?
Esther Choi earned a degree in psychology from Rutgers University and later trained at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York City.
Who is Esther Choi Chef’s partner?
Esther Choi’s partner is Joshua Griffiths, who works in the hospitality industry. The two have a son, Leonardo, born in February 2024.
How did Esther Choi Chef become successful?
Esther Choi opened her first restaurant, mŏkbar, in Chelsea Market in 2014. Consistent expansion, television appearances on Food Network and Netflix, and a strong social media presence built her profile over the following decade.
The Bottom Line
Esther Choi opened mŏkbar in Chelsea Market in 2014 and grew it into a multi-city restaurant group with locations in New York, New Jersey, and Las Vegas. In 2022, she reached the final round of Netflix’s Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend, losing by a single point.
She grew up eating her Korean grandmother’s cooking in Egg Harbor, New Jersey, and spent three formative years studying and eating in Korea as a child. That background shapes every menu she creates.
Season 2 of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing premiered on Food Network in April 2025, keeping her work visible to a national audience.
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