Food truck pioneer Roy Choi turns vegetarian, might give up cooking

He raised the possibility in a profanity-laced posting (h/t Eater) that sounded a little like the great Peggy Lee (Lieber/Stoller) standard "Is That All There is?"

I can't find meaning anymore. I traveled the path. Culinary school. NYC restaurants. Professional career. Flavor innovator. But what does it all mean? People that I try to convince in business that there is something special here, right here..only ask me about profitability. Profitability? Maybe I talk like I'm from Saturn but I don't understand profitability. Profitability when our whole existence is at stake? Fuck you. I stopped eating meat this week. That's why I'm thinking about leaving cooking. How can I cook with out using meat? I will taste, for now as that is my profession. But I will no longer eat meat for my own consumption. Animals be talking to me. They told me..stop. Stop, Roy. Please.

Choi, a co-partner in the Kogi Korean BBQ phenomenon, was named best new chef by Food & Wine magazine in 2010. He is working on a memoir that will be published by Anthony Bourdain's new imprint at Ecco Books.


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Mark Lacter
Mark Lacter created the LA Biz Observed blog in 2006. He posted until the day before his death on Nov. 13, 2013.
 
Mark Lacter, business writer and editor was 59
The multi-talented Mark Lacter
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