How you ever wondered who inspired chefs to get into the hospitality business? How about what type of food they ate while growing up?

I recently discovered that celebrity chef Roy Choi was a taste tester for his mom – Jai Nam Choi. I met Mommy Choi while attending her pop-up Mondays with Mommy Choi – Korean Comfort Food dinner. She told me, “Roy would sit near me in the kitchen and want to taste every dish I prepared.”

Roy Choi is known for creating comfort Korean food and selling it on the Kogi food truck. Kogi. This Korean American chef originated the gourmet food truck movement in Los Angeles. The night I dined with 20 other Feastly foodies inside a third floor loft in the Arts District, I also met Daddy Choi – Soo Ayung Choi, and Auntie.

Feastly offers unique dining opportunities with top chefs in various cities. Inside the kitchen Mommy Choi, Daddy Choi and Auntie prepared a multi-course Korean Thanksgiving feast. Each dish was dazzled with one or more of Mommy Choi’s Mommy Sauces.

Korean Menu

We started with half dollar size Bindaedduk (Mungbean Pancakes). The traditional Korean mung bean pancakes with pork and vegetables were delicious, especially with a spoonful of  Mommy Sauce – Magic Sauce. Her Magic Sauce is good with sautés, casseroles and tofu.

Next, we received bowls of two types of Kimchi – one slightly spicy and the other spicier. Mommy Sauce – Kimchi Sauce enhanced the flavors. She used it to elevate her delicious zucchini and cucumber salad.

Mommy Choi brought different ingredients, her sauces and a big bowl to the table to give us a demonstration on how she assembles and makes the dressing for her Kimchi Caesar Salad. Mommy Sauces: Bulgogi Sauce and Kimchi Sauce makes this tangy salad unique.

Entrees included a spicy chicken stew (Dakdoritang) made with Mommy Sauce: Spicy Bulgogi Sauce, and Korean Galbi (braised short ribs) that went well with her Korean fried rice. We each received bowls of clear broth Taro soup with pieces of meat. Mommy Fish + Soy base Sauce makes soups, sautés and side dishes extra flavorful.

For our last course, Mommy Choi brought out rice flour dusted Mochi filled with red bean paste and glasses of cinnamon, honey and ginger tea.

Before leaving Mommy Choi presented her 40-year old secret home recipe of sauces to her guests. “I made these sauces to pass my recipes on to my children and grandchildren,” Mommy Choi said. “My family loved the flavors so much they told me to share them with the world.”

For recipes and tips, go to www.mommysauce.com.  To learn about other Feastly dinners, go to https://eatfeastly.com/browse/?market=la