BORN IN SEOUL, CHEF DONG CHOI SPENT HIS EARLY CHILDHOOD IN KOREA BEFORE IMMIGRATING TO ATLANTA TO JOIN HIS TRAILBLAZING GRANDMOTHER. HIS MOTHER COOKED EVERY MEAL AT HOME, WHILE WEEKENDS WERE SHAPED BY SOUTHERN COMFORT FOOD, FORMING A BICULTURAL FOOD IDENTITY. CHOI STUDIED BIOLOGY WITH PLANS FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL BUT LEFT TO PURSUE COOKING, LEARNING HANDS-ON IN ACCLAIMED KITCHENS WITH JOEL ANTUNES, DAVID MYERS, THE MICHAEL MINA GROUP, AND THE DANIEL PATTERSON GROUP. IN 2016, HE JOINED THE SLANTED DOOR GROUP, LEADING OPENINGS ACROSS THE BAY AREA, NAPA, AND FRANCE, AND HELPING REDEFINE MODERN VIETNAMESE AND ASIAN CUISINE IN AMERICA.