Roy Choi of Kogi BBQ Turns Vegetarian, Questions Life, and Thinks About Leaving Cooking

Just a few hours ago, chef Roy Choi of Kogi BBQ fame wrote a very public musing that reflects on the LA riots, no longer eating meat, and even mentions that he’s been thinking about leaving cooking.

From the looks of Choi’s blog post, there are a plethora of issues currently eating away at him [terrible chef verbage].

For those unfamiliar with chef Roy Choi, he was one of the chief people responsible for the success of both the Kogi BBQ truck, and subsequently, the fiery gourmet food truck movement that followed.

When one of the father’s of that food truck parade is upset, we listen:

I’ve been going through some deep shit this week. Butterfly block party. I’ve been thinking about leaving cooking for awhile. I can’t find meaning anymore.

Something inspired him to give up eating animals, which seemed to further fuel his self questioning:

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.

I talk to animals and kids.  I feed adults.  Time to switch.  Talk to adults. Feed animals and kids.

The entire blog post is rather poetic. The dismal prose continues, calling on the likes of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver:

Are we supposed to put our faith in this man Jamie Oliver? A Brit? If so, then if anyone who reads this tell him to holla at me. Really. I can’t get to him. Tell him come see me, no PR, no publicist, no barriers. We can sit on the curb and join forces.

Who knows what the two would talk about if they ever met up. Maybe Choi feels burnt out on a genre he’s helped grow? Can he continue to innovate with his various food endeavors without the use of meat?

Maybe, similar to Jamie Oliver’s epiphany of social food consciousness, Choi’s turn to vegetarianism seems daunting for a chef whose success has come from a unique blend of flavors, most of which have had meat in the spotlight.

Whatever it is that Roy Choi seems to be facing, we hope he overcomes it. Until then, someone get this guy in touch with Jamie Oliver!