Top 10 Asian American Culinary Celebs Who Are Making Food Fab

If food was just food, something that we only take in for sustenance, then we wouldn’t have a whole television network dedicated to it, we wouldn’t anoint restaurant chefs to rockstar status, and we certainly wouldn’t call each other foodies, both out of admiration or disdain. Food is culture, identity, and family. And the Asian American chefs and culinary stars on this list aren’t just cooking. They’re changing the conversation around what America eats, who’s seen in the kitchen, and how we understand Asian cuisine, in all its many unique and tasty flavors. Oh, yes, chef!

1. David Chang

Come on. If you haven’t tried Momofuku’s pork buns or ramen, are you even living? Korean American David Chang has turned his restaurants into a cultural phenomenon, earning two James Beard Awards for his efforts. But he’s more than just a chef. Through Ugly Delicious and his podcasts, Chang dives into identity, society, and why food connects us all.

2. Roy Choi

Roy Choi grew up in LA mixing Korean BBQ with Mexican flavors, which ultimately became inspiration for his Kogi taco trucks. TIME called him one of the “100 Most Influential People” for good reason. He made street food cool, socially conscious, and totally transformative. Choi proves food isn’t just about taste. It’s about community.

3. Ming Tsai

Ming Tsai’s parents introduced him to Chinese flavors, and he added French technique to make East-West fusion cooking that was accessible to everyone. An Emmy and James Beard Award winner, Tsai inspires home cooks and pros alike to see Asian cuisine as not just elegant and approachable, but also fun.

4. Kristen Kish

Korean American, adopted as a baby, and winner of Top Chef Season 10. Kristen Kish has been shaking up the culinary world, as both a chef and a host, fronting both Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend and the show that made her famous, Top Chef. Kish shows us that being a queer Asian American woman in food isn’t just possible. It’s powerful.

5. Melissa King

Melissa King, daughter of Chinese immigrants, won Top Chef: All-Stars and has been named one of Food & Wine’sBest New Chefs. Her dishes are inventive, her personality infectious, and her advocacy for LGBTQ+ visibility makes her an influencer of both tantalizing flavors and representation.

6. Maneet Chauhan

Maneet Chauhan grew up in India and brought her bold, complex South Asian flavors to the U.S. She’s a James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and longtime Chopped judge, blending tradition with modern dining and inspiring a new generation of South Asian chefs along the way.

7. Grace Young

Ever heard of the “Stir Fry Guru”? That’s Grace Young. A proud daughter of Chinese immigrants, Young has won multiple James Beard Awards for preserving Chinese home cooking and advocating for Chinatown restaurants.

8. Jet Tila

Jet Tila grew up in his parents’ LA grocery store. Now he’s bringing Thai food to TV screens and Guinness World Records alike. Fun, flashy, and full of flavor, he makes learning about culture as entertaining as it is delicious. We’ve got our fingers crossed for him to finally take the crown in season 7 of Tournament of Champions!

9. Padma Lakshmi

Born in India and raised in the U.S., Padma Lakshmi has spent decades lifting immigrant cuisines into the spotlight. Longtime Top Chef host and creator of Taste the Nation, she ensures South Asian flavors (and the stories behind them) get the recognition they deserve.

10. Roy Yamaguchi

We’re closing this list with nothing short of a legend. A pioneer of Hawaiian fusion cuisine, Japanese American Roy Yamaguchi opened his flagship restaurant Roy’s and redefined what island dining means by marrying Japanese technique with fresh Pacific ingredients, turning Hawaii’s local bounty into fine dining artistry. A James Beard Award winner, Yamaguchi didn’t just put Hawaiian flavors on the map, he made the map way, way bigger. Mahalo, chef!

Photos: David Chang/Momfuku, Roy Choi/Kogi BBQ, Ming Tsai/Ming.com, Kristen Kish/BravoTV, Melissa King/BravoTV, Maneet Chauhan/Food Network, Grace Young/Graceyoung.com, Jet Tila/Food Network, Padma Lakshmi/BravoTV, Roy Yamaguchi/Royyamaguchi.com