Roy Choi

Chef and Restaurateur

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Recommended by Roy Choi

I grew up in Ktown in and out of 8th street, aka the Oaxacan corridor where their first restaurant was. Now it's located in the buffet building I used to eat at as a kid on Olympic. And soon, Mama Rabbit is gonna open right next door to my restaurant Best Friend in Las Vegas. I can't seem to shake the Guelaguetza family. We are forever linked and I'm mole than happy for that! (from Amazon)

Bricia Lopez’s Oaxaca is a colorful celebration of Oaxacan cuisine from her family’s landmark Guelaguetza restaurant in Los Angeles, co-written with food writer Javier Cabral. “Bricia and her family are true culinary ambassadors, sharing the ingredients, the stories, and the flavors of her native Oaxaca. . . . Now we all get the chance to hear the stories and taste the food that makes Oaxaca one of the best places to eat on Earth.” ―José Andrés, chef, entrepreneur, philanthropist Oaxaca is the culinary heart of Mexico, and since opening its doors in 1994, Guelaguetza has been the center of life for the Oaxacan community in Los Angeles. The first true introduction to Oaxacan cuisine by a native family, each dish articulates their story, from Oaxaca to the streets of Los Angeles and beyond. Showcasing the “soul food” of Mexico, Oaxaca offers 140 authentic-yet-accessible recipes using some of the purest pre-Hispanic and Indigenous ingredients available. Sections and recipes include: The Staples of Oaxaca ​MasaHuevo en FrijolAntojitos Oaxaquenos (Tamales and Finger Foods)​Tamales de Mole NegroTacos de Chapulin y ChicharrónSopas y Caldos (Soups)​Pollo en Salsa Verde con Papas y NopalesCaldo de PataOur Moles​Mole NegroMole Verde con PuercoFamily Meals​Chiles Rellenos de PicadilloTacos de Barbacoa de ChivoBreakfast​ChilaquilesHuevos RancherosSalsas​Salsa de TomatilloGuacamoleMezcal Cocktails, Aguas Frescas, and Our Michelada​Pasión de OaxacaSparkling LimonadaAnd more! Lopez writes in her introduction, “In Zapoteco, the thousand-year-old Indigenous language still spoken in Oaxaca, the word for aciento (pork rind paste) is the same word that is used for children, which is the name of the toasted chicharron paste that we smear on tortillas. That is how important food is to us. In our Indigenous languages, we use our staple food to describe us as children.” When you try her recipes, you’ll know why food and life are so connected, vibrant, and essential to the people of Oaxaca. From their signature pink horchata to the formula for the Lopez’s award-winning mole negro, Oaxaca demystifies this essential cuisine. Packed with mouth-watering color photographs.

Recommended by Roy Choi

Rie has written a book that is full of amazing homestyle Japanese food that I love and want to eat every day. She makes the dream a reality with recipes that are as easy to follow as they are delicious. From oyako don to nabe and pickles, she hits all the favorites. Plus, she’s the coolest cucumber on the planet. Run, don’t walk, to this book. (from Amazon)

Learn the building blocks of authentic Japanese home cooking with 85 satisfying, soulful, everyday recipes from the beloved BuzzFeed Tasty food personality “Rie’s marvelous recipes taught me new things about familiar ingredients, and reconnected me with the wonderful Japanese home cooking that I have always loved.”—Nobu Matsuhisa, chef and owner, Nobu Restaurant Group A BEST COOKBOOK OF THE YEAR: Los Angeles Times, NPR, Good Housekeeping Make It Japanese reflects Rie McClenny journey from her birthplace of Japan to the United States and how she learned to cook heartfelt recipes from scratch, often using only ingredients from her local supermarket. Throughout her culinary career, from home cook to star of BuzzFeed Tasty’s “Make It Fancy” video series, she has drawn inspiration from the nourishing food her mother cooked throughout her childhood and her extensive knowledge of Japanese cuisine and ingredients that she brought to life in an American kitchen. In her debut cookbook, Rie shares just how approachable Japanese home cooking can be, no matter where you are. She presents a collection of comforting, homestyle recipes that use just a handful of easy-to-find Japanese ingredients, such as soy sauce, mirin, and sake, and simple, essential cooking techniques, like making rice bowls (donburi), frying the perfect home-style tempura, and gently simmering vegetables and proteins to delicious effect. Each accompanied by bright, beautiful photography, these delectable recipes include: • Traditional dishes with a twist: Loaded Vegetable Miso Soup with kale and sweet potatoes, Roasted Cauliflower Goma-ae coated in toasted sesame dressing, umami-packed Easy Soy Sauce Ramen, and Mini Okonomiyaki pancakes • Can’t-miss classics: delectable pork Tonkatsu, ginger-spiked Chicken-Tofu Tsukune, and Oyako Don, rice bowls topped with tender chicken thighs and egg • Interactive, hands-on recipes for festive gatherings: Chicken Hot Pot with Ponzu perfect for a winter’s night, can’t stop Gyoza with Crispy Wings, and make-your-own hand rolls for a Temaki Party • And of course, dessert: the iconic Simple Strawberry Shortcake, irresistible Matcha Snacking Cake, and delightful Citrus Mochi Doughnuts Whether making dinner on a busy weeknight or hosting a multi-course banquet, Make It Japanese is the ideal resource and perfect introduction to the world of Japanese cuisine, ingredients, and cooking techniques.