WSJ. Magazine 2018 Food Innovator: David Chang, is perhaps best known for turning the concept of fine dining on its head. He’s a classically trained “French” chef, whose passion for food started in his mother’s mostly Korean kitchen. But in the world of fine food, the food he grew up with was not considered fine–it was relegated to the less esteemed ‘ethnic food’ corner. As a chef, he had to reconcile the idea that what was considered fine food was at odds with what he saw as some of the most delicious food in the world. Chang leaned into the idea that taste would win out over tradition and has since created the Momofuku Group; a group of restaurants that have radically changed the food landscape in New York, and indeed the world.

He spreads his philosophy about food and culture through TV, most recently in the Netflix original, Ugly Delicious, a show that uses food as a gateway to have tough conversation about our cultural norms.

His many restaurants, TV shows, and media are born from the desire to show the world that anything that is delicious–even ugly delicious–should bear the title of ‘fine food’.

WSJ. Magazine 2018 Innovator Awards

Crafting a better future from a world in flux. This is the hallmark of WSJ. Magazine's 2018 Innovators—a group of visionary, foundation-shaking luminaries working across nine fields. This year's talents were honored at the annual Innovator Awards on November 7 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Selected by WSJ. Magazine editors, the honorees are: Ruth E. Carter (Design); David Chang (Food); Nonny de la Peña (Technology); Agnes Gund (Philanthropy); Jacques Herzog & Pierre de Meuron (Architecture); Jonah Hill (Film); Ralph Lauren (Fashion); John Legend (Entertainment); and Pheobe Waller-Bridge (TV).

MediaStorm, for the fourth consecutive year, produced short films that pay tribute to their talents; showcasing exactly why WSJ. Magazine named them Innovators.  

The films premiered at the WSJ. Magazine 2018 Innovator Awards, on November 7, and was then published digitally by WSJ. Magazine and MediaStorm. It is a key tool for driving awareness to the magazine and the prestigious awards themselves.

With five global editions spanning 62 countries, WSJ. Magazine—which publishes 12 issues a year—is The Wall Street Journal's luxury-lifestyle publication dedicated to the power and passions of the Journal's readership.