Esther Choi

Esther Choi is an influential Chef driven by her Korean roots. She is the chef and owner of Mökbar, with locations in Chelsea Market, Midtown, New Jersey, and Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. She is also the chef and partner of Ms. Yoo. Inspired by the age-old technique of her Korean grandmother’s cooking, Chef Esther believes that food is the ultimate expression of a country’s culture. With a personal passion for introducing New Yorkers to the flavors of Korean culture, Chef Esther’s cooking combines traditional and modern influences with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Esther began her professional education at the early age of 14. Her formal training as a chef began at New York City’s Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), followed by various positions at New York City’s renowned ilili and La Esquina, as well as that of the Food Network. Her newest restaurant Gahm by Mökbar opened in Brooklyn in the Fall of 2023, followed by a cocktail bar, Bar ö, in Midtown Manhattan. Currently, Esther is the host of Heat Eaters by First We Feast in its third season, which won a Webby Award in 2024 and is the follow-up show to the hit YouTube series Hot Ones. She was a challenger chef in the newest Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend which was released on Netflix in 2022, where she made it to the final. Esther appears in numerous Food Network shows, including Beat Bobby Flay and Bobby’s Triple Threat, where she took down both Bobby and the titans. Esther is also a guest judge on Chopped, appeared on HBO’s Selena + Chef alongside Selena Gomez and is the co-host of Food Network’s new show 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing. Esther lives in New York City with her partner, her dog Persy and her baby Leon.