One thing you don't know about me is that I had aspirations of becoming a D.J. and apprenticing under the great house music D.J.s of the 1980's.
If I could trade places with one chef it would be Fredy Giradet. He did it his way. He was a self-taught original who trained many of today's renowned chefs and retired [from his eponymous Michelin three-star Swiss restaurant] when he was on the top of his game. It takes courage to know when to move on to the next phase of your life without succumbing to the pressures of one's previous success.
One of my most memorable meals was at a small Tokyo soba noodle shop, which specialized in fresh soba cut to order and served with an aged tamari dipping sauce. The liquid that the soba was cooked in was added to the dipping sauce. The simplicity of the dish is a lasting memory.
If there was no Three Crabs brand fish sauce, I'd have no reason to live
My go-to drink is coconut water. It's a magical elixir and all people should try it.
If I were on death row my last meal would be a combination platter that includes my mom's braised short ribs with daikon and my mother-in-law's arroz con gandules.
My worst culinary creation was Thai coconut soup in a coconut shell. Presentation-wise, not a smart idea.
If I could change one thing about me I would learn to meditate and practice yoga instead of zoning out in front of the TV watching ESPN.
My favorite junk food is Korean shrimp crackers.
If I wasn't a restaurant operator, I'd love to be a forest ranger at Yellowstone Park.
Bill Kim is the chef/owner of pan-Asian noodle shop Urban Belly and the Korean-Latin fusion restaurant Belly Shack, both in Chicago.