The Dave Chang Show

Dave kicks off the episode talking about his experience at the Momofuku corporate retreat, where he exercises restraint in making a witty quip—and ponders what that says about himself. Chris Ying joins the pod and the two get into an Ask Dave/Dads hybrid segment about the best finger foods to start feeding a toddler, and some of the rookie mistakes they’ve made as dads when it comes to feeding the...

Dave weighs in on the state of Korean food, and ruminates on whether giving the cuisine the “modern” treatment makes sense given its rustic and highly intuitive roots. He also weighs in on current plating practices, and his preferences when it comes to how the food shows up to the diner (including a distaste for trendy geometric shapes). "Ask Dave" sees Dave offer encouragement and practical advic...

Dave is joined by Chris as the pair ruminate further on the direction of the restaurant industry, particularly as it relates to the ability to emulate live experiences. Dave circles back on his experience with the Apple Vision Pro headset, and tries to forecast what diners will prioritize out of their restaurant experiences. If Dave could do three other jobs for one day, what would he do? The answ...

It’s a DCS After Dark (kind of) as Dave weighs in on the current state of the restaurant industry and the way people think about eating versus dining—and why people might want to take a moment to meditate on what the difference between the two concepts means to them. Three Things sees Dave drop some wisdom for young cooks and aspiring chefs in the form of three (OK, four) things cooks should be pr...

Dave dials in from New York City to talk about the things he misses about the city he considered his home, including the experience of feeling like a stranger. Things get poignant as Dave talks about how much he misses walking through the streets and about feeling like New York wasn’t his home for the first time in more than two decades. Slice talks about an interesting conundrum that Dave is faci...

Dave and Chris Ying hop on the pod “fresh” off the flight from New Orleans. The two bring up an unlikely hero in the New Orleans sandwich debate—the roast beef and cheeseburger po’boy, which Dave suggests is superior to the fried oyster and fried shrimp versions. Dave recounts his experience eating with 'Thursday Night Football' analyst, former All-Pro offensive tackle, and Louisiana native Andrew...

It’s the return of Dave After Dark: New Orleans edition as Dave records from Louisiana and gets into traveling with Chris Ying to the Big Easy. He kicks off the episode by naming the three dishes he must eat every time he visits New Orleans. Dave and Chris then recount a story of eating at a restaurant and overhearing possibly the worst type of diner on the planet; and they discuss why Dave wants...

Dave kicks off the episode by talking about his favorite seasonal ingredients—from matsutake mushrooms to chinook to ramps, and his reasons for each. This episode’s Ask Dave segment gets into the high prices Americans are facing in grocery stores, and whether Dave, as a former chef, is any more or less susceptible to them. Finally, Dave gets into a Davestradamus where he talks about the future of...

Dave kicks off the show by talking about his experience filming 'Thursday Night Football,' including his amazement at the production work that goes on behind the scenes. He then moves on to his recent 48-hour trip to London for work; he recounts his old days and explains his discomfort with the stark differences in wealth on display. The episode’s Slice covers an awkward foray into remembering to...

It’s a meaty episode as Dave talks about the three things he looks for in a steak house before being joined by hunter, conservationist, and MeatEater founder Steven Rinella. Steven and Dave discuss a variety of topics, including meat consumption, demystifying the meaning of “gamy” when it comes to the taste of wild meats, and Steven’s aversion to store-bought meats. The two also talk about their h...

Dave kicks off the pod remotely from Washington, D.C., where he’s spent the week on assignment with the 'Thursday Night Football' team. The episode begins with some Majordomo updates and the three things he always buys at the Korean grocery store. Dave and Chris also break down their favorite places to get prepared foods, produce, and frozen goods among the different Asian supermarkets. Pro Footba...

Dave is joined by Euno Lee for this episode, and they kick off the show by talking about Dave’s tips for finding a place to eat—including using people watching to your advantage. Slice dives into the conundrum of when to give up your seat on an airplane—and why there seems to be moral judgment about refusing to give up your assigned seat. Dave also addresses why more ambitious restaurants might be...

It’s another edition of Pro Football Food Weekly, or as one astute listener complained, “just another excuse for Dave and Chris to argue about food.” This week’s matchup focuses on Green Bay vs. Detroit, and particularly on the bratwurst vs. the Detroit-style coney, as well as other local eats in and around Detroit and Green Bay (35:00). Three Things sees Dave take a peek into restaurant bathrooms...

Dave takes the reins solo on this episode and gets into Three Things he sees in a restaurant’s cutlery and dishware—and what it says about the restaurant. Slice of Life takes a “turn” as Dave talks about a high-pressure situation every driver likely faces on a daily basis. Dave then gets into an AskDave segment, with a question about eating in a larger group in New York—and offers ideas for other...

Chris joins Dave for a novel way of looking at NFL matchups: The Pro Football Food Weekly (or “PFFW”), where Dave and Chris debate which team will win based on the food in a given city. The pair break out the competition into the “Five S’s”: sandwiches, steakhouses, seafood, sweets, and special teams. The inaugural edition sees Dave and Chris square off in a classic battle between New York and San...

Dave and Chris kick off the episode by discussing three moments in time they’d like to travel back to. Slice delves into an “addendum to the hefeweizen principle”—Dave’s theory that bartenders are able to tell what drinks a patron wants before they actually order them. Ask Dave asks: Has Dave fallen out of love with some of his signature dishes? Dave talks about one of his most famous dishes, the...

Dave opens the episode with three things he did after school instead of homework—including using a certain video game system that might have taken up a lot of time. The episode segues into a Slice about robocallers and cold callers—and Dave’s wildly inefficient method of possibly putting an end to cold callers once and for all. He continues the episode by discussing issues he’s encountered with sa...

Dave and Chris wax nostalgic at the top of the episode talking about three things they ate in high school. Dave talks about his secret love of shepherd’s pie and his not-so-secret love of microwaveable cheeseburgers. Chris weighs in with his clandestine love affair with “RIB-B-Q” at the Cal Dining Hall. The two also share a moment about a certain past food item at Taco Bell. For Slice, Dave talks...

Dave and Euno dig in on NFL kickoff weekend for an extended Three Things that Dave is looking out for in the upcoming NFL season. The episode draws parallels between NFL schools of thinking (including the rise of the mobile quarterback and the run pass option) and how changes in the NFL relate to changes in the food and restaurant world. The episode then takes a personal turn as Dave looks back an...

Dave and Chris kick off the episode talking about a … strange … take from the 'Ringer Fantasy Football Show' and question their fantasy football knowledge based on their food preferences. The episode continues with a Slice where Dave declares the space of one’s airplane seat to be “personal airspace” and an experience with a pushy passenger. "Ask Dave" sees Dave encounter a problem that plagues ch...

Dave kicks off the episode with a SLICE containing an interesting conundrum: What happens when a group needs to split a check and one person didn’t consume as much as the others (or didn’t drink)? Ask Dave sees Dave answer a couple interesting questions. He starts off with the one thing he would teach high schoolers before they go to culinary school (or enter the workforce as cooks). Dave then wal...

Dave and Chris pick up their conversation from the previous episode with a discussion of Shohei Ohtani’s greatness (and Dave’s persistent man crush on the Angels’ two-way phenom).  The conversation turns to a breakfast-themed MOIF. Dave and Chris assemble their absolute best box of donuts, poke fun at Chris’ bagel preferences, the Asian cuisines that do breakfast best, and a big rant about the pro...

Dave is joined by Chris, and he opens up the show with an excuse for being late: a story about cooking breakfast for Hugo. The conversation detours into a reflection on the work ethic of bees. Ask Dave sees a question about wearing chef coats and other chef equipment, and Dave explains the functional importance of a chef uniform, including the chef coat. Dave also reflects on his worst cut and bur...

Dave’s Three Things segment starts off with three things he loves about the show’s guest: a world-class chef and the owner of the Empellón restaurant group, Alex Stupak. Stupak catches up with Dave (whom he hasn’t seen since before the pandemic) and reflects on his culinary journey, including his admiration of Albert Adrià, his time at Grant Achatz’s Alinea, and his experience helming the pastry p...

Dave takes a Slice of Life segment talking about wedding attendance—and how his eagerness to attend a wedding has significantly changed with age. The Ask Dave turns into a “Would You Please Stop” as Dave talks about being asked for a last-minute table as a favor—and why he’s unwilling to fulfill these requests. Finally, Euno and Dave break down various stereotypical diners, and assess which dining...