Food Truck Legend Goes Off

Food truck legend reveals the real secrets of new movie Chef and how Gwyneth Paltrow made it possible

In the new movie Chef, writer/director Jon Favreau steps in front of the camera to play Carl Casper, a once well-regarded chef who's fallen into serving boring, predictable food at a successful Los Angeles restaurant. Just as James Woods replaced Apu at the Kwik-E-Mart to prepare for an upcoming role, Favreau knew he would need to enlist the help of a professional chef to make the cooking scenes look right.

Someone who could teach him to chop, sear and swear like an actual chef. Someone who understands that corn starch can substitute for Gold Bond when things get really hot in the kitchen.

Favreau sought the expert advice of Roy Choi, the Los Angeles chef whose Kogi food truck blended Choi's Korean heritage with Mexican street tacos. Kogi's success propelled Choi to a Food & Wine Best New Chef win in 2010 and spawned a host of imitators, many of whom can be found in Houston. As the movie's culinary consultant, Choi helped develop the cliched menu Casper serves to food critic Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt), as well as the dishes Casper creates in his own kitchen and the Cuban sandwich that (spoiler alert) ultimately paves the way to his redemption.

"For me, I never abandoned the truck. Even though I’ve opened other things, the truck is still the lifeblood of who I am."

Choi tells CultureMap that Favreau has been a Kogi fan for years. "He had had it before. Gwyneth Paltrow, in the early Kogi days, was up on the truck," Choi tells CultureMap. "They had it on the Iron Man 2 set as a thank you to the staff. That was in our early days. It was a big deal for us.

"Jon called me out of the blue. They were looking for a culinary consultant, and my name came up. He called me and said 'Can you meet me for a day? I have a project I want to talk to you about.' He met me. We jumped into a car and hung out for six hours. The rest, as they say, is history."

One of the movie's signature scenes occurs when Castle serves a series of cliched dishes to Michel: Caviar egg, frisee salad, filet mignon and, worst of all, chocolate lava cake. "The lava cake was a series of events. He had something like that in there when I first saw the script," Choi says. "We had done Top Chef together. He had Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons there from Top Chef.

"We were still in the research phase . . . He asked them what is the thing that would make any chef gag. Or any person just drop their heart. They said chocolate lava cake."

The rest of the menu followed a similar path. "It wasn’t all just tongue and cheek and a joke. It was being really sympathetic to real restaurants out there that have to go through this. I know hundreds of restaurants that have seared scallops in beurre blanc, hundreds that have French onion soup, hundreds that have frisee salad," Choi says.

Fleeing Food Trucks

Turning to the current state of food trucks, Choi admits he doesn't know much about the Houston food truck scene, but the chef has strong opinions about the trend of truck owners getting off the street by opening brick and mortar locations.

"That’s a bit of a cultural thing. It’s good that the truck is a platform for a lot of people . . . . It was a bridge for them to move on and create something else in their lives. That’s great that they’re able to move on and make something," Choi says.

He notes that's not the only path though. And it's certainly not his path.

"There’s also the Latino culture in America where the truck is a huge deal. I think it comes down to where you come from in life. For me, I never abandoned the truck. Even though I’ve opened other things, the truck is still the lifeblood of who I am. That’s because I enjoy it. I believe in it. It’s everything that I am.

"The truck is fun. I don’t understand why you would leave the truck. It’s so much fun."

Generally, Chef, which has garnered good reviews, accurately depicts the bawdy banter of a professional kitchen, but one moment in the film struck me as false. Castle and two chefs drink a shot of a name brand vodka at a bar. Vodka? It must have been a paid placement.

"Maybe it would have been tequila more than vodka, but if that was all that was false to you, I feel very good about the film, then," Choi says.

"If we fucked up on the alcohol choice, we’ll take that."

Chef is playing in theaters across Houston.

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weekend event planner

Here are the 15 best things to do in Houston this 4th of July weekend

Courtesy of Shell Freedom Over Texas

The city has revealed the performers for its July 4 celebration.

The 4th of July lands on a Friday this year, which means things will get especially patriotic this weekend.

We’ve already listed all the fireworks celebrations and restaurant specials that’ll be popping off on Friday. (Don’t forget about the screenings of Independence Day at River Oaks Theatre, Rooftop Cinema Club and Marriott Marquis Houston.) But there are also other must-see events happening this weekend, including a LEGO convention, the second anniversary of a Third Ward eatery, the return of a Stanley Kubrick classic, and an outlaw music festival featuring Willie Freakin’ Nelson and Bob Freakin’ Dylan!

Thursday, July 3

Brick Rodeo
Brick Rodeo is a family-friendly event that features hundreds of custom models and displays made from LEGO bricks. Creators from Texas and around the country will be available to talk about their creations. Fans who want to display their own creations, attend workshops, and participate in all the activities should purchase an All Access Pass. Families and individuals who want to spend a day viewing incredible custom creations, talking with builders, and shopping with vendors should purchase a public exhibition ticket. 9 am (8:30 am Friday-Sunday).

City Place presents Young Audiences of Houston: Painting with Watercolor Pencils Art Workshop
This free art workshop, hosted by Young Audiences of Houston teaching artist Judy Malone Stein, transforms City Place’s central waterfront plaza into a classical art studio with easels and other essential supplies. Participants are introduced to the medium of watercolor pencils and will learn basic color theory which includes the color wheel and primary and secondary colors, along with complimentary colors. They will also focus on creating compositions, using traditional visions (portraits, landscapes, still life) as their subject matter. 9:30 am.

Improv Houston presents Dustin Ross
Dustin Ross is a NAACP Image Award-winning host, writer, and producer. Fans of The Read podcast may know him as a longtime guest/friend to the show. These days, you can hear him on two pods: The Friend Zone, with co-hosts Hey Fran Hey and Assante; and Holding Court, with Eboni K. Williams. He has also hosted seasons of Bet on Black, REVOLT TV’s competition series, Bet On Black. As an on-air contributor, Ross has appeared on multiple platforms, including MTV, BET, Bravo TV, HBO, FUSE TV, GLAAD, Fox Soul, and more. 7:30 pm.

Friday, July 4

Freedom Over Texas
With an average of 50,000 people in attendance, Freedom Over Texas has become Houston’s annual, signature July 4th celebration. The live, televised event will feature local, regional, and national entertainment, headlined by Ashley McBryde and Lee Brice, and will be capped off with a musically choreographed, “Texas-sized” fireworks finale. It also features a unique non-profit component, as the event will donate a percentage of food and beverage sales to the Houston Food Bank. 4 pm.

Ensemble Theatre presents The Tap Dance Kid
Over at The Ensemble Theatre, The Tap Dance Kid is about a 10-year-old African-American kid named Willie who doesn’t want to be a lawyer like his well-to-do strict father, and dreams of becoming a dancer like his talented Uncle Dipsey, an aspiring Broadway choreographer. The final production in the theater’s 2024-25 season, this musical is filled with imaginations of stardom that keep us tapping along. Through Sunday, July 27. 7:30 pm (2 and 7:30 pm Saturday; 3 pm Sunday).

Dan Electro’s presents The Broken Spokes & Oliver Penn 4th of July Party
Freedom, music, and a 4th of July Party will be going down at Dan Electros. The show will feature a performance from traditional Texas country band The Broken Spokes, a well-seasoned outfit that’s put in the time honing their craft in honky tonks across Texas,. Also performing will be Rhode Island-born, Houston-based country singer Oliver Penn, who has shared the stage with Charley Crockett, Shakey Graves, Randall King, The California Honeydrops, and Shinyribs. 9 pm.

Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra presents Graveyard Shift: Attack the Block
Guy Fawkes Night in London is a time for fireworks, fooling around, and an occasional surprise or two. But when vicious extraterrestrials decide to crash the hellraisers’ holiday, a time for making merry quickly turns scary. Writer-director Joe Cornish also ensures it’s frequently humorous as well. This frisky, vigorous 2011 spoof — propelled by an insistent electronic score by Steven Price & Basement Jaxx and a star-making lead turn from John Boyega — shows a similar sensibility in its breezy blending of goofiness and gruesomeness. 10 pm.

Saturday, July 5

Rado Market 2 Year Anniversary Celebration
Chef Chris Williams’ market and cafe at the historic Eldorado Ballroom will celebrate its two-year anniversary with a celebration that’s free and open to the public. The event will include complimentary champagne during the first hour, food specials from chef Jaden Gaines, and live music from a DJ for the first two hours. Guests can also browse and shop from a curated lineup of local vendors offering various products for sale, including Posh Body, Ambrosia Nectar, 77 Stash, and Juxx. Patrons can also enter two raffles featuring Radiant Aura samples and other giveaways. Noon.

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Winnie’s presents Labubu Face Tattoo Korean Corn Dog Karaoke Party
Never has an event’s name been a more complete description of what’s happening at the Midtown sandwich shop/cocktail bar on Saturday. Artists from Rodeo Tiger will be tattooing Labubu, the must-have accessory that feels destined to become the Beanie Babies of 2025 ($25 minimum, $50 for both sides, and $100 for full face custom work). While you wait, snack on a Korean corn dog created by chef Jennifer Hoffman. Karaoke starts at 8 pm. 1 pm.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Barry Lyndon
This weekend, catch the 50th anniversary screening (in glorious 35mm!) of Stanley Kubrick’s lavish, Oscar-winning 1975 adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray’s 18th-century novel. Forced to leave Ireland after killing an English officer in a duel, young Redmond Barry (Ryan O’Neal) seeks his fortune as a soldier in Prussia, as a spy, and then as a gambler living among the elite of Europe. He changes his name and marries an aristocrat (Marisa Berenson) for her wealth, but will he finally gain the acceptance he seeks? 5 pm (2 pm Sunday).

Kings Harbor Waterfront Village presents “Fireworks on the Pier”
Looking for a post-4th of July throwdown this weekend? Kings Harbor Waterfront Village in Kingwood will have its annual “Fireworks on the Pier” celebration, a patriotic evening of family fun, live entertainment and a spectacular fireworks display. Festivities include family-friendly games like Connect Four, a balloon artist, face painting and bubble stations for kids. Local restaurants will be serving up a variety of delicious food and drink options throughout the evening. A dazzling fireworks show over the pier will begin around 10 pm. 7 pm.

Movies at Miller: Wicked
We know there is a lot of y’all who can’t wait for Wicked: For Good to drop in multiplexes this winter. Before that happens, head over to Miller Outdoor Theatre and revisit the Oscar-winning Broadway musical adaptation that set it all off. In the magical Land of Oz, Wicked covers the first act, following Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West, and her friendship with Galinda (Ariana Grande), the future Glinda the Good Witch. The audience is encouraged to come in costume. 8:30 pm.

Sunday, July 6

Eldorado Ballroom presents Ball N’ Parlay
Dubbed “A 1st Sunday Vibeout,” Ball N’ Parlay is a vibrant, Third Ward day party that’s going to be held outside the legendary Eldorado Ballroom. They’re really hyping this one up, calling it “the Sunday you’ve been waiting for, where music, community, and culture meet.” We’re just psyched that some of our favorite DJs will be doing live sets, including DJ Elevated, Maiya Papaya, Alist, and DJ Bloom. 3 pm.

Outlaw Music Festival
If you grew up going to Cactus Music and picking up the latest issue of No Depression, looking for the latest in outlaw country releases to scoop up, a fest full of iconic, guitar-strumming banditos will be making a stop at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion this weekend. The 10th anniversary tour of the Outlaw Music Festival will feature an unparalleled lineup of legends and superstars, including Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, The Avett Brothers, The Mavericks, and Tami Neilson. 4:05 pm.

CONCACAF Gold Cup Final
As of this writing, we don’t know who will be playing in the final match of the soccer championship known as the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, going down this weekend at NRG Stadium. What we do now is that the winners will be determined on Wednesday night, when the semifinal matchups – the USMNT vs. Guatemala and Mexico vs. Honduras – will take place. This also marks the first time the Gold Cup Final will be held in the state of Texas. 6 pm.

Courtesy of Freedom Over Texas

The Freedom Over Texas celebration takes place on the Fourth of July.

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