Latest Update: David Chang's Assets & Salary ( Updated) Net Worth 2026: Career Earnings & Assets

As one of the most talked-about figures, David Chang has built a significant fortune. Our team analyzed the latest data to provide a clear picture of their income.

What Is David Chang's Net Worth?

David Chang is an American chef and entrepreneur who has a net worth of $20 million. David Chang is the founder of the Momofuku restaurant group. As of this writing, in New York City, it includes Momofuku Noodle Bar, Ma Peche, Momofuku Ssam Bar, Milk Bar, and Momofuku Ko. He also operates Momofuku Seiobo in Sydney, Australia. David formerly operated several Momofuku Toronto restaurants. Momofuku Ko was awarded two Michelin stars in 2009 that he still maintains today. Chang is known for his "bad-boy attitude" which includes no reservations and no vegetarian options.

Early Life

David Chang was born on August 5, 1977, in Washington, D.C. He grew up in Arlington, Virginia, with two brothers and one sister. Chang's parents immigrated from Korea as adults in the '60s, his mother from South Korea and his father from North Korea. His family owned a golfing goods warehouse and two restaurants. Growing up, Chang was a competitive golfer and participated in numerous junior tournaments. David studied at Georgetown Prep and Trinity College, majoring in religious studies. After graduating from college, Chang held down a variety of jobs including teaching English in Japan and bussing tables in New York City. In 2000, he attended the French Culinary Institute in New York City, now known as The International Culinary Center.

Career

While training at the FCI, David worked a small part-time job at Mercer Kitchen Manhattan and also worked a job answering phones atTom Colicchio'sCraft restaurant. Chang stayed at Craft for two years before moving back to Japan to work at a small soba shop, after which he worked at a restaurant in Tokyo's Park Hyatt Hotel. When David returned to the U.S., he worked at Cafe Boulud, where his idol, Chef Alex Lee, worked. However, Chang quickly became dissatisfied and frustrated at the fine dining scene.

It was 2004 when Chang opened his first restaurant, the famed Momofuku Noodle Bar in the East Village. His website states that momofuku means "lucky peach." The restaurant also shares a name withMomofuku Ando, the inventor of instant noodles. David opened his second restaurant in August 2006 a few blocks away, Momofuku Ssam Bar. It was just as successful and highly-rated as his first. In March 2008, he opened Momofuku Ko (which means "child of"), a 12-seat restaurant that takes first-come-first-serve online-only reservations exactly ten days in advance. Soon after, Chang expanded Momofuku Ssam Bar into an adjacent space along with his colleagueChristina Tosi, who ran their pastry program. The new space was named Momofuku Milk Bar and it served soft-serve ice cream along with cookies, pies, cakes, and other treats, many of these inspired by foods Tosi had as a child. It was reported in 2009 that Momofuku Milk Bar's Crack Pie, Cereal Milk, and Compost cookies were in the process of being trademarked. Chang and former "New York Times" food writer Peter Meehan published a highly anticipated cookbook called "Momofuku" in October 2009. The book contained a variety of detailed recipes and photos from Chang's restaurants. In May 2010, David opened Ma Peche in midtown Manhattan.

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In summary, the total wealth of David Chang reflects strategic moves.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.