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Esther Choi speaking at ICE Commencement.

ICE Grad Esther Choi Hosts New Chef Competition Show

"24 In 24: Last Chef Standing" premiered on April 14

Chef Esther Choi speaking at ICE NY Commencement.

"24 In 24: Last Chef Standing" premiered on April 14 with Esther Choi, an ICE Alumna and the Chef and Owner of multi-outpost restaurant mŏkbar, co-hosting the series alongside fellow restaurateur Michael Symon.

By Hillery Hargadine

Hillery Wheeler Hargadine has been with ICE since 2009 and is a graduate of ICE’s Restaurant and Culinary Management program. After over a decade with the Admissions team helping students to fulfill their dreams of enrolling in culinary school, she now enjoys profiling those same students in their new careers as Notable Alumni. In addition to alumni outreach, Hillery works on prospective student messaging and content. She currently lives in Toyko, Japan with her husband and son, and eats as much sushi and ramen as possible.

April 15, 2024

Following in the footsteps of ICE Alumni like Gail Simmons (host, “Top Chef”), Vivian Howard (host, “A Chef’s Life”); Marc Murphy (recurring judge, “Chopped”) and more who have been mainstays in the world of food tv, Chef Esther is making her hosting debut on The Food Network’s newest competitive cooking show “24 In 24: Last Chef Standing.”

Chef Esther is no stranger to the world of cooking tv, with a resume including “Iron Chef: Quest for a Legend,” “Bobby’s Triple Threat,” “Throwdown with Michael Symon” (who is now her co-host), “Chopped” and “Battle of the Brothers.” She has also hosted several web series, including the Hot Ones spin-off Heat Eaters. That being said, “24 In 24: Last Chef Standing” will be her first recurring position as a host on a major TV network. Chef Esther was also featured in the 2021 documentary “Her Name Is Chef,” exploring women’s experiences in the restaurant industry.

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According to the Food Network’s announcement on their website, the show’s premise is to test the limits of 24 chefs, giving them 24 hours to complete 24 food challenges with a grand prize of $50,000 and a “trip of a lifetime.” The concept is an attempt to replicate the chaos and intensity of a real-life restaurant chef, a reality with which Chef Esther is very familiar.

As the Chef and Co-owner of Korean mŏkbar restaurants, as well as the Lower East Side gastropub Ms Yoo, Chef Esther has made a career out of honoring her Korean heritage through food. Though she herself lived in Korea for three years as a child, Chef Esther credits her grandmother's (or "halmeoni" in Korean) creative takes on Americanizing Korean food with inspiring mŏkbar’s menus.

Heralded as a bonafide star in the culinary space, Chef Esther’s place as co-host of one of Food Network’s most anticipated new shows is sure to solidify her place as a national food personality. And, it’s an opportunity to introduce her unique take on what it is to be a Korean-American chef to a broader audience.