imported>Sizableframe: added godfather of poke moniker and citation

2024-11-04T00:34:33Z

added godfather of poke moniker and citation

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{{Short description|American chef, restaurateur, and television personality}}
{{Distinguish|Sam Chui}}
{{Infobox chef 
| name = Sam Choy
| image = File:Sam Choy.jpg
| caption = Sam Choy during a meeting with [[Eni Faleomavaega]]
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| style = Pacific Rim cuisine
| education = [[Kapiolani Community College]]
| ratings = 
| restaurants =Sam Choy's Kai Lanai
| prevrests =
| television = Iron Chef America
| awards = James Beard Foundation Award for America's Classics (2004)
| website =
}}

'''Sam Choy Sr.''' is an American chef, [[restaurateur]], and [[television personality]] known as "the godfather of poke" and a founding contributor of [[Pacific rim cuisine|Pacific Rim cuisine]].<ref name="ref1">{{cite news | first=Michael| last=Tsai | title=Pacific Rim Cuisine | date=2006-07-02 | url =http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/150/sesq6food | work =Honolulu Advertiser | accessdate = 2007-09-19 }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2018-03-24|title=Chef Profile: Sam Choy|url=https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/chef-profile-sam-choy/|access-date=2021-05-12|website=Hawaii Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-09-15 |title=Chef Sam Choy, 'Godfather of Poke,' On Hard Work, High Goals, and Having Fun |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/chef-sam-choy-godfather-poke-hard-work-high-goals-having-n643546 |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Choy is the son of a [[Chinese immigration to Hawaii|Chinese]] father, Hung Sam Choy, and a German–Hawaiian mother, Clairemoana.<ref>{{Cite web|title=HRC Chef Profiles - Hawaii|url=http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/October-2011/Present-at-the-Food-Revolution-in-Hawaii/Original-HRC-Chef-Profiles/|website=www.honolulumagazine.com|access-date=2011-10-31|archive-date=2016-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624012646/http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/October-2011/Present-at-the-Food-Revolution-in-Hawaii/Original-HRC-Chef-Profiles/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He grew up in [[Laie, Hawaii|Laie]], [[Oahu]].<ref name=":0" /> Choy is an alumnus of the [[Kapiolani Community College]]'s Culinary Arts program.<ref name="ref2">{{cite news | title =Sam Choy: Biography | url =http://www1.foodtv.com/celebrities/choybio/0,7213,,00.html | work =Food Network | accessdate =2007-09-19 | archive-date =2008-08-29 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20080829143633/http://www1.foodtv.com/celebrities/choybio/0,7213,,00.html | url-status =dead }}</ref>

One of his first jobs as a chef was at [[The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel]] in New York City. He would then return to Hawaii, where he eventually opened a chain of restaurants.<ref name="ref3">{{cite news | first=Sam | last=Choy | title=Sam Choy's Island Flavors | url=http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/1999/samchoy/ | work=Global Gourmet | access-date=2007-09-19 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070204071404/http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/1999/samchoy/ | archive-date=2007-02-04 }}</ref> Choy helped develop and popularize [[Hawaii regional cuisine]]. In 1991, Choy founded the [[Poke (Hawaii)|Poke]] Festival and Recipe Contest.

In 2004, Choy's restaurant Sam Choy's Kaloko in [[Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i|Kailua-Kona]], on the [[Hawaii (island)|Big Island]] of Hawaii, was named by the [[James Beard Foundation]] as one of [[List of James Beard America's Classics|America's Classics]] restaurants. The award recognizes "beloved regional restaurants" that reflect the character of their communities.

Choy has appeared in several [[Food Network]] programs, including ''[[Ready.. Set... Cook!]]'', ''[[Chopped (TV series)|Chopped]]''’s first Grill Master Tournament, and ''[[Iron Chef America]]''.

He is good friends with [[Emeril Lagasse]],<ref name="ref4">{{cite news | title=Emeril Live | date=2007-07-06 | url=http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_em/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9959_49857,00.html | work=Food Network | accessdate=2007-09-19 | archive-date=2007-11-13 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113144856/http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_em/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9959_49857,00.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> who has appeared on Choy's TV show ''Sam Choy's Kitchen'' on [[KHON2|KHNL]]. Lagasse has also mentioned Choy by name several times in his television shows; one of those times he was making Poke on his live TV show, and added peanut butter to the Poke- Choy's "secret ingredient". In 2015, Choy broadcast a series on [[YouTube]], ''Sam Choy In The Kitchen''.

Choy has designed Hawaiian-inspired dishes for [[American Airlines]]’ first class passengers to and from Hawaii.{{When|date=May 2021}}

==Personal life==
He is married to Carol, with whom he has two sons, Sam Jr. and Christopher.<ref name="Starbulletin">{{Cite web|url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2002/09/29/special/story35.html|title=Honolulu Star-Bulletin Special|website=archives.starbulletin.com}}</ref>

Choy lives in [[Kona District, Hawaii]].<ref name="Starbulletin"/>

==Publications==
* Sam Choy (1995). "With Sam Choy: Cooking from the Heart"
* Sam Choy (1999). "The Choy of Seafood"
* Sam Choy, U'I Goldsberry, & Steven Goldsberry (1999). "Sam Choy's Island Flavors"
* Sam Choy and Catherine Enomoto (2000). "Sam Choy's Cooking: Island Cuisine at Its Best"
* Sam Choy (2001). "Sam Choy Woks the Wok: Stir Fry Cooking at Its Island Best"
* Sam Choy (2001). "Sam Choy's Cooking with Kids"
* Sam Choy (2000). "Sam Choy's Sampler: Hawaii's Favorite Recipes"
* Sam Choy (2002). "Sam Choy's Polynesian Kitchen: More Than 150 Authentic Dishes from One of the World's Most Delicious and Overlooked Cuisine"
* Sam Choy (2002). "Sam Choy's visits Mr. Burkott and his farm in Hawaii"
* Sam Choy (2003). "Sam Choy's Little Hawaiian Cookbook for Big Appetites"
* Sam Choy, Lynn Cook, and Douglas Peebles (2003). "A Hawaiian Luau with Sam Choy and The Makaha Sons"
* Sam Choy and Elizabeth Meahl. (2004). "Sam Choy's A Little Hawaiian Poke Cookbook"
* Sam Choy (2006). "Aloha Cuisine"
* Sam Choy (2009). "Poke"

==Restaurants==
* Holoholo Grill (Kauai at Koloa Landing Hotel)
* Huki Lau Cafe (no longer owned by Choy, Laie, O'ahu, Hawaii)
* Pier Nine by Sam Choy (HPU Campus, O'ahu, Hawaii)
* Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch, and Crab (Closed in 2013)
* Sam Choy's ([[Tumon Bay]], [[Guam]] - Closed)
* Sam Choy's Kai Lanai ( Big Island, Hawaii - Closed)
* Sam Choy's Seafood Style Island Grille (Pearl Harbor, O'ahu, Hawaii)
* Sam Choy's Kahului (Queen Kaahumanu Center, Kahului, Maui - Closed)
* Sam Choy's Lahaina (Front Street - Closed)
* Sam Choy's Poke to the Max (Seattle & Tacoma, Washington)
* Sam Choy’s Ohana Diner (Bowl Incline, Incline Village, Nevada)
* Sam Choy's Kaloko ([[Kaloko, Hawaii]] - Closed)

==See also==
* [[Cuisine of Hawaii]]
* [[Iron Chef America]]
* [[George Mavrothalassitis]]
* [[Poke (Hawaii)]]
* [[Alan Wong]]
* [[Roy Yamaguchi]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www1.foodtv.com/celebrities/choybio/0,7213,,00.html Food Network biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829143633/http://www1.foodtv.com/celebrities/choybio/0,7213,,00.html |date=2008-08-29 }}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Choy, Sam}}
[[Category:American television chefs]]
[[Category:American male chefs]]
[[Category:American food writers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:American people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:American restaurateurs]]
[[Category:Chefs from Hawaii]]
[[Category:America's Classics winners]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:Waldorf Astoria New York]]
[[Category:Food Network chefs]]
[[Category:People from Hawaii (island)]]
[[Category:American Airlines people]]
[[Category:YouTubers from Hawaii]]

Sam Choy - Revision history

imported>Sizableframe: added godfather of poke moniker and citation