Not many people can tout the title of culinary innovator, social activist, restaurateur, author and film producer—other than the utterly cool genius who is Roy Choi. Being accurately labeled as a culinary pioneer, Choi shares space on TIME's 100 Most Influential People list with a healthcare titan whose organization helped train 1,300 health workers in a country rife with Ebola, a planetary explorer who rediscovered the previously overlooked planet of Pluto and the duo that brought the Flint lead-poisoning issue to the surface, among others.
Choi is using his talent in the kitchen to pioneer social change by replacing the existing fast food model with a healthier and more socially-conscious alternative. Case in point is LocoL, his new project with fellow chef Daniel Patterson in the neighborhood of Watts, an area with little culinary variety. The menu is a gourmet twist on traditional fast food items such as chicken nuggets and burgers, but with some seasonal items and additions like an egg in the hole dish as well as a green juice. There are no sodas offered, and none of the menu items exceed $6. The food is prepared by locals in an effort to bring a sustainable and healthy-yet-affordable restaurant to underserved communities, and it's not uncommon for the team to hold spiritual workshops and open kitchens for kids visiting after school.
The Roy Choi empire that began with Kogi—the truck that brought a unique blend of Korean and Mexican flavors to LA—now includes more than five well-loved establishments, and we can hardly wait to see what this trendsetter has in store for us next.
To learn more about Roy Choi, pick up his memoir, L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food. For his latest LA creations, whereabouts and some mouthwatering food porn, follow him on Instagram.