2025 Food & Wine Best New Chef

Chef Steve Joo’s first food memory and love is American barbecue sauce. Since his 4 year-old mind was blown by the sweet, sweet, smokey tang, he has spent more than half of his life dedicated to learning about food and serving it with the love that life’s painstaking lessons have taught him- love of the team, love of the process, love of the rich ecosystem of relationships that exists among fellow producers, growers, and community.

He believes in the universality of good food rooted in the stories of people, and the potential of its humanizing super power. He is now dedicated to growing his own Korean American tradition in Northern California that expresses the multitude of love he’s found along the way.

He founded Joodooboo in 2022 and has earned recognition from the San Francisco Chronicle, Food & Wine, and the James Beard Foundation.