David Chang Net Worth
David Chang is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and media host with an estimated net worth of $60 million. His fortune originates from his global Momofuku restaurant empire, high-margin grocery brand Momofuku Goods, and hit Netflix unscripted television deals. After opening his first East Village noodle bar in 2004, he captured multiple James Beard Awards and scaled his consumer packaged goods line to over $50 million in annual retail sales.
| Full Name | David Dong-hyuk Chang |
|---|---|
| Net Worth | $60 Million |
| Born | August 5, 1977 |
| Age | 49 |
| Birthplace | Arlington, Virginia, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Celebrity Chef, Restaurateur, Media Host |
| Source of Wealth | Momofuku Restaurant Empire, Majordomo Media, Momofuku Goods, Netflix Deals |
| Annual Earnings | $10 Million |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
| Spouse / Partner | Grace Seo Chang |
| Children | 2 |
| Last Updated | September 21, 2026 |
| Social Profiles |
Who Is David Chang?
David Dong-hyuk Chang was born on August 5, 1977, in Arlington, Virginia, and was raised in Vienna, Northern Virginia [cite: 2.6]. His parents, Joseph and Woo Chung Chang, were Korean immigrants who operated a successful restaurant and commercial golf goods business in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. As a child, Chang was a competitive junior golfer before attending Georgetown Preparatory School. He enrolled at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, graduating in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in religious studies.
After working briefly in finance and teaching English in Japan, he pursued culinary arts, enrolling at the French Culinary Institute in New York City in 2000. Chang developed his kitchen craft by working as a line cook at Tom Colicchio’s Craft and Mercer Kitchen, while also traveling to Tokyo to apprentice in traditional ramen and soba noodle shops. In 2004, with a small loan from his father and personal savings, he opened Momofuku Noodle Bar in Manhattan’s East Village.
How Did David Chang Build His Fortune?
Momofuku Noodle Bar transformed New York’s dining landscape with its innovative Asian-American cuisine and signature pork buns, prompting Chang to expand rapidly. He opened Momofuku Ssäm Bar in 2006 and the two-Michelin-starred Momofuku Ko in 2008, earning prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards for Rising Star Chef, Best Chef: New York City, and Outstanding Chef.
Chang built an international hospitality footprint, opening acclaimed concepts across Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Sydney, and Toronto, highlighted by his California flagship Majordomo. In 2011, he co-founded the influential culinary magazine Lucky Peach, before establishing multimedia production studio Majordomo Media in 2018. Through Majordomo Media, Chang produced and hosted the hit Netflix docuseries Ugly Delicious (2018), Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (2019), and his weekly talk series The Dave Chang Show on Spotify.
Capitalizing on direct-to-consumer demand, Chang co-founded Momofuku Goods in 2020, scaling products like Chili Crunch, seasoned salts, and air-dried noodles into more than 5,000 retail grocery stores, including Target and Whole Foods. In 2024, Chang expanded his broadcast partnership with Netflix by premiering the live unscripted weekly cooking program Dinner Time Live with David Chang. Through 2026, with thriving consumer packaged goods equity, media production dividends, and restaurant licensing, Chang stands as one of the most commercially innovative figures in global gastronomy.
How Does David Chang Make Money?
Chang's annual income exceeds $10 million, fueled by high-margin grocery retail revenues from Momofuku Goods, executive production packages from Netflix, and licensing dividends from his restaurant group.
| Income Source | Estimated Amount | Share of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Momofuku Restaurant Group Operations & Hospitality Licensing | $120 Million | |
| Momofuku Goods Consumer Packaged Goods (Chili Crunch, Noodles, Salts) | $35 Million | |
| Television Production & Netflix Streaming Deals (Ugly Delicious, Dinner Time Live) | $25 Million | |
| Best-Selling Cookbook & Memoir Publishing (Momofuku, Eat a Peach) | $12 Million | |
| The Dave Chang Show Podcast Network & Corporate Endorsements | $8 Million | |
| Total Career Earnings | $200 Million | 100% |
ⓘAll figures are estimates compiled from publicly available information and are reviewed and updated regularly by the NetWorthTRP research team.
David Chang Net Worth Over the Years
Chang's net worth grew from $40 million in 2021 to $60 million in 2026, driven by Momofuku Goods' nationwide grocery expansion, live streaming series deals, and private enterprise compounding.
| Year | Estimated Net Worth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $40 Million | Momofuku Goods secured institutional capital to scale national retail distribution |
| 2022 | $45 Million | Expanded Momofuku dried noodle line into Target and Whole Foods nationwide |
| 2023 | $50 Million | Majordomo Media expanded podcast network partnership with The Ringer and Spotify |
| 2024 | $55 Million | Premiered live unscripted Netflix series Dinner Time Live with David Chang |
| 2025 | $58 Million | Momofuku Goods annual retail sales surpassed $50M in grocery channels |
| 2026 | $60 Million | Sustained Netflix production dividends, CPG equity growth, and restaurant licensing |
David Chang's Houses, Cars & Assets
Chang's asset portfolio is headlined by a $30 million equity valuation in Momofuku Goods, a $5.5 million architectural home in Los Angeles, and multimedia production studio Majordomo Media.
| Type | Description | Estimated Value |
|---|---|---|
| Business | Momofuku Goods consumer packaged goods brand (national grocery retail distribution) | $30 Million |
| Business | Momofuku Restaurant Group (Momofuku Noodle Bar, Majordomo, Bang Bar) | $20 Million |
| Business | Majordomo Media (television, podcast, and digital content production studio) | $8.0 Million |
| Property | Custom mid-century architectural residential estate in Los Angeles, California | $5.5 Million |
| Property | Luxury residential loft condominium in Lower Manhattan, New York City | $4.2 Million |
| Royalties | Publishing rights catalog to Momofuku, Eat a Peach, and culinary media IP | $3.5 Million |
| Vehicle | Tesla Model X & luxury family daily driver fleet | $140,000 |
ⓘAll figures are estimates compiled from publicly available information and are reviewed and updated regularly by the NetWorthTRP research team.
David Chang's Personal Life
Chang married fashion and lifestyle creative Grace Seo in 2017 in a private ceremony. The couple reside in Los Angeles, California, with their two sons: Hugo, born in March 2019, and Gus, born in August 2021. In September 2020, Chang published his candid, critically acclaimed autobiography Eat a Peach, openly detailing his personal battles with bipolar disorder, clinical depression, and the mental health challenges of kitchen culture. An active humanitarian, Chang became the first celebrity in history to win the $1 million top prize on ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in November 2020, donating the entire jackpot to the Southern Smoke Foundation to provide financial relief for crisis-stricken food and beverage industry workers.
David Chang Net Worth: Frequently Asked Questions
How did David Chang build his net worth?
David Chang built his wealth by founding the Momofuku restaurant empire in 2004, scaling his consumer packaged goods company Momofuku Goods into nationwide retail grocery stores, and producing hit shows on Netflix.
What is David Chang's net worth in 2026?
As of 2026, David Chang has an estimated net worth of $60 million, ranking him among the wealthiest and most commercially successful celebrity chefs in the United States.
How much money does Momofuku Goods make?
Momofuku Goods generates more than $50 million in annual retail revenue, selling restaurant-grade pantry staples like Chili Crunch, seasoned salts, and air-dried noodles across over 5,000 grocery locations.
What television shows has David Chang created?
Through Majordomo Media, David Chang created, produced, and hosted acclaimed television programs, including Netflix's Ugly Delicious, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, and the live culinary series Dinner Time Live with David Chang.
Where does David Chang live?
David Chang primarily resides in a custom $5.5 million mid-century architectural home in Los Angeles, California, while also maintaining a residential loft in Lower Manhattan, New York City.
Sources: Forbes, Eater, Wikipedia — Last updated September 21, 2026
Net worth figures are estimates based on publicly available information, including reported earnings, endorsements and asset values. Actual net worth may differ and is not independently verified or audited.
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