David Chang on how his sons inspired him to explore the future of food in 'Next Thing You Eat'

The restaurateur examines how new developments will change the way we eat in Hulu's six-part docu-series, streaming Oct. 21.

ByAndrea Lans OTRC logo
Monday, October 18, 2021
David Chang on how his sons inspired him to explore future of food
David Chang talks to On The Red Carpet about Hulu's new docu-series "The Next Thing You Eat."

From lab-grown fish to burger-flipping robots, celebrity chef and restaurateur David Chang explores the future of food in Hulu's new docu-series "The Next Thing You Eat."

"We tell stories through food and this is just another way of telling stories," Chang told On The Red Carpet. "Some stories you can eat, and this story is about watching what you eat."

Chang conceptualized the idea for this show at the beginning of the pandemic in hopes of fueling optimism for our future. But the main catalyst for exploring what's in store for the future was his family. In fact, Chang just welcomed his second son last month.

"It is super urgent," Chang said. "We need to start having conversations that matter about food."

RELATED | What to watch this October: On The Red Carpet previews new shows, Halloween programming

Not only does the six-episode series focus on technological developments and food sustainability, but it also ponders how we can make the future of food one that embraces diversity. In one episode, Chang challenges the breakfast staples that dominate our culture (i.e. sugary cereals and syrup-drenched waffles) and shifts the focus on delicious dishes from other cultures, like Taiwanese breakfast food.

"In the future, I want diversity. And I don't want my son to grow up looking like a weirdo when he's like, 'I want my noodle soup in the morning,'" Chang says in episode 4, "Breakfast: An Illusion of Choice."

In addition to featuring the biggest names in food and food science, "The Next Thing You Eat" has several celebrity guests. Anderson .Paak, Danny Trejo, "Fresh Off the Boat" producer (and author of the novel) Eddie Huang are just a few of the prominent names who join Chang in delving into the future of food.

"Getting Anderson .Paak was the coolest. I'm a huge fan of his music and I was like, 'He wants to be on this show? That's the coolest thing ever!'" Chang exclaimed.

All episodes of "The Next Thing You Eat" begin streaming Thursday, Oct. 21 on Hulu.

The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of Hulu and this ABC station.