Chef Ricky Hwang

I was born in South Korea and raised in Thailand and Los Angeles, where I first fell in love with cooking during a high school culinary class in La Cañada. After earning my associate degree from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, I spent time WWOOFing across the U.S.—working on farms and building a deeper relationship with ingredients and where food really comes from.

My journey in fine dining began at Scratch (now Pasta Bar) under Chef Jason Hall, then continued at The NoMad Hotel, where I worked up to junior sous chef in the private events kitchen. I’ve also cooked at Maude with Chef Chris Flint, and at Alain Ducasse’s Blue in Thailand with Chef Wilfrid Hocquet.

Since returning to L.A., I’ve helped open Kinn with Chefs Ki Kim and Michael Han, worked with the Baroo team, and managed Shiku. Most recently, I launched my first solo menu at Hibi—a step toward sharing a more personal style of cooking rooted in culture, curiosity, and storytelling.

It might sound cliché, but I want my food to tell a story—not just of where an ingredient came from, but who harvested it, why it matters, and what inspired me to turn it into something you can taste. I’m not interested in just making something fancy or picture-perfect. I want every dish to carry meaning, to reflect memory, emotion, and intention. If it can touch a heartstring or spark a feeling, then I’ve done my job.

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