My pal and I have a tradition every year where we pick a Michelin restaurant to celebrate our birthdays. This year, while we were in L.A. for Disneyland and Universal, I reserved a dinner for my pal’s birthday at Kochi, a one-star Michelin restaurant, on the last day of our trip, on our way back from the park. Opened in late 2019, Kochi is the first solo project by Chef Sungchul Shim, who was born and raised in the Korean province of Jeollanam-do. Kochi blends the charm of street food with the depth of traditional Korean flavors.