ESTHER CHOI
Media Kit (2025)
Esther Choi
Chef | Entrepreneur
Chef Esther Choi is a Webby Award-winning Korean culinary authority with 800K+ followers and 45M+ viral views across digital platforms. She expertly bridges traditional media credibility, co-hosting Food Network's 24 in 24 and hosting First We Feast's Heat Eaters, with substantial digital-native influence, maintaining high engagement rates as a prolific content creator on Instagram and TikTok. She reaches a wide audience through both owned channels and strategic partnerships.
Her mission is to make Korean cuisine accessible to mainstream America, using authentic storytelling from her grandmother’s recipes alongside innovative concepts like her Korean-Italian fusion (Koritalian). This vast media reach complements her successful restaurant empire of 7 locations spanning NYC to Las Vegas, ensuring her shows and social content reach millions weekly.
Executive Summary
Chef Esther Choi, a Korean Culinary Authority Meets Digital-Native Influence
800K+
Combined Followers
45M+
Viral Views
Webby Award
2024 Winner
Cultural Authority
Korean-American chef with 7 restaurant locations, Food Network co-host, First We Feast host
Engagement Premium
2-3% engagement rate (4x platform average) = higher value per follower than mega-influencers
Proven Conversion
$6.50 ROI per $1 spent on food influencer campaigns
Premium Audience
$85-100K mean income, 75% ages 18-44, urban professionals
Webby Award 2024
(Heat Eaters)
Food Network "24 in 24" co-host
(Season 2, 2025)
Caesars Palace Partnership
(Las Vegas expansion, 2024)
45M+ views on collaborative content
What Brands Gain When Partnering with Chef Esther
Access to Premium Demographics
$85-100K mean income, urban professionals, 75% between 18-44
High restaurant visitation (3+ monthly), strong disposable income, active product discovery through influencers
Cultural Authority
Korean-American culinary expert in one of the fastest-growing food categories in America
Authentic voice with family heritage, combined with innovative fusion approach that makes Korean cuisine accessible
Multi-Channel Activation
TV (Food Network + First We Feast), social media (800K+ followers), restaurants (7 locations), events (Food & Wine Festivals)
Single partnership unlocks touch points with audiences
Proven Conversion Power
2-4% e-commerce conversion, 3-5% restaurant / brand awareness conversion
50M+ views on Eater Kitchen Gadgets series demonstrates ability to drive interest in products through authentic demonstration
Credibility, Recognition, Diversification
Restaurant Credibility
Real-world restaurant operations validate expertise and provide physical activation opportunities
Award Recognition
Webby Award provides independent industry validation of content quality and influence
Platform Diversification
Strong presence across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and television reduces platform risk
Consistent Performance
Two years of sustained growth, viral content, and media recognition demonstrates reliability
Esther's Social Reach
428K+ Instagram Followers
1.5-3M average monthly impressions
Engagement Rate: ~2-3% (4x industry average of 0.61%)
282K+ TikTok Followers
800K-2M average monthly impressions
Engagement Rate: ~6-8% (food content benchmark)
YouTube
Viewership
10M+ through partnerships
15M+ Monthly Impressions
Across Esther's Top 3 Online Platforms
Extended Reach Through Strategic Partnerships
Reach - 27M+ followers (Youtube)
Webby Award for Food & Drink Series
50M+ views across series
Food Network 24 in 24 Co-Host
Real-time TV competition series
Selected Viral Content
King Crab Three Ways - Danny Kim
45M+ views (cross-platform)
2.6M+ views (Youtube)
10M+ views (Youtube)
Who Are Esther's Followers? Meet the Urban Culinary Explorer
Core Culinary Interests
  • Authentic international cuisine (Korean, Asian fusion)
  • Restaurant culture and fine dining
  • Home cooking experimentation
  • Food media consumption
  • Cultural exploration through food
  • Social dining experiences
Digital Behavior
  • Daily social media uses social media 2 hours 21 minutes (avg.)
  • Restaurant visits 3+ times monthly
  • Product discovery 83% via influencers
  • Restaurant selection 72% based on social media
  • Food content engagement 80% of Gen Z actively engaged
Device Usage
  • Mobile ~70-75% (primary)
  • Desktop / Laptop ~25-30%
  • Platform specific Instagram ~70-80% mobile, TikTok ~90%+ mobile
Discovering New Restaurants & Recipes
  • Self-expression through food choices
  • Status and social validation
  • Culinary skill development
  • Connection to cultural heritage
  • Supporting women and minority chefs
Income & Purchasing Power of Esther's Audience
Esther's audience demonstrates above-average income levels concentrated in high-cost urban markets with strong dining-out culture. This purchasing power translates directly into marketing value for premium brands and culinary experiences.
Key Income Metrics
  • Mean household income $85,000-$100,000
  • High earners ($100K+) 29% of audience
  • Average disposable income $1,750/year on dining out
  • Income vs. US median 13-17% above national average of $75K

Marketing Significance - This audience income profile places Esther's followers well above average for social media influencers, with nearly one-third earning six figures or more. Combined with urban concentration, this creates premium purchasing power for restaurant visits, cooking equipment, specialty ingredients, and culinary experiences.
Brand Partnership Value Proposition
Esther sits in the sweet spot between emerging & macro-influencer - large enough for significant reach, small enough for authentic engagement
Premium Asian Food Brands
Condiments, sauces, specialty ingredients, Korean food products. Her authentic expertise and cultural authority make her the ideal advocate for premium Asian food brands entering or expanding in the US market.
Kitchen Equipment & Cookware
Professional and home cooking equipment. Her Eater Kitchen Gadgets series (50M+ views) demonstrates proven ability to drive interest in cooking tools through authentic testing and demonstration.
Cooking Education Platforms
Masterclass-style platforms, cooking apps, culinary schools. Educational content performs really well, and has demonstrable teaching ability through both short & long-form content.
Asian-American Lifestyle Brands
Fashion, beauty, lifestyle products targeting Asian-American consumers. Her representation and authentic voice resonate strongly with this growing demographic.
Partnership Value Drivers
Performance Metrics
  • 1.5-2.5% CTR (3-5x display advertising)
  • 2-4% e-commerce conversion rate
  • 428K highly engaged, affluent followers
  • 7.38% campaign engagement rate
Unique Amplification
  • 7 restaurant locations
  • TV exposure: Food Network & First We Feast
  • Press coverage through entertainment & food media
  • Multi-platform distribution
From Social Influence to Retail Results
In Q3 2024, Chef Esther Choi launched a Korean Ready-to-Eat Frozen Foods line at Walmart, proving her social influence translates directly into measurable retail sales.
$5.5M+
Retail Sales - 1st Year Revenue
~1M
Units Sold - Nationwide Demand
Top 3
Performing Celebrity Chef Line at Walmart
What This Proves for Brand Partners
Audience Converts
Esther's followers don't just engage they buy. Her recommendations drive measurable retail sales, not just social metrics.
Full CPG Expertise
She understands the complete journey. From product development, retail placement, supply chain, and what actually moves product off the shelf.
Founder Mindset
She thinks like a business operator, not just a content creator, bringing strategic perspective that scales brands.

When Esther partners with CPG brands, she brings the perspective of someone who's actually launched and scaled a product line at major retail, not just promoted one. This is proof that her influence converts to revenue.
How Esther's Content Converts
The Three-Stage Funnel from Impressions to Sales
Stage 1: Awareness
Social Media Reach
  • 800K+ highly engaged followers across platforms
  • 13.65M monthly impressions
  • 2-3% engagement rate (4x industry average)
  • Multi-platform content distribution
CPG Result: Launch announcement generated millions of impressions across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube
Stage 2: Consideration
Authentic Storytelling & Trust Building
  • Restaurant credibility through 7 operating locations
  • Cultural authority from Korean heritage and recipe
  • Educational content that teaches, not just sells
  • Recipe integration showing real product usage
CPG Result: Tutorial and recipe videos drove significant traffic to retail locator and built purchase intent
Stage 3: Conversion
Measurable Purchase Behavior
  • Direct-to-consumer site traffic and orders
  • Store locator tool engagement and retail visits
  • In-store purchases at Walmart locations nationwide
  • Repeat purchase and customer retention
CPG Result: $5.5M in retail sales, ~1M units sold in first year
For Brand Partners: The Same Proven Playbook
When Esther partners with CPG brands, this social-to-shelf conversion funnel delivers
Brand Awareness
Measurable lift in brand awareness and consideration
Purchase Intent
Increased purchase intent among target demographics
Retail Velocity
Higher retail velocity compared to non-promoted products
Customer Loyalty
Long-term customer loyalty and repeat purchases
How Esther Stacks Up Against Other Celebrity Chefs
Esther's Competitive Position
The Sweet Spot
Sits between emerging and macro-influencer. Large enough for significant reach, small enough for authentic engagement
Higher Value Per Follower
2-3% engagement vs 0.7% for Bobby Flay means each follower is 3-4x more valuable than mega-influencer followers, like Flay's
Comparable to Digital-Native Peers
Performance matches successful digital-first chefs like Priya Krishna and Sohla El-Waylly
Unique Value Proposition
Restaurant ownership + TV presence + digital engagement creates rare trifecta of credibility
Engagement Benchmarks
Instagram Performance
  • IG Platform Average (0.61%) Instagram macro-influencers (500K-1M followers)
  • Expected Range (0.54-0.70%) Baseline for Esther's tier (400K-500K followers)
  • Culinary Influencer (2.5-3%) Standard quality food content benchmark
  • Esther's Performance (2-3%) Esther outperforms her peers by 4-5x more impressions (avg.).
TikTok Performance
  • Mid-tier influencers (50K-500K) 7.5% average engagement
  • Food content specifically 6-8% engagement rate
  • Platform advantage TikTok consistently outperforms Instagram across all tiers
TikTok's algorithm favors engaging content discovery, explaining higher baseline engagement rates compared to Instagram's follower-focused feed.

Why This Matters
Food content significantly outperforms platform averages across all social media. Esther's 2-3% Instagram engagement rate places her in the top 10% of culinary influencers at her follower count.
Higher engagement translates directly to better conversion rates, making each of her 428K Instagram followers more valuable than followers of larger accounts with lower engagement.
Expected Conversion Rates
Culinary Influencer Conversion Benchmarks
2-4%
E-Commerce Conversion
Average conversion rate for influencer content driving product sales
3-5%
Restaurant / Brand Awareness
Conversion to restaurant visits or brand consideration
Esther's Expected Performance
  • Direct e-commerce ~2-4% conversion rate
  • Restaurant / brand awareness ~3-5% conversion
  • Premium product launches ~1-3% (offset by higher average order value)
Click-Through Rate (CTR) Expectations
  • Food influencers with engaged audiences ~1.5-2.5% CTR
  • Esther's expected CTR ~1.5-2.5% based on engagement rate
  • Context > Significantly outperforms display advertising (~0.05-0.57%) and matches social feed performance
$6.50
ROI Per Dollar
Instagram culinary influencer campaigns return $6.50 for every $1 spent
7.38%
Campaign Engagement
Average engagement rate for food influencer campaigns
Selected Awards, Recognition & Milestones
Industry Validation: From Culinary Competition to Mainstream Television
2024 Webby Award Winner
Category Food & Drink Series / Channels
Show Heat Eaters
Significance Webby Awards are known as the "Internet's Oscars"— recognizing excellence in digital content
2025 Webby Award Nominee
Category Best Web Personality/Host
Nominee Esther Choi as Heat Eaters host
Impact Back-to-back Webby recognition establishes sustained excellence
Career Milestones & Historical Recognition
2015 Zagat 30 Under 30
Named to prestigious list of young culinary leaders shaping the industry
2022 Netflix Iron Chef Finalist
Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend - competed at highest level of culinary competition, gaining international exposure
2024 Webby Award Winner
Heat Eaters wins Food & Drink Series category, validating digital content excellence
2025 Food Network Lead Host
Season 2 of 24 in 24 cements position as mainstream television personality
Trusted by Leading Brands Across Food, Hospitality & Lifestyle
LET'S WORK TOGETHER
Esther is available for
Brand Partnerships & Ambassador Programs
Content Collaborations & Sponsored Series
Festival Appearances & Cooking Demonstrations
Television & Streaming Projects
Private Events & Corporate Partnerships
Contact
Email: esther@mokbar.com
Or connect directly: @choibites (Instagram, TikTok)