How Chef Roy Choi Finds Balance In His Hectic Lifestyle

Korean-born, Los Angeles-based chef Roy Choi has risen to prominence for championing the food truck movement when he started Kogi in 2008. Now internationally acclaimed, his mobile restaurant’s beginnings came at a time when Choi was jobless and frustrated, which led him to experiment with street food in a climate where food trucks were less popular and perceived differently than they are today. Unsure of how it would unfold, he drove his first restaurant across Los Angeles.

Thanks to Choi’s creative use of social media (as well as his hit Korean BBQ menu), Kogi quickly became sought after by locals and tourists alike, garnering attention from culinary publications and pros across the world. Though the idea of street food was certainly not new, his approach modernized and elevated the concept. Now, with a fleet of five trucks and a taqueria, Roy is on the move more than ever.

It’s fitting, then, that he looks to Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active2 to stay connected. The new device was created for those who are pushing the boundaries of their craft, just like Roy. Aesthetically, the wearable speaks to a fashion conscious consumer with its sleek and streamlined design, which takes cues from an analog watch combined with the rich function of a smartwatch.

Evolving from its predecessor, this version sees a thinner bezel and wider screen. Notably, the Galaxy Watch Active2 takes interchangeable watch faces to the next level. Taking a photo of an outfit will pick a watch face that best matches its colors thanks to a color extraction algorithm, producing a selection of patterns to choose from. Rounding out the customization options are a variety of premium leather, metal and FKM (fluoroelastomer) straps.

As an entrepreneur who thoughtfully leveraged social media to launch a successful brand, Roy understands the importance of staying connected to fans and customers. Just as food truck culture has evolved, the means of sharing it have, too. Catering to the social media age is the Camera Controller, which lets the user remotely set up and capture the perfect photo or video with a Galaxy phone. Keeping in touch is more frictionless than ever with the social media viewer, which allows users to ‘like’ and add to ‘Watch Later’ on YouTube as well as like and retweet on Twitter. The new model also introduces an LTE version, enabling entrepreneurs like Roy Choi to always be connected even without a phone. Making a call, listening to music and receiving message notifications can be done nearly hands free — a bonus for a businessman that wears many hats. As for building a rapport with fans around the world, Roy can use Google Translator for international travels, translating more than 16 languages in real time and sending them to voice.

That said, there’s also a downside to our hyperconnected world, which Samsung has considered with the Galaxy Watch Active2. The wearer can check his or her stress level on the device in real time, and then opt to run a relief program like Calm through their smartphone. In the same vein, the wearable aids in improving one’s lifestyles by analyzing sleep patterns. Sleep Tracking tracks four levels of sleep quality and can compare it to similar age groups or friends.

Such fitness and wellness functions are important to Roy, whose days are often so busy that he welcomes the reminders. While smartwatches have served as a device for fitness and wellness since inception, the Galaxy Watch Active2 offers much more insight. The detailed Running Coach function motivates fitness enthusiasts of all levels to set and achieve their goals. On top of automatically tracking exercise data for running and fitness, the watch is now able to automatically collect swimming data, and works with the Galaxy smartphone and Samsung Health app.

To accompany one’s workout — or lifestyle — Spotify is installed as a default app. Music can be played on Galaxy Watch Active2 as well as by connecting to Galaxy Buds even without the presence of a smartphone around. Furthermore, easy music browsing and a continuous listening experience are possible without logging in on multiple devices.

Roy Choi has combined connectivity and the culinary world unlike any chef has. While his roots are in Los Angeles, he has a keen ability to bond an international community over food. His approach and intelligent use of the Galaxy Watch Active2 prove that, in some ways, he’s right where he started: at the forefront of staying connected.

To learn more about the Galaxy Watch Active2 head to Samsung’s website.