Cathlyn Choi

A multi lingual, composer, chef and TV show host, Cathlyn can be best described as an ‘All-in-One’ media personality whose warm and friendly personality with background and knowledge of various cultures and cuisines appeal to a diverse audience of different nationalities and generations. Dubbed “Korean Food Ambassador” by her fans, supporters and the Korean media since 2009, Cathlyn’s passion for promoting her native Korean foods called “Hansik” has led her to become one of the most recognized Korean celebrity chefs worldwide. With her own Korean cooking show on PBS titled 'Cathlyn’s Korean Kitchen', Cathlyn is also the host and producer of a regional TV show called Asian Voices featuring Asian community, culture, businesses, lifestyle and entertainment in Southern California. As an artist and musician, Cathlyn also composes, arranges and performs all the background music for her shows. Taught the traditional way of cooking from her grandmother and mother, Cathlyn uses unique cooking techniques and processes to develop her own style of traditional Korean recipes as well as fusion dishes. At age 13, Cathlyn also helped her parents with their catering business in Brunei for five years. Born in Vietnam to Korean parents and having lived in Brunei and Seoul half her life, Cathlyn has learned to appreciate and is quite familiar with many different Asian foods, languages and cultures. Cathlyn’s passion for cooking and years of living and traveling throughout Asia and other European countries has allowed her to sample and cook various kinds of cuisines, while acquiring a sophisticated palate at an early age. To date, Cathlyn has developed over a thousand of her own traditional and fusion recipes. Cathlyn also hosts cultural and live events in San Diego throughout the year as well as performs live culinary demonstrations at the Del Mar Fair, Asian Cultural Festival, Taste of Asia, Convoy Night Market, Multi-Cultural Food Festival, Taste of Korea, LA Times Food and Wine Festival, San Diego Bay Food and Wine Festival and the Gourmet Experience Expo including Let’s Move California, an event sponsored and initiated by First Lady Michele Obama to create awareness about healthy foods and prevent obesity and diabetes in children. In addition to being a TV show host and producer, Cathlyn is the Co-owner of Carma Media Productions, specializing in providing professional digital media production and marketing services. As a community activist, Cathlyn also founded a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization called Asian Culture and Media Alliance or ACMA, whose mission is to unite and promote the Asian and Pacific Islander culture and community through the power of media. Prior to moving to the US in 2000, Cathlyn co-founded and managed an international consulting firm called CSIS Inc. in Seoul, Korea. At CSIS, she dedicated 7 years of her professional career, managing 300 professional consultants, with over 500 local and foreign clients throughout Korea and Asia, mainly in the telecommunications, advertising, broadcast, movie and sports industries. Cathlyn graduated with a B.A. degree in Russian, from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, in Seoul, Korea, and has lived in Vietnam, Brunei, Korea and the United States. She currently lives in San Diego with her husband and two 'furry kids', Carma and Sutra, and enjoys cooking, playing golf, scuba diving, watching movies while composing and playing music in her spare time.