Steve Joo

A joyful exploration of Korean flavors, California produce, and the art of tofu-making

- RAPHAEL BRION

IN THE HEART OF OAKLAND’S VIBRANT FOOD SCENE, Steve Joo has quietly cultivated something profound: a small, cheerful banchan shop that hums with playfulness, intentionality, and a deep respect for ingredients.

At his tofu-centric restaurant, Joodooboo, Joo interprets Korean food and flavors through a California lens, an approach shaped by his training at restaurants like Chez Panisse and sharpened during a transformative year spent in Korea in 2014: While seeking to better understand Korean food through the eyes of rural cooks, Joo tasted a tofu so remarkable it redirected his life, leading to an apprenticeship where he learned to make dooboo (the Korean word for tofu).

Fried fish with Sun Gold tomatoes at Joodoobo in Oakland, California

Making tofu became Joo’s meditation practice and the foundation of Joodooboo. His process is still evolving. “We still have some curiosity about it,” he says, noting that small changes in temperature, stirring, and setting time can transform the final product. “Play, curiosity, discovery—those are key components to the process.” Silky, nuanced, and jiggly, Joo’s tofu is exquisite: a revelation, almost like a pudding. Made with just soybeans, water, and a coagulant with sea salt, his tofu is both labor-intensive and time-consuming. It requires patience. “We give it more time,” he says, “because the result is better.”