Sang Yoon, Los Angeles

Sang Yoon, chef and proprietor of Lukshon in Los Angeles, is not a turkey-and-stuffing type of guy. “It seems like the opposite of what you should be eating this time of year,” says Yoon. “You can finally get your close friends together. You should celebrate and treat yourself.” This is why he goes in another direction with his feasts: decadence. He throws a patio party and serves caviar, dry-aged wagyu prime rib, and uni. His Uni Ssäm is a riff on a traditional Korean lettuce cup. This refreshing starter is simple, a layered dish made with a scoop of this and a smear of that. “In LA, we have a huge Korean population, plus our famous California uni,” he says. “It’s a super West Coast dish. This feels like something we’d eat at home.”

Gamble Family Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Heart Block Yountville, Napa Valley
A flinty minerality underpinning this white Bordeaux–style wine echoes the brininess of the uni and plays with the earthiness of the chili bean paste, while lime zest enlivens the scallions and tangy rice.

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Uni Ssam

Kate Mathis for Robb Report