Marguerite Zabar Mariscal: CEO of Momofuku

Marguerite Zabar Mariscal is the woman leading all that is Momofuku: a pioneering restaurant group credited with starting the rise of contemporary Asian American cuisine in the United States, an assortment of restaurant-grade pantry staples like ramen noodles and addictive chilli crunch, and bona fide culinary empire. Over the span of 11-years, she’s worked her way up from public relations intern to brand director and chief of staff. As the trusted right hand of celebrity and James Beard Foundation Award–winning Chef David Chang for years, in 2019, at 30 years old, she was named CEO of Momofuku. On one hand, it all makes sense (after all, she was born into the family behind the specialty import emporium Zabars), but to Marguerite, the path was far from mapped out ahead of her. “I feel like anyone who grows up wanting to be a CEO is like a psychopath,” she tells Hillary on this week’s episode. Tune in to hear how Marguerite pivoted from thinking she’d find her place within the media world to leading one of the most influential restaurant groups (and beyond) of the past two decades.