Chu was born in Palo Alto, California, and grew up in nearby Los Altos. His father, Lawrence Chu, is a well-known chef, and his parents own Chef Chu's, a popular restaurant in Los Altos. He attended Pinewood School from kindergarten through 12th grade.
After making his student short, When the Kids Are Away, Chu was signed to william Morris Agency and attached to several high-profile projects. Chu was hired by Sony Pictures to direct their feature Bye Bye Birdie but Sony never green lit the film due to budget concerns. Sony recently got back into Business with Chu to direct their updated version of The Great Gatsby, which did not pan out, but, after being purchased by Warner Bros. Pictures with Baz Luhrmann attached, developed into the 2013 film. He is in a dance crew called AC/DC or Adam/Chu Dance crew.
