Why Culinary Class Wars favourite Edward Lee wants people to better understand Korean food
Korean-American chef Edward Lee is irked at how Korean food equals barbecue in Western countries and intends to show that it’s so much more
Korean-American chef Edward Lee is a difficult man to pin down.
His recent work schedule sees him repeatedly travel to South Korea and back home again to the US to oversee his five restaurants and non-profit initiatives.
He recently guest-cooked at the Kentucky Derby, the annual horse race that 25 years ago helped spark his love for all things American South and diverted his life from New York to Louisville, in the US state of Kentucky.
Lee has long been a well-known culinary figure in the US, appearing in television shows like The Mind of a Chef, Iron Chef America and Top Chef. He has also won two James Beard awards: for his book Buttermilk Graffiti in 2019, and for his LEE Initiative – which is dedicated to diversity and equality in the restaurant industry – in 2024.
