538: New York in the ‘90s and Inside Culinary Class Wars with Edward Lee
Feb 5, 2025
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Chef Edward Lee, a renowned chef and restaurateur known for his innovative American cuisine, shares insights from his time in the culinary trenches of 90s New York and the production of Culinary Class Wars on Netflix. He reflects on the transformative experience of opening his restaurant, Shia, and the blend of traditional and modern techniques in his cooking. Lee also dives into the nostalgic culinary delights of pastrami and iconic delis, while exploring the vibrant food cultures of Taiwan and Thailand, emphasizing the simplicity and complexity of their flavors.
Chef Edward Lee emphasizes the significance of cultural authenticity in cooking by exploring his Korean roots and unique ingredients.
The Netflix show 'Culinary Class Wars' presented challenges for Lee, inspiring him to elevate and showcase Korean cuisine on a mainstream platform.
Lee's pioneering restaurant, Clay, was instrumental in modernizing Korean dining in New York, introducing shareable plates to broaden its appeal.
Deep dives
The Culinary Road Trip Experience
The hosts recount their ultimate Southern California food road trip, highlighting their visits to various restaurants, breweries, ice cream shops, and farms from San Diego to the San Gabriel Valley. They emphasize the richness of the local food scene and the unique flavors they encountered, which served as a backdrop for their culinary journey. The hosts underscore the importance of supporting these establishments, particularly in a time when many face challenges. This adventure showcases the diversity and creativity inherent in Southern California's food culture.
Exploring Korean Roots
The conversation delves into Chef Edward Lee's commitment to exploring his Korean roots during his culinary endeavors, particularly in relation to his recent experiences filming a cooking competition. He expresses his desire to remain authentic to his heritage—choosing to cook dishes that resonate with his Korean journey rather than retrofitting Western recipes. This approach has allowed him to rediscover unique Korean ingredients and flavors, emphasizing the importance of cultural authenticity in his cooking. Lee's journey back to Korea serves as a conduit for deepening his connection to his heritage both personally and professionally.
The Impact of Culinary Class Wars
Edward Lee discusses his experience on the Netflix show 'Culinary Class Wars,' reflecting on its massive scale and the challenges he faced as a chef competing in a foreign environment. He highlights the unique structure involving a broad range of competitors, which amplified the competitive spirit of the show. Lee was motivated to participate to help elevate Korean cuisine and showcase it on a prestigious platform, despite initial reservations about the competitive format. The experience proved valuable not only for him but also for the representation of Korean culinary traditions on mainstream media.
From Clay to Culinary Influence
The dialogue transitions into Lee's early career, revisiting his pioneering restaurant, Clay, which he opened in the 1990s in New York. He aimed to modernize Korean cuisine, introducing smaller, shareable plates to appeal to a broader audience unfamiliar with traditional Korean dining. His innovative approach garnered attention and laid a foundation for the Korean food scene in New York, although he faced obstacles due to the limited awareness of Korean cuisine at the time. The conversation emphasizes his impact on the culinary landscape and how it paved the way for greater acceptance and popularity of Korean dishes today.
The Evolution of Korean Cuisine
The discussion leads to Lee's latest venture in Washington, D.C., where he aims to redefine modern Korean cuisine while staying true to its roots. He describes the third wave of Korean food that focuses on elevating traditional flavors and techniques without resorting to fusion with Western influence. Lee highlights the importance of utilizing authentic Korean ingredients to create innovative dishes that resonate with both Korean and non-Korean diners alike. This evolution signifies a growing recognition and appreciation for Korean cuisine in the global culinary landscape.
Chef Edward Lee is a good friend of ours and one of the most respected voices in American cooking. He’s also one of the stars of the breakout Netflix cooking show Culinary Class Wars, which has earned millions of fans for its unique approach to cooking competition on television. In this episode, we hear all about the production and about how Edward prepared for the competition. We also talk about his new Washington, DC, restaurant, Shia, and his time cooking in New York City in the ’90s at the pioneering restaurant Clay. It’s always so much fun catching up with Edward.
Also on the show, Aliza is back from Asia! Her and Matt catch up about what they've been up to at the start of the year, and discuss how much boba you can drink in a month's time.
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