Leaving New York, Cooking and Giving Back: The Year 2001 That Changed Edward Lee's Life with Positive Influence...

9/11 Shattered American Society
Closed Restaurant and Wandered After Friend's Death
Helped Unemployed During Pandemic

Chef Edward Lee, who finished as the runner-up on the Netflix cooking competition show 'Black and White Chef,' is based in Texas. However, he originally hails from Brooklyn, New York, and began his culinary career there. It is known that what made him leave his beloved hometown was the '9/11 attacks' that shook American society in 2001.

The 9/11 Attacks That Shook America, Edward Lee Also Wandered

The scene of Manhattan immediately after the 9/11 terror attack [Image source=Free image captured from Flickr]

Before and after the airing of 'Black and White Chef,' Edward Lee appeared in various interviews both domestically and internationally. In a recent interview broadcast on the American CBS network, he explained how he came to acquire his flagship restaurant, '610 Magnolia.'

Born into a Korean-American family, he is originally from Brooklyn, New York. The area is filled with immigrants from various countries, including Korean, West Asian, and Jamaican communities. Lee grew up exploring diverse food cultures there and nurtured his dream of becoming a chef from a young age. Although he graduated from the prestigious New York University (NYU) with a degree in literature, following his father's wish for him to become a diplomat, he ultimately defied his father's wishes and pursued a career as a chef in New York.

In his mid-20s, Lee was gradually gaining recognition at a restaurant located in Manhattan, New York. However, his life was completely changed by the 9/11 attacks in 2001. At that time, the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda hijacked planes that crashed into the World Trade Center in Manhattan, causing numerous casualties. Among the victims were Lee's acquaintances and regular customers. This event left an unforgettable shock on him.

Lee has mentioned the situation several times in articles he contributed to American culinary media. In one essay, he recalled, "(After 9/11) my girlfriend returned to Italy, and I needed time to clear my head," adding, "I had to escape New York. So, I sold the restaurant, rented a car with the remaining money, and traveled across the entire United States."

Overcoming Loss, Moving to Texas for a New Start... Also Engaged in COVID-19 Relief Efforts

Edward Lee [Image source=CBS YouTube capture]

After wandering, he eventually purchased the building of 610 Magnolia in Louisville, Texas, rebuilt the restaurant, and returned to the path of a chef. After more than a decade of continuous effort, his restaurant earned the tremendous reputation of being "the most important restaurant in Texas."

Lee is famous not only as a master of cooking and restaurant management but also as a philanthropist and social activist. When restaurants across the United States closed and many people lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, he prepared and provided millions of free meals for those struggling to get by. This activity was carried out through a nonprofit organization called the 'LEE Initiative.'

For him, cooking represents "hope." In an article he contributed to the American food culture magazine Bon App?tit during the COVID-19 pandemic, he stated, "I have devoted 29 years of my life to this work (cooking). Now, I cannot just go around selling neckties or insurance," emphasizing, "Yet, those in power do not see people like us. Politicians think chefs who lose their jobs can find other work, but that is not true."

He added, "The point of the food service industry is for customers to come to the restaurant and forget their sadness, and providing that joy is our role," continuing, "Positive energy is contagious. When you are in a restaurant full of people working with passion and joy, you naturally feel better."