“Black and White Chef” Edward Lee’s “Smoke & Pickles” Publication Talk
“Moved by the Resemblance Between Southern American Food and Korean Cuisine”
“I’m Lee Gyn.” Although he didn’t win the Netflix series “Black and White Chef: Culinary Class War,” Korean-American chef Edward Lee (53) gained more popularity than the winner. Riding on his explosive popularity, his first cooking essay “Smoke & Pickles,” published in the U.S. in 2013, has been officially translated into Korean. On the 6th, he met with Korean journalists online via Zoom from his home in Washington, D.C., and said, “It is immensely moving to see my Korean name on the book cover,” adding, “It’s very important and gratifying that many Korean fans are there for someone with a Korean identity like me.”
Eleven years ago, his first book as a young chef combined stories of family, life, and recipes.
“As a chef, taste is most important, but it’s also important to imbue food with a story. Since anyone can make delicious food, chefs or artists should convey their emotions, feelings, and stories through food.”
Originally from Brooklyn and a New Yorker who studied English at New York University, Lee initially cooked according to recipes in his youth. At the age of twenty-five, he opened his first restaurant “Clay” in Manhattan, which headed towards bankruptcy after the 9/11 attacks. It was after moving to Louisville during the Kentucky Derby period and staying there for 22 years that he found his own voice and identity. He was also fascinated by the subtle similarities between Southern cuisine and Korean food.
“Southern cuisine is bold and spicy, loaded with garlic and pickles. The meat is the main dish, with side dishes and pickles accompanying it, much like Korean food where you eat rice with side dishes.”
Writing is as precious to him as cooking. His other books, “Buttermilk Graffiti” (2019) and “Bourbon Land” (2024), are also set to be translated and released in Korea during the first half of the year.
“I write from 11 PM to 1 AM, when no one disturbs me, two to three times a week. No matter how busy the schedule, if you love something and have passion, you find the time.”
He also shared an anecdote related to the show “Black and White Chef,” which made his Korean name popular.
“I brought many shoes for the competition, but overslept on the first day and ended up wearing uncomfortable shoes. Since I won while wearing those shoes, I had no choice but to keep wearing them.”
He stated, “Being a chef is an extreme job where you work for long hours in the background like a shadow,” and added, “As much as I change, my cooking also changes. I want to remain a chef who endlessly creates new dishes.”