His idea of authentic French cuisine has revolved around deep-fried pork cutlets, and hamburg steaks doused with sweet gravy, topped with a fried egg. From the moment chef Lee decided to go study abroad, he had only one destination in mind – France. He would go on to study at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Paris.

Wanting to learn the ins and outs of classic French cuisine outside of school, he apprenticed for six months at the then-two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Michel Rostang. At the end of his internship, he realized that modern French cuisine was the genre he wanted to pursue. Through a referral, he landed an apprenticeship at Le Chateaubriand by Iñaki Aizpitarte, a chef he greatly admired. Not long after, Aizpitarte made him an offer he could not refuse – to join the team at his newly-opening restaurant and wine bar Le Dauphin.