It’s been a few years since we caught up with Louisville chef Edward Lee and he revealed to us his favorite local fried chicken place: Indi’s.
Since our 2022 interview, Lee has:
- Picked up two James Beard awards
- Won runner-up on the South Korean reality TV show “Culinary Class Wars”
- Opened the fine dining fusion restaurant SHIA in Washington DC
- Prepared a White House state dinner for former presidents Joe Biden + Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea
- Released the 10-episode series “Edward Lee’s Country Cook,” a food reality show on tvN in Korea
- Appeared in this Korean Coca-Cola commercial
- Kicked off UofL’s 2024 Asian American and Pacific Islander week
As one of the biggest advocates for Louisville’s AAPI community, Lee shared on Instagram earlier this year how his Korean American identity often influences his culinary identity.
“It has been a long journey for me, figuring out how to incorporate the flavors of home into my professional cuisine,” said Lee, who noted that he always “comes back to the flavors of his childhood and Asian heritage.”
Southern grits, for example, remind Lee of the congee rice porridge Koreans usually top with soy sauce and seafood. It inspired his fusion recipe for lamb braised in soy sauce and served over grits, transforming the sweet taste of the corn into a whole new flavor.
You can taste Lee’s award-winning inspirations for yourself at one of his two Louisville restaurants: Nami in Butchertown, or Magnolia 610 in Old Louisville— if you’re lucky enough to snag a table.
