Chef Debbie Lee has been a culinary visionary based in the Los Angeles Area for almost two decades. She gained a legion of fans as she reached the top three in Season 5 of “The Next Food Network Star”. “Ahn-Joo”, her clever fast-casual model of a Korean Drinking house in a Food Truck then turned Brick and Mortar – is what brought her notoriety as the queen of modern Korean small plate fare.

She was also the first chef from a food truck, The Poutine Truck, to be heralded as one of the top ten restaurants of the year by The Huffington Post in July 2011. Debbie’s first cookbook “Seoultown Kitchen”, began a path to expanding her gastronomic versatility. The cookbook received critical acclaim, making The New York Times’ most notable cookbooks of the year list. Further accolades included a spot on the Details Magazine top 10 of the year and a first-time nomination for a Korean Cookbook author from the International Association of Culinary Professionals in the international cookbook category.

Her user-friendly, effortless approach to breaking down Korean flavors has been featured on media appearances such as The Nate Berkus Show, Fox Morning News, and Martha Stewart Living.  Chef Debbie has also been featured in Sunset Magazine, The Food Network Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, Maxim, Zagat, Urban Daddy, Food Republic and Thrillist to name a few.

In early 2020, and the unforeseeable pandemic, Debbie’s former restaurant clients and fans reached out to her, begging for her to bring back her Korean goodies that she was known for. As a strategic businessperson and serial entrepreneur, Debbie started offering weekly Seoultown favorites delivered to their doorstep, contact free. Within a few months of rapid revenue increase and demand, Chef Lee decided it was time to return to Los Angeles and bring back her well acclaimed Korean Gastropub concept once and for all.

Her plan is to open the first of what she hopes to be a chain of Modern Korean Gastropubs right in the heart of the most sought-after locations in Highland Park LA by 2023. Her goal is to mentor, inspire and support the next generation of Asian American chefs.