Christopher Lee
Although working in the restaurant industry since he was 14 years old, Christopher Lee received his formal culinary training at San Francisco's California Culinary Academy, graduating in 2000. From there, he went on to begin his remarkable career as a young Chef de Cuisine under Cornelius Gallagher at Oceana, until he was hand-selected by Gotham's Alfred Portale to be the chef de cuisine at Stephen Starr's remake of The Striped Bass in Philadelphia. There, he quickly rose to the position of Executive Chef, drawing on his prior experience at Jean Georges, Daniel, and San Francisco's Fifth Floor. As the Executive Chef of the Striped Bass, Christopher Lee grabbed national attention and captured the James Beard "2005 Rising Star Chef of the Year" award. He has also been named one of Food & Wine Magazine's Best New Chefs for 2006, as well as Philadelphia Magazine's "2005 Chef of the Year" and Philadelphia Inquirer's "Four Star Rating" in 2006. In August 2006, this Long Island native returned to his New York roots to take the helm at Gilt Restaurant in The New York Palace Hotel.
