Christopher Lee
Why he won Because he does miracles with seafood, preparing it with flavors from all over the world.
Born New York City; 1975.
Education California Culinary Academy, San Francisco.
Experience Fifth Floor in San Francisco; Oceana, Daniel and Jean Georges, all in New York City.
Childhood ambition "Since I was 15 years old, I've wanted to be an F&W Best New Chef."
Career turning point "As soon as I got to San Francisco, food took shape for me. I went to oyster farms and dug in the beds, I foraged for mushrooms in the woods. And I saw that instead of going out and getting wasted, people my age were having dinner parties. Fun revolved around food and wine. I loved that."
Latest achievement Mastering Ferran Adrià's trick for using alginate to give a caviarlike consistency to ingredients from apples to olive oil.
Favorite cheap eat Halal Gyro and Chicken cart on 53rd Street and Sixth Avenue in NYC. "It's open from 7:30 p.m. to 4 in the morning. I've driven from Philly just for those gyros."
Advice to future cooks "Eat! Keep eating."
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