Chef Christopher Lee has quickly made his mark in the culinary world and is widely recognized as a champion of New American Cuisine. His career began when he was 14 in his hometown on Long Island. "I always had that sort of sixth sense about food," Lee says. "I always knew that I wanted to be a Chef. In high school, I used to ditch classes just to watch cooking shows on TV."
Lee graduated from the prestigious California Culinary Academy and then honed his culinary talents at NYC’s Restaurant Daniel and Jean Georges, San Francisco's Fifth Floor, New York’s Oceana, Striped Bass in Philadelphia and Gilt in NYC.
Lee has been named "Best Chef 2005" by Philadelphia Magazine, "Top Ten Best New Chefs of 2006" by Food and Wine, "Rising Star Chef of the Year" at the 2005 James Beard Awards. Currently, he has teamed up with Charlie Palmer as executive chef at Aureole.
In addition to following the seasons and the latest culinary trends, Lee finds inspiration in abstract art, which is evident in his plating techniques. Lee prefers to use the lines, spaces, colors and shapes of a dish’s components to create a new abstract dining aesthetic. Through juxtaposing textures and flavors, Lee’s creations give diners a different experience with each bite.