Danny Lee interview transcript, 2018-08-22
Scope and Contents
Danny Lee discusses growing up the child of immigrants with influences of Korean culture, food, and language, attending Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, the impact of his father's early death on the family, his mother's restaurant enterprises, attending the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, his culinary training, opening Mandu in Dupont Circle and Mount Vernon Triangle, Washington, D.C. with his mother, collaborating with other Washington, D.C. area chefs to form the Fried Rice Collective, opening CHIKO in Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., his emphasis on providing a healthy work environment, and the impact Korean and Chinese fine dining has made in his life.
Dates
- Creation: 2018-08-22
Creator
- Lee, Danny, 1981- (Person)
- Rie, Crystal HyunJung (Person)
- Walker, Dave (Person)
Biographical / Historical
Danny Lee was born in Washington, D.C. in 1981 to Korean immigrant parents. He grew up in Falls Church and Vienna, Virginia and attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia. While Lee was in high school his father passed away, which led his mother to open an American Chinese franchise restaurant in Reagan National Airport to support the family. After graduating from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, Lee worked as a paralegal and then an office manager/event coordinator at Oceanaire Seafood Room. There Lee was trained by chef Rob Klink on both managerial and culinary side of food business. Lee and his mother Yesoon Lee opened Mandu in two locations in Washington, D.C., Dupont Circle and later Mount Vernon Triangle. In 2017, Lee, along with Fried Rice Collective members Scott Drewno and Andrew Kim, opened CHIKO in Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Extent
From the Collection: 1.13 Terabytes
Language of Materials
English
Repository Details
Part of the The People's Archive, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library Repository