♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO INSIDE LOUISVILLE -- WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

I'M YOUR HOST, KELSEY STARKS.

IS LOUISVILLE A FOODIE CITY?

YOU BET IT IS.

TRAVEL AND LEISURE RECENTLY NAMED LOUISVILLE 'ONE OF THE BEST FOOD CITIES IN THE US' THE RECENT UPTICK IN 'BOURBONISM' -- TOURISM ALL AROUND OUR BOOMING BOURBON INDUSTRY -- HAS SPAWNED EVERYTHING FROM BOURBON-INSPIRED DISHES TO FOOD TOURS OF LOUISVILLE'S GREATEST RESTAURANTS.

BUT IT WASN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY.... >> LOUISVILLE HAS CHANGED A LOT IN THAT TIME AND I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD BE HERE STILL IF THE CITY HADN'T GROWN AS MUCH AS IT HAS.

I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE OPENED A KOREAN STEAK HOUSE, YOU KNOW, EIGHT YEARS AGO IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE.

BUT THIS FEELS LIKE THE BEST TIME.

>> TODAY WE SIT DOWN WITH LOUISVILLE'S MOST FAMOUS CHEF, EDWARD LEE.

LIKE MANY PEOPLE WHO NOW CONSIDER THEMSELVES LOUISVILLIANS, HE VISITED ONCE... AND NEVER WANTED TO LEAVE.

SINCE THEN, HE'S CREATED SOME OF LOUISVILLE'S MOST ICONIC RESTAURANTS, SOARED TO TV FAME ON PROGRAMS LIKE IRON CHEF, TOP CHEF AND "MIND OF A CHEF' ON PBS... AND NOW HE'S AN AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF TWO COOKBOOKS.

WE SAT DOWN WITH HIM INSIDE HIS NEWEST KOREAN-INSPIRED RESTAURANT, NAMI -- IN LOUISVILLE' NULU NEIGHBORHOOD >> CHEF EDWARD LEE...

HERE IN YOUR NEWEST RESTAURANT... NAMI.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A BIT BUT FIRST I WANT TO KNOW WHAT FIRST BROUGHT YOU TO LOUISVILLE... AND WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO STAY HERE?

>> IT'S A LONG STORY.

BUT I'LL GIVE YOU THE SHORTER VERSION OF IT I WAS LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY, AND I HAD A RESTAURANT DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN, AND 9/11 HAPPENED.

AND IT KIND OF HIT ME PRETTY HARD.

AND I HAD TO SHUT DOWN THE RESTAURANT THERE.

AND BEFORE I JUMPED INTO ANOTHER PROJECT, I WANTED TO SEE AMERICA.

I GREW UP IN NEW YORK MOST OF MY LIFE.

AND I HAD NEVER REALLY TRAVELED.

SO I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE SOUTH OR THE MIDWEST OR, YOU KNOW, THE WEST OR PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

AND I SAVED UP A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.

I WAS JUST TAKING ROAD TRIPS.

AND I HAD A CERTAIN BUCKET LIST OF THINGS, AND ONE OF THEM WAS TO SEE THE KENTUCKY DERBY.

A FRIEND OF A FRIEND CONTACTED EDDIE GARBER WHO WAS THE FORMER OWNER OF MAGNOLIA AND I SAID DO YOU NEED ANY HELP.

CAN I COME WORK FOR YOU FOR DERBY.

I WANTED TO SEE THE DERBY SO I CAME AND WORKED FOR HIM FOR A WEEK AND WE GOT ALONG VERY WELL AND I KNEW I WOULD LIKE KENTUCKY BECAUSE IT'S GOT BOURBON.

SO WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE?

BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WOULD FALL IN LOVE WITH IT.

BUT I GUESS SOMETHING HAPPENED ALONG THAT WEEK THAT I JUST, I FELT SOMETHING WAS SPECIAL AND I FINISHED UP MY WEEK AND STAYED A FEW DAYS AND EDDIE GARBER CALLED ME OUT OF THE BLUE, A MORE MONTH OR TWO LATER AND SAID I'M RETIRING.

YOU SHOULD TAKE OVER THE RESTAURANT.

INITIALLY I SAID YOU ARE CRAZY.

I'M NOT-- I'M NOT LEAVING NEW YORK TO GO TAKE OVER A RESTAURANT IN KENTUCKY.

THIS WAS 22 YEARS AGO.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND THE MORE HE CONVINCED ME THAT IT WAS SOMETHING TO TRY.

AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'LL TRY IT FOR A YEAR.

I'M SURE I'M NOT GOING TO LIKE IT.

AND I'LL GO BACK TO NEW YORK AND RESUME MY CAREER.

AND THAT WAS 21 YEARS AGO.

AND SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I CAME HERE AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS-- IT WASN'T JUST THE BOURBON.

IT WAS THE AGRICULTURE, THE PEOPLE, THE CULTURE,THERE WAS SOMETHING HERE THAT I KNEW WAS SPECIAL AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN 21 YEARS NOW.

>> DID YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CULINARY MIND?

GOING BACK, YOU KNOW, WHERE DID THAT START?

DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE A CHEF AND WHAT INFLUENCED YOU?

>> NO, I ALWAYS TELL THE STORY.

I THINK I WAS 10 OR 11 AND I TOLD MY PARENTS I'M GOING TO BE A CHEF.

AND I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW OR UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANT AT THE TIME.

AND THEY WERE LIKE, YEAH, YOU ARE GOING TO BE A CHEF.

BILLIE IS GOING TO BE A ASTRONAUT, THAT'S FINE.

YOU HAVE THESE CHILDHOOD FANTASIES OF WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP, RIGHT?

AND I JUST NEVER OUTGREW IT.

MY PARENTS, WHEN I WAS 17, THEY SAID WELL WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

I SAID I'M GOING TO BE A CHEF.

THAT'S WHEN THEY STARTED TO GET WORRIED.

>> WHAT DID THEY SAY THEN?

>> MY MOM WAS FINE WITH IT.

MY DAD HAD A REAL BIG ISSUE WITH IT.

ASIAN PARENTS AND IMMIGRANT CULTURE LIKE BEING A CHEF WAS NOT PART OF THAT PLAN, YOU KNOW.

IT'S LIKE YOU BECOME A DOCTOR OR ACCOUNTANT.

I REMEMBER GRADUATING COLLEGE AND MY DAD SAID WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

I SAID I'M GETTING A JOB IN THE KITCHEN.

HE WAS VERY UPSET.

HE DIDN'T TALK TO ME FOR A WHILE.

AND I ALWAYS HAD A BIGGER PLAN.

I ALWAYS KNEW I WANTED SOMETHING BUT I NEVER-- I NEVER DOUBTED-- MY FIRST JOB WORKING IN A RESTAURANT, NOT EVEN IN THE KITCHEN.

I WAS A BUS BOY.

I GOT MY FIRST JOB IN A RESTAURANT IN NEW YORK CITY AT THE AGE OF 15.

AND JUST REMEMBER THAT AFTER LIKE THAT FIRST WEEK OF WORK, I WAS LIKE THIS IS ALL I EVER WANT TO DO.

AND I JUST NEVER QUESTIONED IT.

I WENT TO COLLEGE.

I STUDIED AND, YOU KNOW, DID OTHER ODD JOBS.

BUT I NEVER QUESTIONED WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO IN LIFE.

>> SO YOUR CHILDHOOD DREAM ENDED UP BEING YOUR PROFESSION.

>> IT REALLY DID.

>> THAT'S RARE.

>> IT IS.

AND IT NEVER-- IT'S VERY INTERESTING.

I ALWAYS-- I NEVER GRAPPLED WITH WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO IN LIFE.

I JUST ALWAYS KNEW.

I REMEMBER AS A KID, I USED TO STEAL THE GOURMET AND BONE APPETITE MAGAZINES FROM THE LAUNDROMAT.

IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE OTHER BOYS HAD PLAYBOY MAGAZINES UNDER THEIR PILLOW AND I HAD OLD EDITIONS OF GOURMET MAGAZINE UNDER MY PILLOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHY IT FASCINATED ME, BUT WE GREW UP, YOU KNOW,SOMEWHAT POOR.

HUMBLE, IMMIGRANT, LIKE WORKING IMMIGRANT CLASS.

AND SO WE NEVER HAD A LOT.

WE NEVER WENT OUT TO EAT.

WE NEVER HAD FANCY DINNERS.

AND SO TO ME LOOKING THROUGH THE PAGES OF THOSE MAGAZINES, IT SYMBOLIZED, YOU KNOW, WEALTH AND SUCCESS AND THIS WHOLE WORLD THAT I SO DESPERATELY WANTED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH AND THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT WAS SO SEDUCTIVE AND I WOULD JUST GO OVER THESE RECIPES AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND I LEARNED HOW TO COOK.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NO REAL FOOD TV BACK THEN.

THERE WAS ONE OR TWO CHANNELS ON, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC TV.

BUT WOULD I GO TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY BECAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD COOKBOOKS.

THEY WERE EXPENSIVE EVEN BACK THEN.

BUT IF YOU WENT TO THE NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY THEY WOULD HAVE EVERYTHING.

I MEAN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF FRENCH CUISINE AND I WOULD JUST GO TO THE LIBRARY AND JUST READ THROUGH ALL THESE BOOKS AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE DIDN'T-- I WOULD TAKE MY ALLOWANCE MONEY AND BUY INGREDIENTS AND MAKE SOME OF THESE DISHES, BUT LIKE I COULDN'T AFFORD FOIS GRAS OR WHOLE DUCK CARCASSES, SO I LESCHED A LOT OF THESE RECIPES BY READING THEM IN MY HEAD AND FANT LIESING ABOUT-- FANTASIZING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE THEM.

AND WHEN I GOT OLDER AND STARTED WORKING IN KITCHENS, IT WAS VERY WEIRD BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WORKING WITH A DUCK, BUT I KIND OF KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING BECAUSE I HAD READ THE RECIPE SO MANY TIMES.

>> SO NOW YOU ARE NOT ONLY A CHEF, YOU ARE THE AUTHOR OF SEVERAL ACOOKBOOKS, AWARD WINNING COOKBOOKS.

YOU ARE A TV SUPER STAR.

WHAT ARE YOUR PARENTS THINKING NOW?

>> THEY'RE PROUD OF ME.

MY DAD HAS PASSED ON.

BUT HE SAW A BIT OF THE EARLY SUCCESS.

AND I THINK HE WENT PEACEFULLY KNOWING-- YOU KNOW, PARENTS JUST WANT YOU TO BE COMFORTABLE AND HAPPY AND I THINK HE WENT KNOWING THAT I WAS ON A GOOD PATH, YOU KNOW.

MY MOM'S VERY TICKLED BY EVERYTING.

BECAUSE FOR MOST OF HER LIFE, SHE THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE A LOSER.

LET'S BE HONEST.

SHE DIDN'T HAVE A VERY PROMISING PATH.

I THINK SHE IS REALLY PROUD AND HAPPY AND TICKLED THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SUCCESS HAS COME MY WAY.

>> YOU HAVE REALLY PUT LOUISVILLE ON THE MAP AS A FOODIE TOWN... AND IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT HERE?

AGAIN, YOU COULD GO AND COOK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD NOW.

WHY HERE?

>> WELL, PART OF IT IS LOYALTY.

I WAS A GOOD COOK BEFORE I CAME TO KENTUCKY.

BUT I THINK I FOUND MY VOICE HERE.

AND I THINK I FOUND MY CONFIDENCE HERE.

I ALWAYS TELL COOKS, IT'S ONE THING TO COOK BEAUTIFULLY.

AT SOME LEVEL, AT PEAK OR OR TO REPRODUCE A RECIPE PERFECTLY.

EXPRESSIONIST, YOU WANT TO DO AT SOME LEVEL, YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING UNIQUE THAT ONLY YOU CAN DO THAT IS REALLY JUST-- I DON'T KNOW, AN AMALGAM OF YOUR OWN LIFE AND YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE.

AND I WOULD SAY TO ME, GREAT CHEFS PUT THEIR ENTIRE LIFE AND THEIR EXPERIENCES ON A PLATE.

AND I'VE ALWAYS ASPIRED TO DOING THAT.

AND I THINK KENTUCKY IS WHERE I FOUND THAT VOICE.

WHERE I FOUND SOUTHERN FOOD AND THE TECHNIQUES AND THE CULTURE.

AND I NEVER SAY THAT I'M A SOUTHERN CHEF EVEN THOUGH I GUESS I AM.

BUT I FOUND SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL IN THAT AND I WAS ABLE TO SORT OF FUSE THAT WITH MY UPBRINGING BEING KOREAN FROM NEW YORK, AND HAVING ALL THESE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES AND THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT RUBBING TOGETHER OF THOSE TWO CULTURES THAT CREATED WHAT IT IS THAT I DO.

I DON'T REALLY PUT A NAME ON IT.

BUT THAT'S WHAT I-- THAT'S WHO I AM.

AND SO I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE IN LOUISVILLE.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND THE CULTURE AND THE PEOPLE HERE.

I DON'T EVER WANT TO LEAVE, MY DAUGHTER LIVES HERE, SHE AND WE LIVE PART TIME IN WASHINGTON D.C.

BUT WE ALWAYS COME BACK HERE AND I MAKE SURE SHE UNDERSTANDS WHERE SHE WAS BORN AND WHERE SHE IS FROM.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

THE BOURBON DOESN'T HURT.

IT'S A GREAT, YOU KNOW,...

BUT FROM A BUSINESS SENSE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN HERE 21, 22 YEARS NOW.

LOUISVILLE HAS CHANGED A LOT IN THAT TIME.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD BE HERE STILL IF THE CITY HADN'T GROWN AS MUCH AS IT HAS.

THERE IS SOMETHING VERY AUTHENTIC ABOUT THIS CITY.

AND YOU SEE IT IN THE PEOPLE AND YOU SEE IT IN, YOU KNOW, THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE LEADERSHIP AND YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS AGO, MY FRIENDS FROM NEW YORK DIDN'T WANT TO COME HERE, YOU KNOW, OR IF THEY CAME, THEY'RE LIKE, IT'S A LITTLE NICE LITTLE TOWN.

NOW THEY COME HERE AND THEY'RE CRAVING SOMETHING MORE AUTHENTIC THAN THE URBAN LIFESTYLE AND THEY COME HERE AND THEY'RE LIKE WOW, THIS IS SO COOL.

YOU GOT ALL THESE NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPS AND ARTISANAL THINGS HAPPENING AND YOU CAN GO TO A FARM THAT'S 20 MINUTES AWAY.

YOU CAN GO TO A DISTILLERY THAT'S 10 MINUTES AWAY AND HAVE YOU THIS CULTURE THAT YOU CAN REALLY SINK YOUR TEETH INTO AND IT'S NOT JUST-- IT'S NOT AN INVENTED CULTURE, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN HERE FOR GENERAL RAITIONS.

-- FOR GENERATIONS AND THERE IS SOMETHING REALLY REAL ABOUT THAT.

AND I DO THINK IN THIS TIME WHERE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS SO DISPOSABLE, EVERYTHING IS SO QUICK, EVERYTHING IS SO INTERNET LIKE 10 SECOND VIDEOS, I DO THINK PEOPLE WANT TO ROOT THEMSELVES IN SOMETHING.

SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO LAST LONGER THAN A TICK TIKTOK VIDEO.

AND WHEN YOU COME TO KENTUCKY, AND LOUISVILLE IS ONE THING, BUT YOU DRIVE OUT TO THE COUNTRY SIDE, YOU HAVE THIS SENSE AND THIS FEELING THAT WOW, THIS HAS BEEN HERE, 50, 60, EIGHT, 100 YEARS AND IT IS GOING TO BE HERE 100 YEARS FROM NOW AND THERE IS SOMETHING VERY GRATIFYING ABOUT THAT.

THERE IS SOMETHING VERY STRONG AND VERY SEDUCTIVE.

IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE SEEN MORE PEOPLE MOVING TO LOUISVILLE FROM THE BIG CITIES.

USED TO BE THE OPPOSITE.

EVERYONE LEFT LOUISVILLE AND NOW PEOPLE FROM THE BIG CITIES ARE COMING BACK HERE AND THAT'S HAVING ARE SOME ENCOURAGING.

>> CHEF LEE NOT ONLY FEEDS THE WORLD WITH HIS DELICIOUS CREATIONS, HE IS FEEDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHEFS ON MANY LEVELS.

IN 2018, HE CREATED THE LEE INITIATIVE -- THE IDEA THEN WAS TO HELP BRING MORE WOMEN INTO THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY...

BUT SINCE THEN, IT HAS BECOME MUCH MORE.

>> I SEE CHEF LEE NOT ONLY AS AN EMPLOYER, BUT HE IS A MENTOR FOR ME.

HE HAS BEEN A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW TO LEAD WITH FAIRNESS.

HE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW TO BALANCE REAL LIFE WITH YOUR FAMILY.

WHENEVER WE ARE SITTING AROUND TALKING ABOUT THE NEGATIVITY THAT OUR INDUSTRY WAS EXPERIENCING, IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO WORK FOR SOMEONE WHO ENCOURAGED ME TO COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, THIS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, SOMING THAT WE COULD DO, SOMING THAT WAS POSITIVE AND TO ALLOW ME TO USE 610 AS AN INCUBATOR AS WELL AS HIS NAME, TO SEE IT COME TO LIFE.

>> IT'S ALREADY A RISK TO JUST GO-- THIS PROGRAM IS SO RIGHT FOR ME.

I HAD NEVER HAD TO PUT MYSELF OUT THERE SO THAT ANYONE ELSE COULD SEE ME.

I COULD PRIVATELY JUST DO GOOD THINGS IN THE COMFORT OF MY OWN RESTAURANT.

AND SO, I MEAN, JUST BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH OTHER WOMEN AND OTHER LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THIS INDUSTRY HAS JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE.

>> MENTORSHIP PROGRAM WAS IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE WE WANTED A WAY TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN WOMEN AND LEADERSHIP ROLES AND WOMEN AT THE BOTTOM IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY.

WHEN YOU COME IN, YOU SEE A LOT OF WOMEN WHO ARE SERVERS AND BACK WAITS AND BUSKERS AND BARTENDERS.

BUT YOU DON'T MEET A LOT OF WOMEN WHO ARE GENERAL MANAGERS, CHEFS AND OWNERS.

AND WE HAPPEN TO KNOW SOME GREAT EXAMPLES OF WOMEN WHO HAVE WORKED THEIR WAY UP IN THIS INDUSTRY WHO ARE NOW CHEF OWNERS AND ALSO WE JUST THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE GREAT MENTORS.

>> EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHAT THE LAND INITIATIVE IS, HOW IT STARTED AND WHAT YOU DO NOW?

>> IT REALLY STARTED IN THE ME TOO MOVEMENT AS A REACTION AGAINST, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS.

AND WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING FOR WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT.

AND I LOT OF IT WAS THAT NOT JUST THAT WE NEEDED MORE WOMEN IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY BUT WE NEEDED MORE WOMEN IN POSITIONS OF POWER SO YOU DON'T HAVE SUCH SEXUAL HARASSMENT, YOU DON'T HAVE SUCH INEQUITY AND YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THIS.

AND TO ME, I THINK ANY BUSINESS, ANY ENTITY DOES BETTER WHEN HAVE YOU MORE VOICES.

RIGHT?

AND IT'S NOT ALL MEN.

IT'S NOT ALL WOMEN.

IT'S DIVERSITY.

IT'S MEN AND WOMEN.

PEOPLE FROM ALL AGES, ALL BACKGROUNDS, GAY, STRAIGHT, YOU KNOW, BLACK, WHITE, ASIAN, LIKE TO ME, A HEALTHY COMPANY WHEN IS YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, A COMPANY THAT IS JUST INCLUSIVE OF ALL THAT BECAUSE IT LENDS MORE VOICES AND YOU HAVE MORE OPINIONS AND MORE JUST PERSPECTIVES.

AND SO OBVIOUSLY THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS WAS LACKING THAT.

SO WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING TO OUTREACH AND START A PROGRAM TO SHOW YOUNG FEMALE CHEFS, THAT THERE IS A PATH TOWARDS EMPOWERMENT AND LEADERSHIP AND OWNERSHIP AND ALL THAT STUFF.

AND IT WAS GOING REALLY WELL.

AND COVID HAPPENED.

AND WE WERE JUST IN A WEIRD, YOU UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE WE HAD DONE RELIEF MEALS IN THE PAST BECAUSE THAT WAS AS PART OF OUR MISSION.

WE KNEW HOW TO SET IT UP QUICKLY.

WE HAD A NON-PROFIT SET UP.

WE HAD CORPORATE SPONSORS.

LIKE MAKER'S MARK.

WHO WE WERE ALREADY SORT OF IN TOUCH WITH, SO WHETHER THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, AND BACK THEN, I HAD THREE RESTAURANTS AND SO JUST FROM THE-- AND THE SHUTDOWN HAPPENED SO IMMEDIATELY, RIGHT, SO IT WAS LIKE WE THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE A SHUTDOWN AND THEN FIVE DAYS LATER, IT WAS LIKE WE ARE SHUT DOWN.

SO IMMEDIATELY THERE WERE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF HOSPITALITY WORKERS, NOT JUST RESTAURANT, BUT HOTELS AND CATERING HALLS THAT WERE IMMEDIATELY OUT OF WORK.

AND DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THEIR NEXT PAYCHECK WAS GOING TO BE.

SO I HAD ALL THIS FOOD LEFT OVER IN ALL MY WALK-INS.

WE TOOK IT ALL, WENT TO 610, COOKED A BIG MEAL AND I SAID LET'S GIVE IT OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO WE DID ONE FACEBOOK POST AND THAT FIRST DAY, I THINK 50 PEOPLE CAME, YOU KNOW.

AND I SAID WE ARE GOING TO KEEP DOING THIS UNTIL WE RUN OUT OF RESOURCES.

SO TELL YOUR FRIENDS, TELL EVERYONE, AND WE PUT IT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE NEXT DAY, I THINK 500 CARS PULLED UP.

AND THAT WAS CRAZY.

IT ALWAYS GETS ME CHOKED UP TO THINK ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME OUT... AND WE WEREN'T GIVING AWAY CASH.

OR PRIZES.

IT WAS JUST FREE MEALS.

BUT THEY WERE SO PANICKED ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO WITH THEIR LIVES.

NOBODY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND THEN WE SAW-- IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT REPRESENTATIVES FROM MAKERS MARK WERE THERE THAT DAY AND THEY SAID WHOA.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HUGE AND WE SAID WE NEED TO KEEP GOING WITH THIS.

SO WE GOT SPONSORSHIP AND THEN WE STARTED RAISING MONEY.

AND I MEAN I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME OUT AND GAVE.

FROM $5 DONATIONS TO $10,000 DONATIONS.

WE RAISED SO MUCH MONEY FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF.

WE KEPT THESE RELIEF KITCHENS GOING FOR OVER A YEAR.

I MEAN 200, 300, 400 MEALS A DAY FOR A YEAR.

>> IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S EMBEDDED, DO YOU THINK, IN YOU?

OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT LATER THAT-- I MEAN IN 2018, YOU SAID I GOT TO GIVE BACK?

>> NO, I THINK IT HAPPENS BECAUSE YOU GET MATURE AND IF YOU ACHIEVE SOME LEVEL OF SUCCESS IN ANYTHING YOU DO, I THINK YOU FEEL A LITTLE GUILTY.

LIKE WHY AM I SUCCEEDING AND...

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU GIVE BACK AND I THINK IT IS A NATURAL EVOLUTION, RIGHT?

I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT WHEN I WAS 22, YOU KNOW.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET MY OWN AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY YOU REACH SOME LEVEL OF SUCCESS AND YOU FEEL GRATITUDE.

AND THEN YOU THINK BACK-- YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE YOUNG, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO THINK.

YOU ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO CLAW YOUR WAY TO THE TOP.

AND YOU HAVE A LITTLE TIME LATER IN LIFE TO REFLECT ON THINGS.

AND YOU ARE LIKE, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HELPED ME ALONG THE WAY THAT THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR ANYTHING BACK.

OR THEY DIDN'T HAVE ULTERIOR MOTIVES.

THEY DIDN'T NEED TO HELP ME AND THEY DID.

SO THEN I THINK, WELL, HOW CAN I DO THAT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION?

>> DO YOU STILL GET NERVOUS, LIKE WHEN THIS OPENED DO YOU GET NERVOUS?

>> EVERY DAY.

IF YOU DON'T GET NERVOUS, YOU ARE NOT IN IT.

I'M NERVOUS RIGHT NOW.

>> DON'T BE NERVOUS RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS THE EASY STUFF.

OKAY, SO LET'S-- WE'LL TALK ABOUT NERVES.

LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR STATE DINNER AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

TELL ME WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU GET THAT CALL.

: >> THAT WAS-- IT WAS A ZOOM CALL AND YEAH, IT WAS FASCINATING.

I GUESS I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW BIG THAT WAS.

I DO THESE DINNERS ALL THE TIME.

AND I SAID YEAH, YEAH, I'LL DO IT.

AND WE TALKED... YEAH, NO BIG DEAL.

>> I'LL BE THERE WHAT IS THE ADDRESS AGAIN?

>> THEN I STARTED TELLING MY FRIENDS ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID YOU ARE DOING WHAT?

THEN IT WAS LIKE WAIT, SHOULD I BE NERVOUS?

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE THEN I GOT NERVOUS.

I WAS FINE AT FUSSER AND THEN EVERYBODY SAID THIS IS A BIG DEAL.

AND THEN WE DID THE TASTING AND EVERYTHING.

IT WAS A VERY-- IT WAS SURREAL AND WONDERFUL AND EVERYONE THERE WAS SO NICE TO ME AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A REALLY INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.

AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALSO OBVIOUSLY THE WELCOME DINNER FOR THE SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT AND PHARRELL, SO---- THE FIRST LADY SO MY MOM WAS INCREDIBLY PROUD.

YOU DON'T GET TO VISIT THE SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT VERY OFTEN AND MY FAMILY WHO CAME FROM HUMBLE ROOTS, FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND MEET THE PRESIDENT PRESIDENT OF SOUTH KOREA, IT MADE IT WORDS IT TO SEE HOW PROUD MY MOM WAS.

IT WAS COOL FOR ME.

THE WAY I EXPLAINED IT BOTH TO, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, AND TO OTHERS WHO WERE ASKING ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A FULL CIRCLE-NESS ABOUT THAT DINNER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE IMMIGRANTS.

WE WERE IMMIGRANTS FROM KOREA THAT CAME IN 1971.

THERE IS A DEBT OF GRATITUDE THAT I OWE TO MY PARENTS AND TO GOVERNMENTS THAT BUILD THESE ALLIANCES SO THAT WE HAVE SOME PLACE TO GO WHEN OUR COUNTRY DOESN'T PROVIDE.

SO TO BE ABLE DO THIS DINNER WAS A WAY TO THING THANK THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND TO GIVE BACK AND SAY I'M VERY PROUD TO COOK THIS DINNER BECAUSE EVERYTHING I AM TODAY IS REALLY THAT.

I MEAN I WAS ABLE TO COME HERE-- I WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL MY ENTIRE LIFE.

I LEARNED HOW TO COOK FROM TAKING OUT BOOK AT THE FRY FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT GIVE YOUNG KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RISE OUT OF WHATEVER HUMBLE BEGINNINGS THEY COME FROM.

>> SO WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU.

>> WE DO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE TO ANNOUNCE WITH THE LEE INITIATIVE.

WE ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO A NON-PROFIT THINK TANK RESTAURANT.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE BASED IN D.C. WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED ALL THE DETAILS QUITE YET, BUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS OPEN A RESTAURANT WITH REAL CUSTOMERS, REAL STAFF, BUT TO ADDRESS ALL THE THINGS IN THE INDEPENDENT RESTAURANT INDUSTRY THAT NEED TO BE FLUSHED OUT, THAT THERE IS NO REAL RESEARCH AND DATA YET; FOR EXAMPLE, TO DO AN ALL ELECTRIC KITCHEN, RIGHT?

NO GAS LINES.

AND THESE ARE THUNKS THAT WE CAN ALREADY SEE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION'S AND FROM THE LAWS THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A REALITY IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHERE THERE IS GOING TO BE LESS AND LESS GAS KITCHENS IN COMMERCIAL SPACES.

HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT?

HOW DO WE MAKE THE FOOD, YOU KNOW, AND THERE IS NOT A TON OF RESEARCH AND DATA ON IT.

SO A LOT OF THESE RESTAURANTS ARE GOING WAIT A SECOND, HAVE I TO CONVERT FROM GAS-- TO ELECTRIC, MY NEXT RESTAURANT HAS TO BE ELECTRIC?

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS?

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I GUY BOO I?

HOW DOES IT CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE KITCHEN?

AND SO WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE ARE TAKING ON THE COST OF THIS.

WE ARE DOING THIS.

HAVING A REAL RESTAURANT BUT WE ARE GOING TO RESEARCH PARTNER WITH A UNIVERSITY AND THEN RECORD DATA IN A VERY, VERY SPECIFIC PRECISE WAY AND AT THE END OF EACH YEAR, WE PUBLISH PAPERS FOR FREE SO THAT ANYONE CAN DOWNLOAD AND SAY WELL THESE ARE THE-- THESE ARE OUR PARAMETERS.

THESE ARE OUR SITUATIONS.

THESE ARE THE REAL COSTS OF HAVING AN ELECTRIC KITCHEN.

THIS IS WHAT YOUR ELECTRIC BILL IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AT THE END OF THE MONTH.

THIS IS HOW MUCH THE MAINTENANCE IS GOING TO BE ON THAT.

SO YOU CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.

IT'S A FIVE YEAR EXPERIMENTAL RESTAURANT.

>> YOU CAN WATCH OUR FULL INTERVIEW WITH CHEF EDWARD LEE ONLINE AT KET.ORG/INSIDE LOUISVILLE... WE'VE ALSO LINKED UP OUR FULL KENTUCKY LIFE EPISODE FEATURING THE LEE INITIATIVE.

YOU CAN SEE BEHIND THE SCENES PICTURES AND MORE.

PLUS -- DON'T FORGET TO GIVE US A FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM AT KET-IN-LOU WHERE YOU CAN FOLLOW OUR ADVENTURES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT SUNDAY AT NOON/11 CENTRAL.

FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF INSIDE LOUISVILLE.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.

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