YES, CHEF

Get to know the Executive Chef of The Joule, Jae Lee.

With an extensive background in New York’s fine dining scene—including a stint under Daniel Boulud at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Daniel—Chef Jae Lee brings serious skills to the Texas table. Where did he get his start? And how does Texas cuisine currently stack up to NYC? We chatted with chef for more…

Go-to midnight snack?

Shin ramen with seared pork belly, soft-cooked egg, and scallion.

First job?

My first job in the food-service industry was scooping ice cream. I was 16 years old and I had to walk to the next town a couple miles away in the heat of summer. Good times.

Favorite meal growing up?

I grew up in a traditional Korean household, so one of my favorite meals is braised short rib with kimchi stew and rice.

Philosophy in the kitchen?

My approach to cooking is to embrace the seasonal cycles of ingredients, apply proper techniques, find harmony between ingredients, and make everything enticing to the senses. I respect the classics and use this as a fundamental rule to develop cuisines here at The Joule.

You’ve worked extensively in New York and Texas. What’s something Texas does better than NYC?

Barbecue, Tex-Mex, and tacos! While New York City does a great job, Texas takes these things to the next level and makes them widely accessible. Generally speaking, what we classify as Southern cuisine, Texas does a better job of executing.

Most memorable meal?

During my travels to Thailand I had three courses at a restaurant named Soei. First came a fried egg salad, then a steamed fresh oyster dish with fresh ginger and herbs, and lastly, a soft-shell crab curry. Everything was beyond delicious. The journey to get to this restaurant itself added to positive memories. The meal was under $30, but it was one of the best I’ve ever had.

Biggest lesson you learned at Daniel?

Of the many, this one stands out: Develop the ultimate sense of urgency, a success-focused mindset, and determination to deliver the best quality.

Who’s on your kitchen playlist?

I usually do not have music playing in my work kitchens. But at home, it’s jazz or rock.

Do you have a signature dish?

My signature dish is not of my own, but an execution of a French classic: Tournedos Rossini aux Sauce Périgourdine. It’s one of my favorite things to prepare because it’s simple in nature, yet incredibly complex. From start to finish, it can take days to get all the components right. Filet mignon, foie gras, truffles... hard to say no to any of that.

You worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Joule has art in its DNA. In what ways are chefs and artists alike?
The two careers are very different in regard to day-to-day operations, but at the core, share many of the same characteristics. They’re both extremely creative, disciplined in some way, and spend years fine tuning their craft. I think you can say that all chefs are artists, but not all artists are chefs.

Favorite dishes at The Joule

FAVORITE DISHES AT THE JOULE?

My three top picks from Sassetta are the mushroom pizza, gulf red snapper, and the radiatori al pesto. At CBD Provisions, I’m really enjoying the brown butter diver scallops and black pepper shrimp and grits. Both can’t be missed.

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The Details: You might see Jae in the bustling open kitchen of CBD Provisions, greeting guests at Sassetta, or doing tastings with the catering team. Say hello and ask him what to order next!