Daniel Lee
Formerly of Okonomi Market | Brooklyn
February 2025
Born in South Korea, Daniel Lee spent his childhood near the sea. Although he was surrounded by impressive seafood, his culinary career didn't begin until after he immigrated to the United States. Lee started cooking when he was in high school, picking up jobs while moving around the country. In 2011, he moved to New York and started working at Blue Ribbon Sushi. The next year, Lee enrolled in culinary school and scored an internship at Corton, where he developed an eye for detail and was exposed to the high pressure atmosphere of a fine dining kitchen. He then moved to Le Philosophe to work under Chef Matthew Aita before joining the team at Miller’s Tavern. Soon after, Lee followed Miller’s Tavern Chef Jason Beberman to Rising Stars alum Alex Stupak’s Empellon. Then, he took a step back from the line and launched a small catering company.
In 2017, Lee found his way to Mermaid’s Garden in Prospect Heights. While learning about quality seafood, whole-fish butchery, and sustainable sourcing, he was inspired by the relationships he made with local fisherman, scientists, and chefs. Lee’s enthusiasm for seafood and sustainability led him to the head butcher role at Okonomi Market, where he had the opportunity to learn the art of kaiseki from visiting chef Yoshi Suzuki. He then went on to help develop an omakase program before eventually taking over as the culinary manager. While overseeing Okonomi, the adjoining market, and running his pop-up, Gangjin, on the side, Lee developed a personal culinary style that combined his diverse experiences—from French to Mexican to Japanese—and his Korean upbringing into an omakase format that highlighted the bounty of the sea.
