Blog

Back Home With Huntington Social!

Christopher Lee — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:13:17 +0000

Today is an exciting day for me! it’s the official announcement of my my next project, Huntington Social (330 New York Avenue, 631-923-2442), a gastropub and cocktail lounge featuring seasonal American fare in a setting that recalls Prohibition-era drink parlors. We’ve been hard at work behind the scenes for some time now, and this June, my partners (local attorney – and my childhood buddy – Frank “Rocky” Bruno, Esq., restaurateur Larry Rizzo and investor Kevin McCaughan) and I will bring new life into my hometown of Huntington, New York on Long Island’s North Shore with dishes that spotlight fresh, local ingredients and a carefully chosen assortment of wines, beers and artfully crafted cocktails.

I will always think of Huntington as my home, and I’m very excited to bring this project to the community here. This is the kind of place that I’d like to eat and drink, and I look forward to sharing it with my friends in Huntington. Our menu is a tribute to Long Island, incorporating local ingredients into dishes that my friends and I used to eat in our mothers’ kitchens growing up here. They’re the dishes I would order at my favorite bar, the kind of things that you crave again and again – classic comfort food.

My culinary and management team consists of several talented professionals that first worked with me during my time at New York City’s Aureole: Katie Busch, my corporate chef, who will oversee the development of the project as she did at Eden South Beach; Julia Doyne, our chef de cuisine, who will be in the kitchen in Huntington daily to make sure that our guests experience the best meal possible; Luke Omarzu, Julia’s right-hand man and our executive sous chef; and Jeff Ruskaup, the most hospitable general manager I could have imagined and an ardent bourbon lover (he’s from Kentucky!) who is just itching to share a drink and make new friends with the entire town of Huntington.

We’ll be opening the doors to our stunning second-floor space overlooking the town center in June, but until then please…

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I can’t wait to see you this summer and introduce you to the amazing town that I am proud to call home.

Best,

Chef Christopher Lee

Huntington Social Demolition Day and Planning with Team

Christopher Lee — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:54:38 +0000

Check out this article in the Huntington Patch, hopefully the first of many to come but the buzz has started! Spent the entire day on Friday gutting the new place and stripping it completely down to it's base. Now, we can begin the full rebuild and watch our vision come to life! We'll keep you involved as much as possible in the process so keep checking back for more pics and eventually some video too. The pictures included here are just the beginning....

Coming Home with Restaurant and Lounge Huntington Social!

Christopher Lee — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:41:04 +0000

While I’ve been talking about it for a while, I’m very excited to announce that today, we have officially begun construction on what will soon be Huntington Social in the downtown area of my hometown, Huntington, NY. The location is right on the corner of New York Avenue and Main Street, upstairs overlooking the heart of the village in what used to be the nightclub Chesterfields. While Chesterfields has certainly been a Huntington mainstay for many, many years, it was in desperate need of some new energy and a major facelift, which is exactly what we began today.

Huntington Social will be a 1920’s prohibition era speakeasy gastropub with an extensive mixology program and a diverse menu. Menu items are currently being developed and finalized but some sneak peak front runners might include Truffle Egg Toast, Steamed Mussels in roasted garlic and preserved lemon, Pierogies filled with kielbasa, caramelized onions and pickled red cabbage, Wild Striped Bass and of course a kick ass Huntington Social Burger!

The primary partners of Huntington Social include myself, Rocky Bruno who currently owns Christopher’s and is a lawyer in town, investor Kevin McCaughan and one of my partners from Eden down in South Beach, entrepreneur Larry Rizzo. In the beginning, I anticipate being on location daily until we’re fully operational and then pulling back and letting my team run the ship while I oversee all culinary operations. But as with all of my restaurants, I love being very hands on!

As of now, we’re shooting for a mid may opening celebration so I’m counting on all of my local hometown friends and family to start spreading the word! I’m beyond excited for this opportunity to give back to my hometown community and I look forward to further embedding myself in the Huntington Village scene!

Friend me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/chefchrislee and follow me on twitter @chefchrisleenyc for updates, news, and additional information! I look forward to seeing everyone very soon…get ready!!!

Miami New Times Recipe, Eden SOBE

Christopher Lee — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 23:25:09 +0000

Check out this article in the Miami New Times blog and let me know if you tried out the Hamachi recipe!

Quick Update

Christopher Lee — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:26:23 +0000

I know it's been a while since i've written one of these but I'm going to make an effort to be more on top of the whole blog thing. Twitter as well (follow me here @chefchrisleenyc). Not that I think anyone really cares all that much but it's an easy way to keep in touch while I'm all over the place juggling a variety of projects so i figured I'd give it a shot.

For the first time in my career I'm currently not tied down plating food in a kitchen all day everyday and I'm amazed at how much work can get done with the time to actually do it! From Eden in Miami to planning Huntington Social in my hometown on Long Island, building The Hot Meat Truck in NYC, keeping the OCC Roadhouse moving along, in addition to cultivating new concepts such as Blend...it's been a whirlwind start to the new year. I'm in Miami now for the SOBE Fest 2011 which should be a great time with plenty of food to go around! Gotta get ready for our exclusive "In the Kitchen" dinner tonight at Eden, maybe I'll see you there!

Leaving Aureole, Exciting Restaurant Projects to Come!

Christopher Lee — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:17:49 +0000

For those who haven’t already heard the news, come January 2011 I will be leaving my position as Executive Chef of Aureole to continue working on and building projects that I’m passionate about while pursuing new and exciting opportunities. From my early days at Daniel all the way to Aureole, fine dining has been my main focus, and the people I’ve worked with are in no small part the reason for my success. To all of them, I am proud and grateful for the experiences we've shared.

That said, at this stage in my career, I’m very excited to delve into projects that are a bit outside of the fine dining world and to me, truly represent the reason I became a chef; to entertain friends and family with great food and drink. I'm looking forward to being able to focus a large amount of attention to my already open restaurants such as Eden in Miami, as well as developing my own concepts that will be opening soon.

Check back regularly for updates on what I’m working during this transition period and get ready for some unexpected announcements to be made regarding my future projects. Thanks to everyone for your continued support and I look forward to feeding you very soon!

- Chef Christopher Lee

Eden - South Beach, Miami

Christopher Lee — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:51:58 +0000

On Tuesday, November 16th, we had the official opening of my newest restaurant, Eden in South Beach! The party itself was insane complete with fire jugglers, celebrities, and plenty of food all over the place, and although I spent most of my time working in the kitchen and trying to greet as many guests as possible, we all had a blast. While I'm not on the ground in Miami daily I will be checking in multiple times per month for special events and just to make sure it's all going well. Check out some menu items below and if you're in South Beach, be sure to stop by!

Restaurant Aureole, Zagat, and Rue La La - NYC Fine Dining Off-the-Menu Series

Christopher Lee — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:16:46 +0000

The Ultimate “Surf & Turf” Dinner

Recently, I was approached to do a special dinner for a Zagat Dinner Series called Off-the-Menu co-hosted by Rue La La, the invitation only sample sale website. I was told to create a dream menu with no limits so I created my vision of the Ultimate Surf and Turf Dinner. I mixed creativity and top of the line products together with the idea to form a very cerebral experience. As with any creative project, my dream menu certainly had its challenges. For instance, it took us 3 days of prep for the event so needless to say I was looking forward to the days end for sure. Regardless of the challenges leading up to it, after producing the dinner I thought it was a huge success and I was very pleased with the event. Check out some of the dishes below:

Amuse: West Coast Sea Urchin vs. Homemade Guanciale

Baby Fennel, Smoked Paprika Coulis, Black Garlic, Cucumber, Yogurt Dill Dressing

Course 1: Striped Marlin Sashimi vs. American Wagyu Beef Crudo

Yuzu Eggplant Puree, Yamamono Berry, Vegetable Crudities, Basil Chimichurri

Course 2: BBQ Kabayaki Glazed Eel vs. Crispy Pork Belly

Green Apple, Shisito Peppers, Edamame Beans, Burdock Root, Japanese Dashi Broth

Course 3: Alaskan King Crab vs. Veal Sweetbreads

Heirloom Tomatoes, Summer Squash, English Peas, Iberico Pancetta, Minus 8 Truffle Vinaigrette

Course 4: Yellow Fin Tuna Tataki vs. Seared Foie Gras

Vegetable Escabeche, Fennel Pollen, Basil Oil, Grilled Apricots, Sicilian Pistachios

Course 5: Hawaiian Escolar vs. Aged NY Strip

Hearts of Palm Marrow, Macadamia Nuts, Wild Asparagus, Chanterelle Mushrooms, “Sauce Au Poivre”

Dessert: Vanilla vs. Chocolate

Poached Rhubarb, Espresso Ice Cream, Candied Hazelnut

Orange County Choppers

Christopher Lee — Mon, 10 May 2010 22:37:37 +0000

This summer get ready for one of my most exciting partnerships to date, opening a roadhouse themed restaurant with the creator of legendary Hotel and Casino New York, New York in Vegas, Mark Advent, and Paul SR. from my favorite TV show American Chopper! I've been working daily with the owners and entire team to create an extensive menu that is guaranteed to please everyone. Steaks, wings, huge burger selection, pizzas, and much, much more. Check out the official press release for some more info...

A Partnership With Children

Christopher Lee — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:03:21 +0000

Chef Lee appeared on ABC's Good Morning Now preparing healthy dishes for Partnerhip With Children, a not-for-profit organization that provides emotional and social support to at-risk children so that they can succeed in school, in society and in their lives. As a father, Chris understands the necessity to encourage healthy eating patterns in children throughout their lives, so raising awareness for this cause is an important part of his professional and personal life.