But the menu has been finalized, Lee said, practically breathing a sigh of relief during Thursday's telephone interview. The White House will be releasing those details on Monday. The 50-year-old husband and father couldn’t say what's on the menu. “I’ve been on ‘Top Chef,’ where I’ve had to cook for some very high-powered chefs who were critiquing my food, and this was probably more pressure than the TV show,” Lee said of having the first lady be the judge of his kitchen creations. He worked with White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford and her staff.

Lee recently spent two days at the White House testing recipes and plating meals, offering tastes to first lady Jill Biden and her staff, who are responsible for the dinner and who helped develop the menu. Lee's cooking style is one that meshes two cuisines: Korean food and food from the Southern U.S. White House social secretary Carlos Elizondo reached out to the New York City-born chef about two months ago to seek his help with the dinner. Yoon's visit will mark 70 years of U.S.-South Korea relations. The first went to France last December.Įvery component of a state visit, from the booming 21-gun salute for the leader's arrival, to the glitz and glamour on display at the black-tie state dinner, is designed to highlight ties between the U.S. reserves for its closest allies, and Biden so far has extended just two such invitations. “When food is at its best, it tells a story.”Ī state visit is the highest diplomatic honor the U.S. “Your mind becomes curious about more than just the flavors,” Lee said. He said any iconic American food, if spiked with a 'little Korean flavor or Korean spice,” will still be familiar, but it will just be different and unique. In an interview with the AP, Lee said “Korean food and American food can merge together and create this beautiful hybrid that is unique and delicious.'

The house edward lee