JAE’S STORY

Chef Jae Lee is the founder and CEO of Nowon, the Korean-American restaurant brand reshaping contemporary New York dining through culture, discipline, and system-driven execution.

Forged in the high-intensity kitchens of New York City and raised on the bold flavors of the Korean diaspora, Jae built Nowon through sweat equity and relentless reinvestment of profits. What began as a singular, underground-energy destination in the East Village has been scaled into a multi-unit brand, including a precedent-setting licensing partnership in Boston’s Seaport.

Nowon is not a compromise between cultures. It is a collision. The grit of Queens meets technical precision in a world where chopped-cheese rice cakes, pocha culture, and hip-hop energy coexist with intention and restraint. The brand is unapologetically Korean-American and engineered for the intensity of the city that shaped it.

As CEO, Jae has moved from the line to leadership. His focus is the Nowon Standard: building the systems, culture, and operators required to scale the brand across markets such as Las Vegas and Miami. He no longer measures success by what he cooks personally, but by the leaders and teams he develops.

Beyond the restaurant group, Jae is a devoted Catholic, husband, and father. Based in Long Island City, his leadership is grounded in a daily discipline of prayer and physical training. This framework for growth and accountability is shared with a global audience through his documentary series, The Jae Lee Show.

Today, Jae’s mission is precise. He is building a legacy Korean-American restaurant brand rooted in authenticity, community, and the belief that disciplined execution is the highest form of creativity.