Palm Springs Private Chef
C H E F S T E P H E N L E E
My culinary adventure began at my first job, Ave. Ristorante, an Italian joint in Seattle’s University district. I was busing tables until the owner, Bruno Pacci, was short staffed and threw me into the kitchen to toss dough and throw together pizza pies.
As a youth, my gypsy lifestyle lead me to gain experience cooking different cuisine types and in various environments. I have cooked on farms, in small diners, as well as in fine dining restaurants. I studied cooking techniques in the great culinary city of Rome and have additional experience cooking Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine. I have owned and operated two restaurants and spent years working on sustainable farms.
In 2015 I was a finalist on FOX’s MasterChef, Season 6. My MasterChef experience was a capstone in my culinary journey and I am grateful for the opportunity.
My mission is to cook delicious food, honestly prepared, using only the freshest, highest quality ingredients. ~ Chef Stephen Lee
Stephen had one of the most memorable and outgoing personalities in MasterChef history. He was very well known for his quirky, energetic, and unpredictable attitude, often raising his voice in excitement and making everyone laugh with his loud and sarcastic humor.
In Season 6, he was extremely confident, passionate, and a force to be reckoned with. He is arguably considered to be the strongest cook of the season with his versatility and strong leadership skills. ~ MasterChef Wiki
