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Alex Lee
James Beard Award winner
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Alex Lee's cooking is built on the disciplines of culinary training, global cuisine, and haute cuisine. The work reads as precision first: close attention to ingredients, control of technique, and a steady commitment to the standards of the kitchen. In Alex Lee's hands, that discipline stays polished and exacting without losing the warmth that comes from service-driven cooking.
The Climb
At Restaurant Daniel in New York City and Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, New York (until 2016), the line work behind Alex Lee's title as Executive Chef demanded consistency, restraint, and command. Those kitchens framed the habits that still define the work: ingredient-first decisions, a careful sequence of execution, and the ability to hold standards under pressure. In that setting, Alex Lee refined a style shaped by rigor more than ornament. The move to Culinary Director at Starr Restaurant Group (from 2016) extended Alex Lee's role from the pass to the larger structure around it. The position required an eye for the shape of a culinary program as much as the plate itself, balancing rooms, menus, and standards without losing contact with the details that determine quality. As Executive Chef of Alpine Country Club, Alex Lee continues that same measured approach in a setting where refinement is part of the brief.
Today
The work centers on global and haute cuisine, with technique used to clarify flavor rather than cover it. Alex Lee's cooking is deliberate and composed, built on careful accumulation: skill, patience, precision, and a disciplined curiosity about what each ingredient can do. The result is food with a clear frame and no excess language.
Signature
Alex's signature dishes include Broiled Striped Bass with Ginger-Scallion Oil and Vanilla Pain Perdu. Broiled Striped Bass with Ginger-Scallion Oil points to a clean, focused hand, where brightness and contrast sharpen the fish without overwhelming it. Vanilla Pain Perdu shifts into a softer register, showing a comfort-oriented dish handled with the same control. Together, the two dishes show range without drift: savory precision on one side, elegant richness on the other.
Recognition
Alex's honors include James Beard Award — Best Chef (nominee) and James Beard Award — Best New Restaurant in America. Those recognitions place Alex Lee within the wider field of serious contemporary cooking, and they track with the standards reflected across his career. In a trade where reputation is earned service by service, the awards read as markers of consistency, care, and technical discipline.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Alex
What is Alex Lee's current role?
As of 2026, Alex Lee is Executive Chef of Alpine Country Club.
Where did Alex Lee work before?
Alex Lee's earlier career included Restaurant Daniel, Glen Oaks Club, and Starr Restaurant Group.
What recognition has Alex Lee received?
James Beard Award — Best Chef (nominee).
