Jae Lee
Nowon
At eight years old, Chef Jae Lee immigrated from Seoul to New York City with his family, settling in Queens. By 18, he began his culinary career at a ramen shop in the East Village, where he discovered a love for the fast-paced energy of professional kitchens.
Over the next decade, Jae sharpened his skills... READ MORE
At eight years old, Chef Jae Lee immigrated from Seoul to New York City with his family, settling in Queens. By 18, he began his culinary career at a ramen shop in the East Village, where he discovered a love for the fast-paced energy of professional kitchens.
Over the next decade, Jae sharpened his skills in top restaurants, eventually becoming Executive Chef at Momosan Ramen & Sake and later at Hotel 50 Bowery. At 30, encouraged by his now-wife, he left his position to explore a concept rooted in his Korean-American identity.
In 2019, he launched Him—a six-month pop-up named after the Korean word for “strength”—inside Black Emperor bar in the East Village. The project quickly developed a loyal following, and Gothamist called his burger “one of the best burgers in NYC.” This success led to the opening of his first restaurant, Nowon, also in the East Village.
In July 2023, a second, larger Nowon opened in Bushwick, where the menu expanded to include Korean-inspired wood-fired pizzas. In April 2025, Nowon opened its first out-of-state location in Boston’s Seaport, with further expansion planned.
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