Richard Lee
Saison | San Francisco, CA
november 2026
At 17 years old, Richard Lee began his career in kitchens working on the pastry team at Kuleto's Restaurant in San Francisco. He learned that pastry was not his forte, but when he switched to a role on the line, he finally found his calling. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park in 2009, Lee spent the next several years working in Michelin-starred kitchens from coast-to-coast, including three years as a chef de partie at One Market Restaurant in San Francisco under Rising Stars alum Chef Mark Dommen and five years as a sous chef at Eleven Madison Park in New York City. In 2018, Lee was promoted to chef de cuisine of Eleven Madison Park's traveling Summer House and Winter House pop-ups, but less than a year later, he was ready to move on from the Make It Nice team and take on a new challenge.
In 2019, Lee accepted the executive sous chef position at Saison under Chef Laurent Gras. After the pandemic, he took over as the fine dining restaurant's chef de cuisine, combining his concise, intentional cooking style with Saison's open fire philosophy. Over the next four years in that role, Lee worked to create a more positive, welcoming environment for the restaurant's staff while advocating for higher wages and better treatment. In 2022, he won the StarChefs Rising Stars award. He took over as Saison's executive chef in 2023 and became a part-owner in 2026. In his role, Lee is eager to cement Saison as an institution for seasonal ingredient-led dishes and live-fire cooking while also providing a platform for young cooks to grow and learn.
2022 StarChefs San Francisco-Oakland Rising Stars Award Winner
2026 StarChefs San Francisco-Oakland Rising Stars Mentor Chef Award Winner
