Edward Lee's cookbook sizzles its way to Korea

Korean American celebrity chef and restaurateur Edward Lee from the Netflix hit "Culinary Class Wars" will have his debut cookbook "Smoke & Pickles" translated and published in Korea next month, according to the book's Korean publisher, Wisdom House.

In the cookbook, Lee shares his culinary journey through more than 130 recipes and essays that offer a unique patchwork of flavors that combine his Korean heritage with Southern cuisine from the US. This approach reflects his distinctive interpretations of Korean dishes on television.

The book features ingredients suitable for home kitchens, ranging from beef, pork and lamb to seafood, pickles and desserts. It’s filled with techniques like pickling, fermenting, frying, curing and smoking, reflecting the overlapping flavors that helped the Korean-American chef feel at home in the South.

Lee also blends traditional Korean ingredients, such as kimchi and jang (fermented sauces). Recipes such as chicken-fried pork steak with ramen crust and buttermilk pepper gravy, collards and kimchi; braised beef kalbi with soft grits and scallions, and miso-smothered chicken all have a place on his table.

Raised in Brooklyn by Korean immigrant parents, Lee settled down in Louisville, Kentucky, where he owns multiple restaurants including the acclaimed restaurant 610 Magnolia. Before "Culinary Class Wars," he made appearances on "Iron Chef America," "Top Chef" and "The Mind of a Chef."

Lee is also starring in the second season of the popular JTBC cooking talk show "Take Care of the Fridge," with a revamped chef lineup. Joining the established star chefs Lee Yeon-bok, Choi Hyun-seok, Kim Poong and Jeong Ho-young will be new faces from "Culinary Class Wars": Edward Lee, Choi Kang-rok, Lee Mi-young and Yoon Nam-no.

"Take Care of the Fridge" Season 2 will premiere this Sunday, streaming on Tving.