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October 27-28, 2023
Southern Foodways Symposium ⟶
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October 27-28, 2023
Southern Foodways Symposium ⟶

Oral Histories

The SFA oral history program documents life stories from the American South. Collecting these stories, we honor the people whose labor defines the region. If you would like to contribute to SFA’s oral history collections, please send your ideas for oral history along with your CV or Resume and a portfolio of prior oral history work to info@southernfoodways.org.

< Back to Oral History project: Georgia BBQ

ORAL HISTORY

Jiyeon Lee

Heirloom Market BBQ

Jiyeon Lee is a founder and executive chef at Heirloom Market Barbecue of Atlanta, Georgia. Born and raised in South Korea, the former vocalist turned acclaimed chef melds Korean cuisine and ingredients with traditional Southern barbecue technique. Reimagining classics, such as kimchi slaw and Korean barbecue sauce, Chef Lee has been named a 2023 James Beard Semifinalist with her business partner, Chef Cody Taylor. Additionally, their restaurant was named the best barbecue in Georgia by Food&Wine. Bubbly, driven, and dynamic, Chef Lee challenges herself to bring flavor combinations never seen before to the world of barbecue. In the crossroads of her identity and passion for creating dishes that evoke memory, family, and community, Jiyeon Lee continues to rise.

Date of interview:
2022-09-16

Interviewer:
Bailey Benson

Photographer:
Sierra Dexter

Download Transcript

“

"When I'm cooking collard greens. You know, I use my memories with my grandmother. That's the connection between the Southern food and my Korean food. Those two connections, when I found it, I was thrilled. And when I cook and it come out like a different version of original." - Jiyeon Lee

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