Kevin Lee grew up in a Korean-American family in Oklahoma City, a place not known as a dining destination 20 years ago. There were the usual chains, Korean mom-and-pops and some chef-driven restaurants, but few if any places that focused on global cuisines.
Lee majored in hospitality management at UNLV, and while there, he worked part-time in a restaurant and fell in love with cooking. That changed the trajectory of his career. With Las Vegas chef Joon Choi as a mentor, Lee immersed himself in Japanese cooking. Then at age 21, the luck of being in the right place at the right time landed him the job of executive chef at a Mandalay Bay hotel restaurant.
Las Vegas burnout pushed Lee to return to Oklahoma City, where he worked in various restaurant kitchens before opening his own place—Birdie’s, a Korean fried chicken concept. He wanted a restaurant where families could take their kids and have a great time, but when you’re selling $10 chicken baskets and working 24/7, the revenue just didn’t make sense, he said.
Nevertheless, Birdie’s was super-popular and Lee got a call to compete on a Food Network show called “Tournament of Champions.” He had a few big wins, and that gave him the courage and drive to change course again. He converted Birdie’s into a modern Korean-American steakhouse, where Lee feels he is finally cooking food close to his heart.
Maht, which just opened in late 2025, is a modern American steakhouse with Korean influences. Two menu items that reflect this direction are a Caesar salad made with fish sauce instead of anchovies and chili crisp instead of croutons, and a Korean crab cake with sea urchin, Fresno chilies and scallions finished with soy-caramel sauce.
Lee explains how several forces are converging to bring more visitors to Oklahoma City and chefs are gaining the confidence to try new things and open successful restaurants. He is also a member of Kikkoman's Kitchen Cabinet where he innovates recipes that reflect his take on Korean cuisine. Listen as he talks about his next ventures on TV and in the kitchen, and why he thinks Oklahoma City is poised to become a sought-after destination on the culinary map.
Menu Talk is a collaboration between Restaurant Business Senior Menu Editor Pat Cobe and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News. You can subscribe to it wherever you listen to podcasts.
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