Chef Edward Lee serves dinner for children

A group of youngsters were treated to a special dinner when celebrity chef Edward Lee of Netflix's “Culinary Class Wars” cooked for them at an event held at The Kitchen Il Forno in downtown Seoul, Saturday.

Twenty middle and high school students from children’s homes and 10 youths preparing to leave children's homes who are interested in pursuing a career in cooking or the hospitality industry took part in “Cooking Day with Edward Lee.”

The event was organized by You Are Not Alone, a group dedicated to supporting children in orphanages as well as those transitioning to independent living. Children in orphanages are required to leave when they reach 18.

On the five-course dinner menu for the evening were two dishes prepared by Lee — fried chicken with sesame sauce and pork and penne pasta with a creamy tomato sauce.

The dinner was followed by a Q&A session, with the US-based chef, author and restaurateur taking questions from his guests.

"You have one life, make your own story," he said, advising the youngsters not to be afraid of failure. Recalling how he opened a restaurant at 26, only to close it at 29, Lee said, "I am glad I have failed. Even if it hurts, it's not the end of the world. Young people are afraid to fail, but it's okay to fail."

"I'm not the smartest, best chef but I work hard," Lee said, emphasizing the importance of hard work in achieving success. "Some of it is talent, but you need to put in hard work. I can work 10 hours when others work eight," he said. "You have one life, make your own story,"

Earlier this year, Lee donated 20 million won toward a meal for children and their teachers at 31 orphanages around the country.

“I’ve received so much love in Korea, and I am happy to have this chance to return the love to society through YANA,” said Lee about his participation in the event.