Dana McMahan

Special to The Courier-Journal

Edward Lee of 610 Magnolia and MilkWood, a James Beard-nominated chef who continues to attract national acclaim and is currently starring in PBS' "The Mind of a Chef," has announced a culinary apprentice program in the Smoketown neighborhood.

The idea, Lee explains, is to create a bridge between "a whole neighborhood of young adults who need jobs" and the the restaurant industry, which he says is the fastest growing in the country. "These kids cannot afford Sullivan, not even community college," Lee says.

The program teaches young adults all the components of the restaurant business, preparing them for careers in the industry, with some bigger lessons along the way. "One thing I've always believed ... if you've ever worked as a waiter you learn lessons in that you carry with you the rest of your life," says Lee. "The restaurant industry is one where we learn so many life lessons."

Two interns are going through the nine-month program right now at both Lee's restaurants, where Lee says they're doing every job in the restaurant. "They do not get to choose what job they want," he says. "They have to do everything from social media to bookkeeping to pastry to light landscaping. At the end of the program they've gotten a crash course in how to run a small business, to be self-sufficient and be an entrepreneur. I'm not here to train master chefs; I'm here to take these bright young kids and put them in a place where they can shine and be able to control more of their own destiny."

Recalling "a couple of people along the way that were … absolutely integral" in his path to becoming a chef, "I feel like I've reached a point of success where you start thinking about those things," Lee says. "If I can affect some kid's life who otherwise would not have an opportunity to work in the restaurant business, that's incredible for me."

Lee is partnering with IDEAS 40203 and YouthBuild for the program, which is part of the "Creative Innovation Zone" project, an artist-led initiative based in Smoketown supported by an ArtPlace America grant.

"I've been wanting to do this project for years now," Lee says, but without the time, resources, and funding needed, he couldn't do it alone. "I've been pushing for a while — I'd talk to anyone who would listen to me."

A "serendipitous" encounter at an airport with Heather Farrer, supporter of the Workforce Development and Job Creation Committee for the ArtPlace America grant, led to a conversation that ultimately led to the partnership.

"YouthBuild has been there forever and they do an incredible job," Lee says. "They take young adults who are bright and show promise and can't afford vocational school. They train them, and after the program they are ready to work in a job in that industry."

"This is not a handout," he adds. "I'm not writing anyone a check. I'm not giving canned goods to anyone."

"The eventual plan is to open a restaurant with these kids," Lee says. The current interns "will be the future leaders of the new restaurant when it goes up, hopefully by June of next year." It's a not-for-profit community restaurant, he explains, with all the money it makes going back into funding the program. "By definition that means everything is up to the community. Once we get underway, the name, the cuisine, everything will be decided by the people running the restaurant and the community [based on] what the neighborhood needs."

However, one dish is certain to be on the menu. "We're definitely doing fried chicken," Lee says. "I put it in my contract."

Lee acknowledges the project is a daunting task. "It's going to be much tougher than what I have on paper. It's going to be a long road. I don't want to make promises yet." But the challenge is part of what draws him.

"Most businesspeople don't choose to do things like this; they go where there's less risk," he says. But "the more stuff seems like it's this incredible challenge, the more I get excited by it. How cool would it be if I opened a restaurant in Smoketown?"

"Smoketown is fascinating. There's really a lot of culture there and we just don't think about it. It's marginalized," Lee says. "For a long time Smoketown has been in a bad way. It's right there in the middle of everything, but it's kind of ignored. It's a neighborhood that's just on the cusp. We can ignore it and it can go back into desolation, but it has a chance to become a really cool neighborhood.

"I'm stoked about it," says Lee. "I'm more excited about this than I've been for any media project or television."

And Lee's plans extend beyond Smoketown. Though he says there are still a lot of logistics to work out — they need to find a site, to start — if the program succeeds, he hopes it can serve as a blueprint for other cities. While he hopes to create 12 new jobs, "can you imagine if 40 or 50 cities did this?" he asks. "My ultimate dream for this if it works is to publish it for free online so anyone can do this. We're such a big country. I can't do something on a national level, but if it works why not share it with everyone else and create a movement?"

Lee has high hopes. "My faith is, if I can train these kids to trust in the system and in teamwork then we have a shot. I do believe in these kids. From what I've seen already just from these two kids, it's going to work."

Tell Dana! Send your restaurant "dish" to Dana McMahan at thecjdish@gmail.com and follow @danamac on Twitter.