Native twist
Cheii's Grill and Pub sous chef excels in Native cuisine

Chef Franco Wayne Lee, left, takes some gentle workplace jibes in stride from Chef Anton Brunnauer at the Fire Rock Casino on Friday.— © 2009 Gallup Independent / Adron Gardner

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Leslie Wood
For the Independent

CHURCHROCK — Sous Chef Franco Wayne Lee’s first culinary experience was with his grandmother cooking acorn stew at the tribal fair in White River, Ariz.

Little did he know, the experience, among a string of others, would lead him to a five-year culinary apprenticeship at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay and to coordinate courses for the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Lee, the sous chef for Cheii’s Grill and Pub housed inside the Fire Rock Casino, helped to organize American Indian cuisine classes in April for chefs who attended the weeklong international conference in Denver. Lee was recruited for his knowledge of American Indian food and culture by the Native People’s Magazine, which hosted the event.

“They really wanted to stress that correlation between food and culture,” Lee said.

He said the 700 attendees, from all over the world, were eager to learn about local cuisine and it’s connection to the Native American culture. The chefs also learned about how native cuisine has evolved over the years.

“It’s great because they really are curious,” Lee said of the participants. “ ... They really are intrigued to hear about it.”

The chefs also organized a $250 a plate, seven-course meal and silent auction at The Fort restaurant to fund the education of a Navajo student interested in the culinary arts.

The student has yet to be selected, but will attend the Scottsdale, Ariz., Classic Cooking Academy, which features a Native Foods Department.

“It’s a really awesome program,” he said.

Lee has worked in various capacities within the restaurant industry, which include the local Holiday Inn, the China West in Window Rock and Chef Cafe in Coyote Canyon.

He is particularly fond of his experience in Coyote Canyon because he was able to incorporate a “Native twist” in common food.

“I got to cook the way I like,” Lee said. “ ... You twist it just a little and create a curiosity about the food.”

Lee’s stint at China West was also notable because he was introduced to Cantonese cuisine by the owner Hann Lam.

“I made a deal with him, he had to teach me everything he knows,” Lee said. “I really did learn a lot.”

Lee is also a co-founder of the Native American Culinary Association, which was created for networking and the promotion of native foods and chefs. Members hale from all over the United States.

He said work as a chef is more than the preparation of meals and involves a great deal of manual labor.

“It’s not just cooking,” he said. “It’s a tough business. You have to survive it.”

Lee also likes the unpredictability of the field. He said customers aren’t always aware of the process that takes place behind kitchen doors.

“It constantly changes. There’s always a challenge.”