Downtown Palm Executive Chef Kay Lee came to the United States 27 years ago from his native Korea with a suitcase full of books, the clothes on his back, and a dream.

Lee, whose father owned three highly-regarded restaurants in Seoul, wanted to become a chef in America.  A quick study, Lee found himself accepted into the country"s most prestigious cooking school -- the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY -- in less than a year of his arrival.  He sailed through his courses, and upon graduating in 1983, opted to augment his cooking degree with a B.A. in Restaurant Management from Florida International University.

By the time he earned his bachelor's degree in 1986, he had a job waiting for him at Legal Seafood in Boston, a popular seafood restaurant with seven locations throughout Massachusetts.  He was both Chef and Kitchen Manager there for more than six years.

In 1992 the West Coast beckoned, and Lee answered its siren's call, moving his wife and two children to Los Angeles to become Executive Chef at the legendary Palm restaurant in West Hollywood.  Lee thrived in his position, thrilled to be working alongside one of The Palm's most beloved and colorful GMs, Gigi Delmaestro, whom he likened to a second father.

Lee remained at the West Hollywood Palm for 13 years, where he was no stranger to the restaurant's clientele entertainment giants -- who would regularly pop their heads into the kitchen with smiles, and then set about cajoling Lee to make them one of his specialties (with Lee's as-good-as-you'll-find Osso Bucco being at the top of the list).

Recognized for his calm-under-fire leadership skills, Lee was tapped to take up the reins of another Palm Kitchen in 2005, the company's new Downtown location across from the Staples Center, where he remains today.

Leigh Whicker brings a wealth of hospitality experience, an indefatigable work ethic and her inimitable southern charm to her Sales Manager position at The Palm in Downtown Los Angeles.

Born and raised in the South, this Steel Magnolia started working at the tender age of 13, assisting her mother with the family business.  While in high school and college in Charlotte, NC, Whicker worked as a server at several upscale restaurants, and found she was a natural for the fast-paced restaurant industry.  She set her sights on restaurant management, and was rewarded with a Marketing Manager position at a national, well-regarded steakhouse chain in 2000. After a brief training course in beautiful Del Mar, CA -- where she affirmed, "I will live here one day" -- Whicker arrived in Orlando, Florida ready to launch her restaurant marketing career.

Known for searching out and hiring the best and brightest in the industry, The Palm eventually came calling, wooing Whicker in 2004 to their Downtown location in Los Angeles, where Whicker, by then, resided. Tenured with another national restaurant group, Whicker was wary at first, but was won over by Downtown General Manager Jonathon Scott.  "Jonathon was the biggest reason I became a member of The Palm family," says Whicker.  "He works extremely hard, and inspires his team by example."

Whicker's creativity and know-how have resulted in special event sales at The Palm Downtown exceeding $1.5 million.  Whicker organizes the restaurant's annual Grammy party, as well as high-profile political fundraisers and splashy, six-figure season finale celebrations for the television industry.  Whicker says she also enjoys planning smaller corporate and personal events, because she is able to develop lasting relationships for The Palm within the local community.