#SoCaltech: Curtis Lee

Credit: Sergio Solorzano

“Last year, I wanted to start playing with fermentation. So, I made a list of things I wanted to make and thought, ‘What’s the best way to make them?’ I was reading around online and found that I needed to have good control of temperature and humidity, so I decided to make my very own fermentation chamber using a speed rack, PID [proportional–integral–derivative] controller, and small heater. I started to make soy sauce, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, and hot sauce! I’m not much of a baker, but I’ve been working on sourdough and pastries recently. The fermentation chamber really comes in handy to keep my starter happy or to proof my croissants.

I love learning about different cuisines from around the world. Even if you don’t know anything more about a place, if you’re able to talk to someone about a very niche dish from their homeland, they get so surprised. Then they tell you things you don’t know, and you learn even more. Many of my housemates in Avery are Indian, and I met some of their parents when I was in the kitchen cooking Indian food. So, I talked to them about it. I like to use the proper names for everything, and they got so excited. I just love that.”

Curtis Lee, who grew up in Hong Kong and went to high school in England, began cooking at age 11. At 15, Lee trained with Michelin-starred chef Maxime Gilbert in Hong Kong, and he was a stagiaire at several top restaurants in London, including Muse by Tom Aikens and The Fat Duck. In total, he has trained under chefs who hold a combined 42 Michelin stars. At Caltech, Lee is a teaching assistant in SA 16 Cooking Basics. He plans to double major in chemical engineering and business, economics, and management.

#SoCaltech is an occasional series celebrating the diverse individuals who give Caltech its spirit of excellence, ambition, and ingenuity. Know someone we should profile? Send nominations to magazine@caltech.edu.