Dominick Lee

Not Your Mama’s Gumbo // Episode 02: NOLA Holiday Gumbo — NYMG is a series exploring gumbo beyond tradition. Each week, I’m sharing a new recipe that starts with the fundamentals and pushes the boundaries. — Traditional NOLA Holiday Gumbo Recipe (12–15 servings) Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup butter ½ cup canola oil 3 cups chopped onion 1 ½ cups chopped green bell pepper 2 cups chopped celery 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 lbs hot sausage links (Patton’s recommended), uncased and rolled into balls 4 (32-oz) containers shellfish stock (1 gallon total) 1 (32-oz) bag gumbo blue crabs, cleaned and halved 1 cup Creole seasoning (@slapyamama , @tonychacheres or Chef Dom’s Gumbo Seasoning) 1 pint (16 oz) shucked oysters 3 lbs Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail off Salt and black pepper, to taste Hot cooked rice, for serving ⸻ Instructions 1. Make the Roux: In a large heavy-bottomed gumbo pot, combine flour, butter, and canola oil over medium heat.Whisk continuously until the roux reaches a deep chocolate color—just shy of Hershey’s Special Dark. The trinity will deepen the color further once added. 2. Build the Base: Stir in the onion, green bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 10–12 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized. Add garlic and cook 1–2 minutes more. 3. Add the Sausage: In a separate pan, brown the sausage balls thoroughly. Add the sausage and the rendered grease to the gumbo pot. Stir to combine. 4. Add the Stock: Pour in the shellfish stock and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits. 5. Add the Blue Crabs & Seasoning: Add the halved blue crabs. Add the Creole seasoning. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Bring the gumbo to a gentle simmer. 6. Simmer: Cook on medium-low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. 7. Finish With Seafood: Add the oysters and shrimp. Cook for 5 minutes, just until the shrimp turn pink and firm. 8. Serve: Ladle the gumbo over hot steamed rice. Garnish with green onions, parsley, or filé powder if desired.

I always thought I understood the James Beard Foundation’s purpose. In my mind, it was an organization that highlighted industry professionals, hosted incredible dinners, celebrated chefs, and handed out awards. But after attending the @beardfoundation Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change, I walked away with something much deeper than inspiration. I left with a renewed sense of purpose. This experience reminded me that chefs are more than cooks. We are storytellers, employers, community builders, culture keepers, and advocates. The Bootcamp challenged us to think beyond the plate and understand the real influence the food industry has on policy, sustainability, equity, labor, agriculture, and the future of our communities. The power of hospitality doesn’t stop at the dining room.   I’m leaving sharper, more intentional, and more motivated than ever to continue building spaces, conversations, and opportunities that matter. Grateful to the new bonds I have close to home and afar and everyone involved, and grateful for the reminder that food has always been political, personal, and powerful.

Between this weekend’s Crawfish Boil, a lovely dinner at Strange Delight, and multiple friends traveling, I’ve had my mind on New Orleans lately and realized I never posted about my adventure there with @chefdomlee and friends back in February shooting lifestyle photos for his forthcoming book.

Chicago, I’m coming for you. I’ll be at @theutilityshow with @tilitnyc on May 17 & 18 at Mae District. Two days, 1,500+ industry attendees, live chef competitions, demos, panels, and real conversations about this business we love. As an added bonus, I’ll be in the mix on Sunday, May 17th competing in the Chicago Beef Sammies Throwdown presented by @westholme . Grab your tickets at utilityshow.com, then come find me next week. #utilityshow #utility2026 #cheflife​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Who’s ready for The Beef Sammie Throwdown!? Coming to UTILITY next week we’ll have some insanely talented chefs trying to make the best sandwich in the building. How does that not sound amazing? Featuring chef @katomlinson , chef @chefdomlee , and chef @yiavang70 , UTILITY guests will get to see who can build the best sandwich of them all. See you there! Presented by our friends at @westholme .

Duck Fat Roux and Spanish Chorizo Gumbo 🦆

Took a break, but GUMBO.IS.OTW. New episodes of “Not Your Mama’s Gumbo” are back this week. Who’s ready 👀

This one means a lot. I’m excited to share that I’ve been selected to join @beardfoundation ’s 30th Cohort of the Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change, a program that’s spent nearly 14 years training chefs to show up beyond the kitchen and advocate for the policies shaping our food system. This spring I’ll travel to Carnation, Washington alongside 18 other chefs from across the country who are serious about advocacy, food system change, and using our voices where it counts—from school nutrition to SNAP benefits, fisheries to food waste, and everything in between. — Remember, the food on your plate doesn’t start at the stove. It starts with your vote. It starts with how we treat this planet and the people growing food on it. It starts with an agricultural system that is being stretched to its limits, and whether or not we have the courage to demand something different. — 📸: Nico Schinco for @condenasttraveller

Eight years ago, I participated in my very first @chswineandfood festival. Since then, it’s become a culinary ritual—a place where I can escape the hustle to cook and hang with community against the calming backdrop of the Low Country. Last week I headed to Charleston once again to celebrate the festival’s 20th anniversary … a true full circle moment. Special thanks to @shawnmccarney for capturing this special weekend. Until next year, cheers to 20 years 🥂

“Our food deserve good wine pairings too.” This renowned sommelier’s new book is creating dialogue + curriculum for the cultures that are often othered within the wine industry—and she’s not holding back. We had the pleasure of hosting an intimate conversation between two food + drink connoisseurs— certified sommelier + author Cha McCoy (@cha_squared ) and Chef Dominick Lee (@chefdomlee ). While they discussed the lack of Southern culture on most sommelier syllabi and building confidence as a wine-lover, we sank our spoons into small servings of chicken + pork sausage gumbo (s/o to Chef Dom!) paired w/ a glass of Carignan red wine🍷 🥘 The cherry on top? Our Q&A session had an overflow of quality questions from wine lovers, cookbook club members, foodies, aspiring sommeliers, + more. When we say we were FED WELL, we’re not just talkin’ about the tasting. The convo gave us the nourishment we needed! Congrats to Cha on this beautiful love letter to the communities that deserve to be recognized for their contributions to this evergrowing, evolving industry. This ain’t just a food + beverage thing. This is history. We hope that the folks who come across this book walk away w/ a new sense of pride + knowledge that they can carry in any setting—from the kickbacks to the seat at the (restaurant) table. #KindredStories #SupportBlackAuthors

Last night, I had the honor of receiving the Legacy Award from @feedthesoulfoundation . It was especially meaningful to share the evening with these talented chefs who prepared the dinner and continue to uplift our culinary community through their dedication and craft. Thank you to Feed The Soul Foundation for the important work you do in supporting culinary professionals and students. I am truly grateful. Con gratitud, Hugo 👨🏽‍🍳

Spent the past week taking in the sights, sounds, and flavors of HOME. It was a reminder that as a native son of New Orleans, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. And to my fellow New Orleanians, HAPPY MARDI GRAS 💜💚💛 | 📸: @ihatejpegs