Corey Lee was born in Seoul, South Korea and moved to the United States at age five.[6] Prior to opening Benu, he was the head chef at The French Laundry, working for Thomas Keller at both The French Laundry and Per Se for a total of nine years.[6]
At Benu, he serves a set tasting menu that features a wide variety of seafood and vegetables, a few meat courses, and some sweets.[7] Lee draws from many different cuisines, including Korean and Cantonese.[8] He states that “Benu is open to the influence of all different kinds of cultures. We have Asian influences, of course. We have Western influences. We have influences that are technique-driven. Some are flavor-driven. Some are ingredient-driven. But it accepts all those things and it defines the kind of food we serve.”[9]
In addition to the tasting menu, Benu offers an optional beverage pairing that includes beer, wine, and sake.
Benu is housed on the ground floor of a historic building that dates back to 1922–originally the headquarters of the San Francisco Newspaper Company.[10]Crown Point Press, an art studio, gallery, and bookstore, now owns the building and resides directly above the restaurant.[11]
In 2015, Phaidon published Benu–a collection of recipes and essays that explores the restaurant's food, influences, and collaborators–with forewords by Thomas Keller and David Chang,[12] designed by Julia Hasting.
