Why Fried Rice Collective Chefs Were Nominated For A James Beard Award

Forbes

18-04-2025

Back in 2017, when chefs Danny Lee and Scott Drewno met in Washington, D.C, there were few chefs who were bringing Asian cuisine, both Chinese and Korean, to the forefront. Nearly 8 years later, and the duo has launched 7 restaurants under 3 different brands, CHIKO, Anju, I Egg You and one catering service District Catering. While not all of them are Asian eateries, that's what they've built their reputation on.
And the two chefs have been nominated for a 2025 James Beard Award as Outstanding Restaurateur, which honors chefs and entrepreneurs who demonstrate creativity, integrity and building community.
Lee explains that the two met when he was running Mandu, which specializes in homestyle Korean cuisine (and Lee owns separately and isn't part of their partnership), and Drewno lived around the corner and frequented its late-night bar menu along with several chefs.
Dedicated to Fried Rice
When they joined forces to launch CHIKO (short for Chinese/Korean) in Washington, D.C. in 2017, they named their partnership Fried Rice Collective. Lee explains the name fits because fried rice is a dish favored in both Korean and Chinese cuisine and includes 'several ingredients mixed together to create a harmonious singular dish,' reflecting their different cultures blended together.
Their Restaurants Are Mostly Located in the DC Area Except for One
Currently the partners own 7 restaurants, 5 of them are CHIKO's, with one Anju and one I Egg You with six of them located in the Washington, D.C. and nearby Virginia area with one CHICO located in Encinitas, Calif, about 20 miles north of San Diego. Of the concepts, CHIKO specializes in Chinese and Korean cuisines, Anju is strictly Korean, I Egg You is more of an eclectic diner, and District Catering offers diverse foods.
When they opened their first CHIKO in a second-generation space to save money and keep their costs down, they did much of the construction on their own. Drewno says, 'It's amazing how handy you can become when you have no other option. We've become proficient in small appliance repair, painting and plumbing. Now we leave it to the professionals.'
Anju, Lee explains, showcases Korean cuisine but also highlights its beverage culture since the bar programs offers a variety of house-infused sojus (an alcoholic beverage made from rice) including Makkoli or Korean rice wine. It's now serving Banana Macha Makkoli served in tea kettles with small rice bowls per guest.
I Egg You, a play on words of the New York City slogan, I Love New York, specializes in egg sandwiches and French toast, but offers an array of sandwiches, salads, sweet and savory baked goods. One of its specialties is a turkey club, a collaboration with a local barbecue joint.
Keeping Korean and Chinese Cuisine Separate
When they first developed CHIKO, Lee explains that they were not interested in cooking fusion food. Instead they kept the Korean dishes separate on the menu from the Chinese dishes. 'We very rarely meld both cuisines together,' Lee says.
Since Drewno spent 6 years cooking at Wolfgang Puck's restaurants at Chinois and Spago in Las Vegas, he was trained in Chinese cooking and could handle almost any cuisine.
To show their ingenuity, Drewno points to their 'orangish chicken,' which he says isn't over-sauced or contains excessive corn starch like the traditional dish, but consists of crispy chicken, brined and fried, and served with sauce on the side which you can dip or dunk. 'We honor both Chinese and Korean cuisine,' Lee adds.
All 7 eateries are company-owned, though they received some loans from friends and family to get started, they are now 50/50 partners, with no outside investors or funders, a rarity these days.
Diverse Menus to Draw a Crowd
Why did they diversify their menus? Drewno says that decision was 'market driven' because the Washington, D.C. area is small compared to NY or LA and the duo wanted to offer alternatives to their loyal guests so they'd return for different menus.
The catering service drew on Drewno's time with Wolfgang Puck who did catering and provides food for events at weddings, birthday parties, graduation parties, bar mitzvahs, holiday parties and provides lunch to corporate offices.
Asked if Chinese food has been overlooked in the U.S, Drewno disagrees explaining, 'There are more Chinese restaurants in America than any other kind.' He grew up in Penn Yan in upper New York state, a town of 4,000 people, which contains 2 Chinese restaurants.
Both chefs are committed to doing good in the community. They've run benefits for numerous charities including Embrace Race, which supports healthy racial learning in early grades, and No Kid Hungry, which is dedicated to eliminating the 2 million children who go hungry in the U.S.
Lee is honored by the James Beard nomination. Reflecting on the past 7 years, he feels grateful about their partnership 'but equally as important are our teams and culture.' Showing teamwork, the two chefs are looking to organize a collaborative dinner for the rest of the Washington, D.C. finalists, where both of them are based.
Asked about its future and any new developments, Drewno says it has been exploring expansion on the Eastern seaboard in areas such as Northern Jersey or Philly.
Asked how they will market their James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur nomination, Lee replies, 'That's not our style. Scott and I aren't into self-promotion,' setting them apart from the masses.