Executive Pastry Chef Lee Smith, who has over 24 years of experience in the industry, leads a team of pastry chefs, chocolatiers and bakers, and works closely with the catering and conference services teams, as well as the resort restaurants, to create innovative pastry concepts for all guests. Chef Lee also develops the resort’s creative line-up of pastries, confections, breads, chocolates and in-room amenities.
After receiving his culinary degree from The South Field Culinary School in Leicestershire, England, Chef Lee completed a three-year apprenticeship at The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland under the guidance of legendary pastry chef Ian Ironside. Following his apprenticeship, Chef Lee worked for celebrated chefs such as Chef Michel Perraud, Chef Pierre Kouffman, and Chef Christian Germain in a series of Michelin one, two and three star restaurants in England and France.
The next twelve years of Chef Lee’s career consisted of working for Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts at hotels across three continents, followed by a career at The Peninsula Hotel Bangkok. At each hotel, Chef Lee was responsible for leading teams of bakers, Chocolatiers, ice cream makers, cake designers and pastry chefs to fulfill the highest expectations of international travelers.
The England native came to the United States in 1999 to work at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Prior to joining the culinary team at Montage Laguna Beach, Chef Lee served as the Corporate Executive Pastry Chef for the Innovative Dining Group, based in California, where he developed multiple restaurant concepts for the greater Los Angeles area.
Chef Lee credits his success to “passion and love of my craft, continuation of a noble and ancient trade, and my ability to pass on that passion and knowledge.”