Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerry Lee.
Hi Jerry, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
In 1993, during my senior year in high school, my parents separated. Dad went back to China, and mom took over raising my sister and I. I graduated from high school and decided I needed a change from San Luis Obispo. My best friend Tucker and I moved to Santa Barbara in 1994. I took some business courses at Santa Barbara City College, and by the end of that first year I landed a baking job for the Great Harvest Bread Co. There I work for quite some time and moved my way up to general manager.
In 1999, I decided I needed a change and started working as a banquet server for Michel Richard Citronelle, eventually becoming manager and sommelier. I got into wine working at Citronelle, every weekend I would drive up to the valley to go wine tasting and there, I really got into wine.
In 2002, I landed a job at the San Ysidro Ranch. I was hired on as their Wine Director to open this world-class resort. Ty Warner wanted me to build a world-class wine list and money was no object. I was like a kid in a candy store. I laid the foundation for a wine cellar that would eventually be honored with Wine Spectator’s Grand Award.
In 2009, I was hired to re-open the El Encanto resort. I knew this was a short-term because I wanted to do something of my own, that’s when I found out about the Santa Barbara Public Market. I reach out to the landlord and she said everything was taken. It was a warm summer night in 2015 when I got a call from the landlord at the public market. She told me I had s opt open and I need to come down to check it out. I went down there and I knew this was the spot. I reach out to my dear friend, who is Thai and a great cook. I knew she wanted to branch out and do something on her own. We both didn’t have quite enough cash flow so I asked my bar manager Emre if he was intreated in opening a noodle bar. That’s when Empty Bowl Gourmet Noodle Bar was launched in April 2015. Ever since we have build a local following.
On March 2023, we decided we needed to do something different so who open up a Thai street food BBQ called Three Monkeys. It’s still fairly new and we are slowing getting the word out.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Most of all it’s been a smooth road. Alot of hard long hours for many years. We did have a little struggle during 2017 when a lot of merchants in the public market had failed and we were the only standing merchant left. We were scared of what was going to happen because we had a great product and people really enjoyed our food but the lack of traffic scared us. But we held in there for about a year and finally, the landlord did some teaks and the market is better than ever now. It’s like a Santa Barbara designation.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a 700 sq feet noodle bar in the Santa Barbara Public Market. We specialized in Thai street food, mainly noodles. We are known for my mom hand wrapped pot stickers and our Khao Soi Northern Thai Curry. We don’t use any frozen meats and we cut all our vegetables fresh daily.
What were you like growing up?
I was a popular kid, very active and got along with everyone. I played soccer and loved riding my BMX bike all around town with all my buddies. I was also very into snowboarding and skateboarding.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: emptybowlnoodle
- Yelp: Empty Bowl Gourmet Noodle Bar
Image Credits
First one: Paul Wellmen Last one Ingrid Brostrom
