Chef Chris Lee, owner of catering and food delivery service Chef’s Table STL, was severely injured following a motorcycle accident November 2.
Chris and his friend, Thomas Trostel, were both driving motorcycles on Highway 141 when they were hit by a wrong-way driver in a Toyota Camry, as reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Trostel did not survive.
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Despite Chris’ host of injuries—including a collapsed lung, shattered elbow and knee, broken sternum, broken leg—his wife, Sandra Lee, says doctors say he is ahead of schedule in his recovery. He has started to talk and make eye contact.
“He is strong,” Sandra says. “The doctors are impressed with how he’s advancing in his healing… He’s very reliant on God’s grace and mercy in healing. He’s not even concerned about himself. He’s concerned about our friend whose husband is gone. Chris doesn’t understand why he’s getting so much attention… and I’m like, ‘Because people love you! You make a difference in lives.’ He’s very humble.”
Chris is being treated at Mercy St. John’s Hospital, but Sandra expects he’ll be moved soon. After his hospital care, he’ll be treated at a rehabilitation facility for a few months.
In the meantime, donations to help the family can be made online at GoFundMe.com or to PO Box 252024, 63125.
Chef’s Table STL will run business as usual. Ed Lee, Chris’ father who is also a chef, is stepping in to help fulfill orders. “We’re going to uphold the standards and excellence of service even though Chris can’t be present,” Sandra says. “There’s no stopping us.”
Chris, a classically trained French chef, was the former executive chef of In Good Company, the restaurant group behind Café Ventana, Sanctuaria Wild Tapas, Diablitos Cantina, and Hendricks BBQ. Before venturing out to open Chef’s Table STL, he worked at now-shuttered Mad Tomato in Clayton. He has also won many local cooking competitions, including the 2011 Crystal Cajun Cook-Off and the 2012 and 2013 Stella Artois Taste of STL Chef Battle Royale.
“We are so grateful for the support and the prayers… We truly give God all the glory for Chris being here,” Sandra says.
