"Hee Sook Lee, who founded the popular BCD Tofu House chain of restaurants, has died at the age of 61... Lee founded BCD Tofu House in LA’s Koreatown in 1996, growing the silken tofu stew restaurant into a 13-location chain across Southern California and even into Texas, New Jersey, and New York City... The restaurant’s 24/7 hours was the perfect landing spot for late night revelers and night owls looking for a hearty Korean meal for a reasonable price... Lee used soontubu, a dish that wasn’t particularly popular or highly regarded in Korea, as a staple that many non-Koreans came to associate with the cuisine... At the time of her Times profile in 2008, Lee said BCD was making $19 million a year and employed more than 300 people... Her restaurant’s business model was endlessly imitated by other restaurateurs in communities across the U.S.... At the moment, all of BCD’s restaurants have reopened for outdoor patio dining, in addition to continuing takeout and delivery service." - Matthew Kang
