Culture, cuisine combine to create Oxford's Chop Bento
Meet the owner and founder of Oxford’s newest Asian restaurant.
Eugene Lee, owner and operator of Chop Bento, worked alongside his wife and mother to create a new dining experience in Oxford, one that combines Japanese and Chinese cuisine and aesthetics.
When Lee was 16 years old, he began to learn how to cook. Soon, he found himself participating in competitions and getting experience and advice from professional chefs.
At 18, Lee served as a cook in the Taiwanese army before moving to Washington D.C. to attend language school.
“I had an opportunity to use English as a skill,” he said.
Through this, Lee has continued to believe he can help “other people understand what Chinese and Asian cuisine is.”
Eventually finding his way to Oxford, he soon found himself wanting to open his own restaurant.
Lee was drawn to the Oxford community from the first time he stepped foot in it.
“I feel like it’s so cool,” he said. “All of the environment, the community and the students are very active … it’s a safe space.”
The restaurant combines both Japanese and Chinese cultures to create an inclusive space for Asian culture and dining.
“I try to let a customer understand chop suey, Chop Bento and chop sticks,” he said. “To them, they think about Chinese cuisine.”
Each color, material and design of the restaurant’s interior was picked by Lee himself, such as the bamboo light fixtures that hang above tables, the bathroom tiles and the stone bricks above the entrance, accented by red paint to recreate a traditional Chinese housing aesthetic.
“I built everything by myself,” Lee added. “(This) includes the remodeling, the menu, the website.”
Lee noted that in Japanese cuisine, bento traditionally combines a variety of foods, such as rice, soup, vegetables and meat. This can be seen in the restaurant’s logo, which was also designed by Lee.
Lee hopes that every visitor will leave with a smile on their face, adding he “hope(s) that all of the community, residents in Oxford and college kids will like my food.”
Chop Bento, which opened in the middle of October, is located on 19 W. High St. and is open from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. On Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays, the restaurant is open until 9 p.m.
