Karen Cheung Lee

Karen Cheung Lee grew up in the San Gabriel Valley alongside her three sisters, raised in the community where her family built the local restaurant Sam Woo. In her early adulthood, she worked in the events and hospitality industry and helped launch the restaurant’s San Gabriel location. She later transitioned into a corporate career for ten years to focus on raising her two daughters. Now, as her father prepares for retirement, Karen has returned to the family business to learn its daily operations and carry the establishment’s legacy forward.

This episode covers Karen’s journey through the hospitality industry, her corporate career, and her eventual return to operations at Sam Woo. The conversation focuses on the realities of running a family-owned business, the personal sacrifices required to sustain a local brand, and the perspective shift that occurs after starting one’s own family. Karen also shares her current efforts to learn every facet of the restaurant’s management as she prepares to guide it into the future.

For viewers in the San Gabriel Valley, this episode offers an inside look at a restaurant that has been a community staple for decades. Karen’s audience will find value in her honest reflection on balancing corporate work, motherhood, and family expectations. Additionally, anyone searching for real-world insights on business transitions and legacy preservation will benefit from her practical breakdown of taking over a long-standing brand.

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