 Chieu Le () initially worked as a cook in a food truck before purchasing one in 1981, from which he and his wife Yen () sold hamburgers, burritos, chow mein, and to office workers on lunch breaks.The following year, Chieu's brother Henry () purchased his own food truck, and the two began a mobile catering distribution business.They named it Lee Bros. Foodservice, Inc., anglicizing their surname to "Lee".