Buddha Lo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buddha Lo
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Lo in 2025
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| Born | 20 August 1991 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Chef |
| Known for | Top Chef: Houston Top Chef: World All-Stars |
| Spouse(s) |
Rebekah Pedler
(m. 2018) |
| Children | 2 |
Kah-wai Lo (born August 20, 1991), known as Buddha Lo, is an Australian chef. He is also a television personality. He is famous for winning the American TV show Top Chef two times in a row. He was the first person to ever win the show twice!
Contents
Early Life and Cooking Start
Buddha Lo was born in Australia. His dad was from Hong Kong and his mom was from Malaysia. He grew up in a town called Port Douglas. His family owned a Chinese restaurant there called the Jade Inn.
How He Got His Nickname
When he was a kid, he ate a lot of his dad's delicious food. He became a bit chubby, so people started calling him "Buddha." This nickname stuck with him!
Starting in the Kitchen
Buddha started helping out at his family's restaurant when he was just 12 years old. By age 14, he began a special cooking training program. He worked at a fancy five-star hotel and resort on his weekends. This helped him learn a lot about cooking from a young age.
Becoming a Professional Chef
After finishing high school, Buddha moved to Melbourne when he was 17. He got a job at a restaurant called Matteo's. He also went to a cooking school called the William Angliss Institute.
Learning in France
While at cooking school, Buddha won a special scholarship. This allowed him to train for two months in France. He worked at a fancy restaurant with two Michelin stars. This was a great chance to learn from top chefs.
Working Around the World
After his time in France, Buddha came back to Australia. He worked for a famous chef named Raymond Capaldi. By the time he was 19, Buddha became the head chef at Capaldi's restaurant, Hare & Grace.
Later, he moved to London and worked at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. This is a very famous restaurant! In 2014, he even won an award from Gordon Ramsay himself. After two years in London, Buddha traveled around Europe. He trained in kitchens in France, Sweden, and Copenhagen.
He then moved back to Melbourne. He was a guest chef at big events like the Melbourne Cup and the Australian Open. He also became an ambassador for popular brands like Lavazza coffee and Tabasco hot sauce.
Moving to New York City
Eventually, Buddha moved to New York City. He worked at a very well-known restaurant called Eleven Madison Park for a year. In 2019, he became the main chef at HŪSO. This was a small restaurant that focused on caviar, a special type of fish eggs. In 2025, Marky's Caviar and HŪSO moved to a new location in Tribeca.
Winning Top Chef
In 2022, Buddha Lo joined the TV show Top Chef: Houston. He had been a big fan of Top Chef since he was 15. He even had it on his "bucket list" to compete one day!
His Strategy for Winning
Before filming the show, Buddha watched eight past seasons of Top Chef. He took notes on what other chefs did wrong. He made a plan for how he would compete. His hard work paid off! He won the season and received a prize of $250,000.
Buddha dedicated his win to his dad, Tony Lo. His dad had passed away from cancer just two days before Buddha got the call to be on the show.
Becoming a Two-Time Champion
After winning Top Chef: Houston, Buddha was invited back to compete again. This time, it was for Top Chef: World All-Stars. This season brought together winners and finalists from Top Chef shows all over the world.
Buddha spent three months studying British cuisine before this new competition. He wanted to be ready for anything! He won again, earning another $250,000. This made him the first person ever to win Top Chef twice!
Family Life
Buddha Lo is married to Rebekah Pedler, who is also a pastry chef. They met while working together at the Hare & Grace restaurant. In June 2023, Rebekah announced they were expecting twins. Their daughters, Tatiana and Alina, were born in October 2023.
