Eric Chong facts for kids

Eric Chong was born on December 27, 1991. He is a Canadian chef and a restaurant owner. He won the very first season of the TV show MasterChef Canada when he was 21 years old. Before becoming a chef, he was an engineer.

Becoming a Chef

Eric Chong studied chemical engineering at McMaster University. He worked as an engineer for a while. However, he decided to follow his passion for cooking. He heard about the tryouts for MasterChef Canada and decided to join.

After winning the cooking competition, one of the judges, Alvin Leung, offered him a chance. Alvin Leung wanted to train Eric and open a restaurant with him. They both had a background in engineering. Their families also did not at first approve of them becoming chefs.

Opening R&D Restaurant

In 2015, Eric Chong and Alvin Leung opened a restaurant called R&D in Toronto. They serve Asian fusion dishes there. This means they mix different Asian cooking styles. One of their famous dishes is lobster chow mein. Eric's winning dish from MasterChef Canada inspired this meal.

Eric Chong later appeared on MasterChef Canada season 3. During this episode, two teams of contestants cooked in the R&D kitchen. They served former contestants from the show. Their cooking skills were then judged.