Susur Lee facts for kids

Susur Lee (Chinese: 李國緯; born in December 1958) is a super famous Chinese-Canadian chef. He lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. You might know him from Iron Chef Canada, where he was a lead chef. He also has four restaurants and shares cooking videos on YouTube and TikTok.

Early Life and Cooking Start

Susur Lee was born in Hong Kong. He was the youngest of six children in his family. He started learning to cook at a very young age. His first cooking job was at the famous Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong. There, he learned many important cooking skills.

Susur Lee's Amazing Career

Susur Lee worked hard to become an important chef. He eventually became an "executive chef," which means he was in charge of the whole kitchen. He then started his own restaurants. His cooking style is called fusion cuisine. This means he mixes different food traditions and flavors together.

Famous Dishes and TV Shows

One of his most famous dishes is "Singapore Slaw." It's his special version of a salad called Lo Hei. People traditionally eat this salad during the Lunar New Year.

Susur Lee has been on many TV cooking shows. He was a finalist on the Bravo TV show Top Chef: Masters. He tied for second place in that competition. He was also the second Canadian chef to appear on the Food Network's Iron Chef America.

Restaurants and Business

Susur Lee opened his first restaurant, Lotus, in Toronto in 1987. Over the years, he has owned and managed many popular restaurants. These restaurants have been in Canada, the United States, and Singapore. Today, he runs the Susur Lee Restaurant Group.

Awards and Recognition

Susur Lee has won many important awards for his cooking. He received the CAA Five Diamond Award. He was also named one of the "World's Best Chefs" by the American Academy of Hospitality Services. Food & Wine magazine even called him one of the "Ten Chefs of the Millennium." In 2017, he received "Canada's Best 100 Lifetime Achievement Award." He was also honored as one of the top Canadian immigrants in 2015.

Susur Lee's Family Life

Susur Lee met his first wife, Marilou Covey, while working at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong. They moved to Canada in 1978 and got married that same year. Sadly, Marilou passed away in 1983.

In 1991, Susur married Brenda Bent. They have three children together: Kai, Levi, and Jet.

Where to Find His Food Now

Susur Lee still owns and runs several restaurants today:

• Lee, in Toronto (opened in 2004)
• Tung Lok Heen, in Singapore (opened in 2010)
• Lee Kitchen, at Toronto Pearson International Airport (opened in 2015)

He also had a restaurant called Kid Lee in Toronto from 2018 to 2020.

TV Shows and Appearances

Susur Lee has appeared on many popular cooking shows. He often shares his cooking knowledge as a judge or a guest chef.

• Iron Chef Canada - Iron Chef
• Chopped Canada - Guest Judge
• Top Chef Canada - Guest Judge
• Top Chef - Guest Judge
• Top Chef Masters - Finalist
• Iron Chef America - Competed against Chef Bobby Flay
• Simply Ming - Guest Chef
• MasterChef Asia - Judge
• Wall of Chefs - Judge

See also

In Spanish: Susur Lee para niños