Susur Lee

Hailed by Zagat as “a culinary genius,” Susur Lee has emerged from his humble beginnings as a 15-year-old apprentice in Hong Kong to become a worldwide leader in Asian fusion cuisine, blending traditional Chinese dishes with classical French techniques. In 1987, Lee opened the doors to his 12-table Lotus restaurant in Toronto, earning rave reviews from The New York Times, Art Culinaire, Gourmet, and Food & Winemagazine. Lotus ran successfully for a decade before Lee decamped for a "re-energizing" period to Singapore, where he served as head chef and consultant. Returning home to open Susur in 2000, Lee has since launched restaurants in Manhattan (Shang), Washington D.C.Read More

Hailed by Zagat as “a culinary genius,” Susur Lee has emerged from his humble beginnings as a 15-year-old apprentice in Hong Kong to become a worldwide leader in Asian fusion cuisine, blending traditional Chinese dishes with classical French techniques. In 1987, Lee opened the doors to his 12-table Lotus restaurant in Toronto, earning rave reviews from The New York Times, Art Culinaire, Gourmet, and Food & Wine magazine. Lotus ran successfully for a decade before Lee decamped for a "re-energizing" period to Singapore, where he served as head chef and consultant. Returning home to open Susur in 2000, Lee has since launched restaurants in Manhattan (Shang), Washington D.C. (Zentan), and a second restaurant, Lee, in Toronto. Lee is a sought-after guest chef across the globe, and has been featured on numerous media outlets. A noted philanthropist, he contributes regularly to the James Beard Foundation, cancer research at Spinizolla in Boston and the Null Foundation, which provides scholarships for underprivileged students to attend culinary school.

Competing for: Andre Agassi Foundation for Education