Despite finishing dead last in the first challenge on American food reality show Top Chef Masters, Toronto culinary legend Susur Lee has at least one very influential fan in his corner: host Kelly Choi.
In her show blog, the New York City food journalist and creator of Eat Out NY gushed about our suave master chef, saying, "I was excited, for sure, not just because he has such a stellar reputation, but also because I had fallen in love with his cookbook, Susur: a Culinary Life, and, well, he’s just friggin’ hot (his wife is just as gorgeous)."
She goes on to describe chef Lee, 51, in very favourable terms, alluding to his passion for food, and his ease in front of the camera. Although he dropped the ball in the first challenge, according to Choi he picked up the pace in the second elimination challenge destroying the competition by serving roast chicken and farce curry, polenta and grits, tomato jam and chili mint chutney. His efforts garnered him a score of 19.5 stars, the highest in the show’s history, earning him a spot in the Champions Round.
Oh, and viewers also found out in the episode that Lee likes to cook in his socks.
"Being a chef is like a ninja. You have to be so fast and so quick. You have to be free. I feel like I’m the kung fu master," says Lee. It is too early in the competition to tell what Choi thinks of this development. Stay tuned.
