Susur Lee

The Climb

Lee began at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong as an apprentice/commis, an early post that suggests the rigor and hierarchy of classical hotel kitchens, where precision and repetition shape a cook before flair ever has its say. He then moved to Toronto, working as a cook at The Westbury Hotel in Toronto before stepping into a run of chef and executive chef roles that helped define his ascent: Le Connaisseur in Toronto, Le Trou Normand in Toronto, Peter Pan in Toronto, and Lela in Toronto. Each stop marked a widening command of the kitchen, a deepening confidence in the foods and ideas he would eventually make his own. His first listed public appearance as guest chef came at La Bastille in Toronto (1987), and from there he entered a more expansive phase. He opened Lotus in Toronto (1987–1997) as owner and chef, a decade-long run that signaled both entrepreneurial drive and the ability to sustain a distinct point of view over time. During that period, he also worked as chef at Oceans (from 1990), and in 1997 took on consulting chef roles at Hemispheres in Toronto and Ritz-Carlton in Singapore (1997), extending his reach while keeping one foot in the consulting world and another in the heat of the line. The next years carried him into further ownership and reinvention: Prague Fine Food Emporium in Toronto (1998), then Susur in Toronto (2000–2008), where he became chef in 2000 and cemented a signature era, followed by Madeline's in Toronto (2008–2010). His work then widened beyond Toronto entirely. He served as owner and chef at Shang in New York (2008–2011), owner and chef at Zentan at the Donovan House in Washington, D.C. (2009–2013), owner and chef at Bent in Toronto (2012–2017), owner and chef at Luckee in Toronto (2014–2018), co-owner at Fring's in Toronto (2015–2018), and owner and chef at Kid Lee in Toronto (2018–2020). Today, he is owner and chef of Lee (since 2004), owner and chef of Tung Lok Heen (since 2010), owner and chef of Lee Kitchen (since 2015), owner and manager of Susur Lee Restaurant Group, and Iron Chef of Iron Chef Canada.

Today

Lee is known for Asian fusion cuisine and the Signature Singaporean Slaw. The through-line is elegant in its simplicity: Hong Kong training, Toronto kitchens, international posts, and a specialty that became instantly associated with his name. Asian fusion cuisine, in Lee’s hands, is less a slogan than a working vocabulary—one that allows ingredients, techniques, and memories to meet at the same table without losing their edge.

Signature

Susur's signature dishes include Signature Singaporean Slaw.

In Their Words “I need that one great idea, be it from ingredients to a dish, and I enjoy making my rendition of dishes that I see overseas when I am back in my kitchen at home.” “I enjoy making my rendition of dishes that I see overseas when I am back in my kitchen at home.” Taken together, the remarks reveal a chef drawn to translation rather than imitation: the spark of an idea, the memory of something encountered elsewhere, and the satisfaction of reimagining it on familiar ground. That sensibility helps explain the breadth of Lee’s career, which has always seemed to favor motion over stasis and interpretation over repetition.

Recognition

Susur's honors include Canada's Best 100 Lifetime Achievement Award, Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards, CAA Five Diamond Award, 5 Diamond Award, and Ten Chefs of the Millennium.