Eric Chong | |
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| Born | (1991-12-27) December 27, 1991 |
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Eric Chong (born December 27, 1991) is a Canadian chef, former engineer, and a restaurateur who was winner of the first season of MasterChef Canada, winning at age 21.
Career
He obtained a degree in chemical engineering from McMaster University and started working in the field, but quit when he heard the casting call for MasterChef Canada.[1] After winning the competition, he received an offer from Alvin Leung, one of the judges, to train with him and open a restaurant together.[2] Leung noted similarities between himself and Chong, such as their background in engineering and their families' initial disapproval of their choice of trade. They opened R&D in Toronto in 2015,[3] serving Asian fusion dishes such as lobster chow mein, inspired by his winning dish in the final round of MasterChef Canada.[4] Chong later made a cameo on MasterChef Canada season 3, where the two teams took over R&D's kitchen serving various alumni of the show and were judged on their performance.[5]
In 2025, Eric Chong's restaurant aKin in Toronto, Canada was awarded a prestigious Michelin Star.[6] Eric Chong also won the Michelin Young Chef award.
References
- ^ Wrobel, Maggie (27 May 2014). "It ain't easy being MasterChef Canada: How Eric Chong went from cooking homemade soufflés to being a $100,000 winner". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ Van Paassen, Kevin (10 April 2015). "From MasterChef to Toronto restaurant owner: How Eric Chong's career went from 0 to 100". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ Wong, Tony (18 November 2014). "MasterChef Canada's Alvin Leung and Eric Chong open restaurant". The Star. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ "Consider the Lobster Chow Mein Tonight". Vice. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ "Demon at the Pass". MasterChef Canada. Season 3. Episode 11. 8 May 2016.
- ^ https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/ontario/toronto/restaurant/akin-1212180
