Eric Chong Explained

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]

Notes and References

1. News: Wrobel . Maggie . It ain't easy being MasterChef Canada: How Eric Chong went from cooking homemade soufflés to being a $100,000 winner . 14 April 2020 . The Globe and Mail . 27 May 2014.
2. News: Van Paassen . Kevin . From MasterChef to Toronto restaurant owner: How Eric Chong's career went from 0 to 100 . 14 April 2020 . The Globe and Mail . 10 April 2015.
3. News: Wong . Tony . MasterChef Canada's Alvin Leung and Eric Chong open restaurant . 14 April 2020 . The Star . 18 November 2014.
4. News: Consider the Lobster Chow Mein Tonight . 14 April 2020 . Vice . 5 December 2016.
5. Demon at the Pass . MasterChef Canada . 8 May 2016 . 3 . 11.