Top Chef Season 20 Buddha Lo

Buddha Lo

HOMETOWN: Port Douglas, Australia
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Brooklyn, N.Y., USA
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef, Marky’s Caviar & Huso
LAST SEASON: Winner, “Top Chef Houston,” Season 19

The winner of “Top Chef” season 19 in Houston, Buddha Lo is the Executive Chef of Marky’s Caviar, Huso restaurant in New York City. Huso is a 14-seat dining restaurant that serves a tasting menu with caviar as the star of the show and high-quality produce paired together. Born and raised in Australia, Buddha started cooking at age 12 at his parents' restaurant. He was taught the fundamentals of cooking under his father who is a Hong Kong native. At age 17, he moved to Melbourne to work for some of the best chefs in Australia. After five years in Melbourne, he moved to London where he landed a job at the three-star Michelin restaurant Gordon Ramsay where he worked under Chef Clare Smyth and Chef Matt Abe. On his days off, he would stage at various restaurants, both locally and internationally, where he was exposed to different kitchens and cuisines in various countries including France, England, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong and the US. During his time in the states, he accepted his dream job at the three-star Michelin restaurant Eleven Madison Park in New York City. Buddha, his wife Rebekah and their pug Kroshka hopped on a one-way flight from Australia to New York and now live in Brooklyn.