Bravo’s Emmy and James Beard Award-winning “Top Chef” crowned Brooklyn, N.Y., resident Buddha Lo the winner of Season 19.“Growing up in Australia, I dreamed about winning ‘Top Chef,’” Lo said. “I went on this competition to showcase to the world what I can do. This win was not only for me, but was for my late father, an incredible chef who taught me how to cook.”
“Top Chef” is produced by the Emmy Award-winning production company Magical Elves with Casey Kriley, Jo Sharon, Doneen Arquines, Hillary Olsen and Gaylen Gawlowski serving as executive producers. The winner of the “Top Chef Fan Favorite” will be announced on “Watch What Happens Live” on Sunday, 5 June at 9p.m. The two finalists in the running are Damarr Brown and Evelyn Garcia with the winner to receive $10,000, furnished by S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water.
Lo was awarded the coveted title of “Top Chef,” along with $250,000 furnished by S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, a feature in FOOD & WINE magazine and an appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. “Top Chef” Season 19 took place in Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city, before moving to Tucson, Ariz., for the two-part finale. During Lo's run on “Top Chef,” he won two Quickfires, four Elimination Challenges and the ultimate challenge to be named this season’s winner. Some of his memorable dishes throughout the season include the Doppelgänger challenge where he made his rendition of “Strawberries and Cream,” “Marry Me Pasta” Amatriciana for the family challenge, his parker rolls and ham butter for Restaurant Wars, and his space-themed pavlova appropriately called “Apavlova 14.”
In the finale, Lo, Evelyn Garcia and Sarah Welch face judges Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons; guest judges Stephanie Izard and Eric Ripert with their dishes, as well as special guest diners that included Food & Wine Editor-in-Chief Hunter Lewis, Gregory Gourdet, Edward Lee, Bricia Lopez, Alexander Smalls and Janos Wilder. In the end, Lo wowed the judges with his four-course progressive menu and ultimately was crowned with the highly lauded title of “Top Chef.” Lakshmi remarked that Lo “showed us a dazzling firework display of technical skill and really took us on a journey.”
Lo is the Executive Chef at Huso, the Michelin-plate restaurant inside Marky’s Caviar in New York City serving an eight-course tasting menu. He learned the foundations of flavor and the rules of the kitchen at a very young age by working for his father at his family's Chinese restaurant in Port Douglas, Australia. At age 14, he pursued his career by working at a five-star resort on the weekends. After culinary school, Lo moved to London to work at the three Michelin-starred restaurant Gordon Ramsay, where he met his mentor, Clare Smyth. He then moved to New York City and spent a year at three Michelin-starred restaurant Eleven Madison Park where he learned to push himself in the world of fine dining. Not to be misled by his formal training, Lo is obsessed with everything to do with food and cooking whether it’s eating street food or working at the best restaurant in the world. Lo and his wife, Rebekah, met in the kitchen in Melbourne and have been together for 10 years. She is currently the pastry sous at Eleven Madison Park.