Well, it’s finally happened. After, years of rumours, Susur Lee is going to New York. To Manhattan’s Lower East Side, to be precise, where he will be opening a new restaurant in a swish new boutique hotel from the renowned Thompson Group of swish new boutique hotel fame. “My kids are older now,” explains Susur. “They can fly down to see me on their own if they want.” Susur himself will be dividing his time between here and there, becoming something of a fixture with Porter, the ultra-comfy, super-convenient airline that flies out of the Toronto Island airport. He has not yet decided on a name for the new restaurant, which is scheduled to open for New York’s fashion week in September. And though he will be personally running the new place and cooking there, he intends to keep Lee going here in Toronto. Susur, next door, will close on May 31 and the great chef doesn’t yet know what he will do with the property. Meanwhile, we have an opportunity to bid farewell. From April 8 to 19, the menu will focus on white asparagus and “a wild seafood catch.” After that, the card will feature favourite and signature dishes from years gone by. It’s a good opportunity to stock up on Susur experiences, to be cherished and brought out for comparison the next time you’re in New York and find your way to the new restaurant. “A chef has to do new things, have new adventures,” says our Susur. He’s right. But I hope he comes back again some day.
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After receiving Employment Standards Act Complaints from former ill-treated staff workers at his restaurants, I hope Susar will not take his bullying style of restaurant management to New York. If he doesn’t change his management policies and procedures, I say “good riddance”. A better example of a Chef that treats people with respect is Lynn Crawford.
January 26, 2009 at 9:30 am | by porgiamorthanks for your 2bits porgiamor, but there are lots of ways to manage and even more ways to be mediocre.
susur has consistently put toronto cuisine on the international map and how he gets there is up to him. you can kill with kindness and that’s not going to make the food a work of art that our fair susur has managed to create for the past umpteen years.
every time i have had the opportunity to meet susur he has always been friendly, unpretentious, and sincere. i hope he continues to represent down in nyc. atb
January 26, 2009 at 9:31 am | by 15secondsdotTVAny chance this is an April Fool’s? Please?
January 26, 2009 at 9:31 am | by thegreatbarcia