How chef Susur Lee and his son are taking over TikTok

Dear reader,

In this edition of Table Talk: chef Susur Lee and his son Jet Bent-Lee on their viral food challenge videos, what’s on the menu at the brand-new Financial District location of Alobar (including a baked potato unlike any other) and how one savvy shopper—and informative TikToker—saves up to $500 a month using coupons.

Seeing Iron Chef Susur Lee create edible poetry out of the world’s finest ingredients is so 2021. Wait until you see what he can do with a TV dinner! Over the past year, the culinary icon has become a TikTok star, transforming junk food into gourmet dishes in a series of viral videos. The project is a co-production with his youngest son, Jet Bent-Lee, who’s responsible for the reels (Susur’s still wrapping his head around the social media platform). They told us about the secret to their success.

You say potato, I say... *mic drop.* Alobar has opened a location downtown in the former Drake 150 space, serving a menu of “steak-ish-house” dishes, including this bonkers baked potato.

Kathleen Cassidy is the Hamilton branding exec behind Living on a Loonie, Instagram and TikTok accounts that school would-be savers in the practice of extreme couponing. She shared her hottest tips with us—including why it’s important to think outside the sausage casing.

After two years of takeout and home cooking, Toronto diners are keen to splurge on caviar, seafood towers and prime cuts of beef. And this is all happening at a time when chicken breasts are going for $23 a kilogram and we’re price-matching at supermarkets like it’s a bloodsport. The message, in short, is that if people choose to dine out, they’re going big. In our June issue, 20 restaurants where we’re more than happy to put our money where our mouths are. Still not receiving Toronto Life at home? Subscribe today.