Mississauga chef reflects on Guinness World Record and hometown pride
Published June 8, 2023 at 1:49 pm
Mississauga chef, social media star and entrepreneur Wallace Wong recently earned a Guinness World Record but he hasn’t forgotten his roots.
Wong, known as the SixPackChef (as he is also a competitive bodybuilder) on TikTok, has 1.8 million followers on the popular app and he had the second most viewed video on TikTok in all of Canada.
He has worked at some of the most respected restaurants in the world including Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ontario, NOMA in Denmark, Alinea in Chicago, and opening Momofuku Shoto under David Chang in Toronto.
He has also appeared on and won several reality shows including Fridge Wars (winner), Top Chef Canada (finalist), Chopped Canada (winner), and Bake it Possible (top 10 finalist).
And about one year ago, he co-founded SPATULA, a meal kit company based in Toronto.
But before all that, Wong grew up in the Mavis Road and Eglinton Avenue area of Mississauga and attended St. Francis Xavier High School, he tells insauga.com.
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He never dreamed he would become a famous chef.
“Funny enough, becoming a chef was never top of mind, it just happened. I always say… if I could choose a career, I would have loved to become a professional basketball player,” Wong says. “That’s definitely always been a dream of mine.”
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During his last year of high school, Wong was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma in his eye. He went through six months of intense chemotherapy and radiation and has been in remission ever since.
But he has said the cancer was a life-changing experience pushing him to take chances. He realized that life is finite and you have to do what makes you happy.
“I wouldn’t be the person I am if I didn’t go through that,” Wong told Gent’s Talk podcast. “It changed everything about who I am, how I see life, the things I care about.”
Although he spends a lot of time travelling for work, Wong is still based in Mississauga with his family.
“It’s crazy to witness the city’s growth over the years, I am a proud Mississauga resident,” he says.
On one of his recent travels, he got the Guinness World Record for the most cucumbers sliced (166) while blindfolded in 30 seconds.
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He was invited to attempt the feat on the Italian TV show Lo Show Dei Record and successfully set a brand new Guinness World Record on Feb. 6 this year.
“I never thought I’d be a Guinness World Record holder,” Wong tells insauga.com. “I’m having a bit of a ‘pinch me’ moment. It’s surreal because everyone around the world knows what a Guinness World Record is and the hard work it entails. It’s a really incredible feeling and achievement. Being the only one in the world to do something is pretty incredible. It still blows my mind to say it out loud!”
These days, Wong is focused on SPATULA, which he co-founded with friends Shela Kwong and Ian Weng just over a year ago. Wong says he knew Kwong for over a decade as they went to Chinese school together growing up.
The first dish Wong created for SPATULA is also his favourite, Truffled Wild Mushroom Risotto.
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The team just launched a new initiative, Powered by SPATULA, which is a collaboration with Toronto restaurants – Casa Manila, Hong Shing, Northern Heat Rib Series, and GIA, recently featured in the Michelin Guide.
SPATULA works with each restaurant partner to personalize a meal kit program including packing, packaging, flash-freezing, storage and delivery of their meals.
“With extensive relationships in the industry, we saw a need and opportunity to support local restaurant chefs and owners,” says Wong.
Foodies can also enjoy meals from their favourite restaurants in the comfort of their own home.
Up next, Wong says he would love to see SPATULA become a national and North American brand.
He is also very focused on SixPackChef and growing his brand as a content creator. He has been working on building his YouTube channel and blog.
“Since leaving the restaurant game, social media and the opportunities that have come from it are now ‘my restaurant’ where my content is my dishes and each one tells a different story,” Wong says.
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