Chef Alvin Leung opens The Leo, his first pan-Asian steakhouse, in Markham this September

Alvin Leung, the self-proclaimed "Demon Chef" behind Hong Kong's two-Michelin-starred Bo Innovation and a familiar face from judging MasterChef Canada, is opening his first pan-Asian steakhouse in Markham this September.

The Leo, located at 162 Enterprise Boulevard, will be a 68-seat restaurant with an eight-seat bar and patios on both the ground and second levels. Leung grew up in Scarborough before opening restaurants across Hong Kong and Dubai, and he already operates two other Toronto-area restaurants: R&D and aKin.

"Canada is where I still feel at home," Leung said. "So opening the Leo gives me a chance to come here more. With two other relatively successful restaurants in Toronto, I feel there's room for another one. I think Markham is an up-and-coming place. It's an area where I have a good fan base—not only Chinese but Southeast Asians as well—so I feel it's where I have people who like my food."

The Leo won't be a traditional steakhouse. Beyond premium cuts like Canadian Prime and Australian Wagyu beef and classic chophouse fare like crab cakes and steak tartare, the menu leans heavily into Leung's signature East and Southeast Asian flavours, particularly seafood. Whole fish and premium seafood will be prepared in Singaporean chili, white pepper, laksa, and Vietnamese beer batter styles, served with fried buns or roti to soak up the sauces.

Diners can order à la carte or choose a tasting menu starting at $120. The tasting menu offers a three-course format with a choice of appetizer, steak or seafood, and dessert. Tasting menus will be available for one, two, four, or six people, inspired by the per-person option at Leung's Michelin-recommended Café Bau in Hong Kong.

The beef receives special treatment through water-aging, a technique seen mostly in Korea that gently massages the meat as it ages and is said to enhance umami without the strong or funky notes of traditional dry-aging. "This is my first chophouse, and I'm excited because it's about meat and seafood," Leung said. "It's something that's very popular everywhere in the world, so hopefully it will satisfy the audience in Markham and Toronto."