Shirley Chung — a fan-favorite "Top Chef" competitor who tied for third place in season 11 and was the runner-up in season 14, known for her delicious food and permanently sunny disposition — has been diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer.
In an incredibly candid and vulnerable post shared on Instagram along with videos of her shaving her head alongside family and friends, Chung wrote: “Since last year December, I had a series of dental issues, I bit my tongue severely; I fractured my tooth and had to extract it and get an implant . . . we thought it was because I am a heavy teeth grinder. And I was too busy to see a EMT specialist."
Chung continues, writing "The end of May, ulcers erupted in my mouth and my oral surgeon discovered a hidden tumor under my tongue. A few days later, I was diagnosed, stage 4 tongue cancer, as cancer cells also spread into my lymph nodes.”
Chung added that, drawing on her experience as a chef for so many years, she was very calm because she is used to thriving under pressure. After hearing the news, was "extremely focused on getting all the tests and scans as fast as possible." However, her doctor informed her that the top recommended option for someone with her prognosis was the complete removal of her tongue. Chung wrote that she broke down crying, "trying to put thoughts together and ask questions but physically couldn't."
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She credits her husband with informing her of a "unicorn case" at the University of Chicago, where a patient — who also happened to be a chef — was cured with radiation and chemo, leaving the tongue intact. "Higher survival rate, or keep my tongue? I chose to keep my tongue," Chung wrote. "I am a fighter, I am a chef, I can be unicorn too."
According to Chung, she has been doing chemo for six week (with "many more to go"), adding that, "my tumor is shrinking, my speech is much better and I can eat most normal food now."
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"I am learning to lean on others, to let go, to be more vulnerable," she continued. "It took me 2 weeks of contemplating to decide to tell my parents about my cancer, only my close circle of friends and my sister have known until now. I am learning, I can be strong 98% of the time, it’s ok to be not ok."
In addition to the seasons in which she competed, Chung also appeared on "Top Chef: Amateurs" and "Top Chef: Family Style."
As Lauren Huff at EW reports, "The news of Chung's diagnosis coincides with the news that she is shutting down her Los Angeles restaurant, Ms. Chi Cafe, to focus on her recovery. The restaurant will continue operations through Sunday, August 4."
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