Grace Lee on dating and love: ‘Maybe next year better luck to me’

Rhea Manila Santos

<img src='' alt='092616-GraceLee_PUSH.jpg' width='400' height='290' align='left' border='0'>At the opening of her newest restaurant, TV host Grace Lee said food will always be one of her biggest passions. 'I love cooking and I love eating so I love food. Aside from the fact that I’ve always wanted to share food, I also wanted to share Korean culture through food with the Filipino people. This was a natural business venture for me. I have about four restaurant concepts now, six restaurants operating and among all of them Kko Kko is my baby. So it will always be very dear to me,” she shared during the Kko Kko restaurant grand opening held last September 23 in Ortigas center in Pasig.Even though she already has several business ventures, Grace said she will never say goodbye to hosting and showbiz. 'Well it’s not that difficult because with media naman my time is allotted a specific number of hours in a day and that is already dedicated to my front of the camera work. So anything after that, you have to kind of sacrifice lang fun times and hanging out with friends. Because the restaurant business is a full time job and it’s a difficult business. This is a very meticulous business that requires a lot of your time. I think it works best when you’re passionate about what you do. I love the work I do in front of the camera as much as my work behind the camera which is my restaurant business. It’s definitely complimentary,” she explained.Even her circle of friends in showbiz are fans of her food. “Shalani (Soledad-Romulo) is a big fan. Mariel (Rodriguez) is also a big fan of our chicken, mommy Tintin (Bersola) actually just interviewed me for her show and she loves our food and her whole family loved our food as well. We get a lot of big fans. Like si Luis Manzano is a big fan of my mom’s kimchi so that’s great. Fortunately everyone who’s tried our food loves it so I’m very proud of Kko Kko,” she admitted.With one of her closest friends Rufa Mae Quinto expecting her first child, Grace couldn’t be any happier for her. “Si Peachy we still see each other on a regular basis and she loves our food. I’m just so happy for her. I just actually recently met the fiance for the first time and you know the he is the nicest guy. Super down-to-earth, very handsome and young but very nice. A true gentleman. So I’m so happy for Peachy. I’m so happy that she’s actually met a guy who loves her, who lives to be with her. A decent man. And that’s all I could ask for any of my friends. Sabi ko nga eh, ‘Sa group namin na si Rufa Mae, me, Mariel, Shalani, and Camille (Villar). At one point we were all single and babyless. Now, I’m the only one who’s single and babyless (laughs). Saby ko, ‘Oh my God, the clock is ticking.’ Their life has changed drastically. Mariel is about to give birth and I’m so happy for her. She’s such a beautiful, glowing, pregnant woman. They just wish that I would settle down also. So we’ll see. Sabi ko nga, ‘God pakita mo na siya sa akin (laughs). Where is he?’” she said. The pretty restaurateur said she is focusing on work this year. 'No I’m not dating anyone. I get introduced but right now I’m not being cliche or showbiz about it but I’m really not dating anybody. And i don’t want to for this year. This year I think I’m just going to concentrate on my work. There are a lot of things happening and I’m keeping myself busy so I think it’s a good breather also to not have to commit yourself into a relationship because that’s a lot of work as well. So maybe next year better luck to me,” she shared.After her last relationship with ex-president Noynoy Aquino, Grace said she would rather not date anyone from politics. But she is not biased against dating Koreans or Pinoys now either. 'No it doesn’t matter. You know my exes (laughs). My parents are very open-minded and we’ve lived in the Philippines for so long. Hindi na uso sa pamilya namin yung racial bias. I actually never dated anybody from showbiz. You know I think the best would be for me to date somebody who is from my industry and also no politics (laughs). Lahat naman ng babae iisa lang ang gusto eh, a guy who can make you happy, who loves you. As much as my in front of the camera life may not be very simple, I want my private life to be simple,” she added.

With one of her closest friends Rufa Mae Quinto expecting her first child, Grace couldn’t be any happier for her. “Si Peachy we still see each other on a regular basis and she loves our food. I’m just so happy for her. I just actually recently met the fiance for the first time and you know the he is the nicest guy. Super down-to-earth, very handsome and young but very nice. A true gentleman. So I’m so happy for Peachy. I’m so happy that she’s actually met a guy who loves her, who lives to be with her. A decent man. And that’s all I could ask for any of my friends. Sabi ko nga eh, ‘Sa group namin na si Rufa Mae, me, Mariel, Shalani, and Camille (Villar). At one point we were all single and babyless. Now, I’m the only one who’s single and babyless (laughs). Saby ko, ‘Oh my God, the clock is ticking.’ Their life has changed drastically. Mariel is about to give birth and I’m so happy for her. She’s such a beautiful, glowing, pregnant woman. They just wish that I would settle down also. So we’ll see. Sabi ko nga, ‘God pakita mo na siya sa akin (laughs). Where is he?’” she said. The pretty restaurateur said she is focusing on work this year. 'No I’m not dating anyone. I get introduced but right now I’m not being cliche or showbiz about it but I’m really not dating anybody. And i don’t want to for this year. This year I think I’m just going to concentrate on my work. There are a lot of things happening and I’m keeping myself busy so I think it’s a good breather also to not have to commit yourself into a relationship because that’s a lot of work as well. So maybe next year better luck to me,” she shared.After her last relationship with ex-president Noynoy Aquino, Grace said she would rather not date anyone from politics. But she is not biased against dating Koreans or Pinoys now either. 'No it doesn’t matter. You know my exes (laughs). My parents are very open-minded and we’ve lived in the Philippines for so long. Hindi na uso sa pamilya namin yung racial bias. I actually never dated anybody from showbiz. You know I think the best would be for me to date somebody who is from my industry and also no politics (laughs). Lahat naman ng babae iisa lang ang gusto eh, a guy who can make you happy, who loves you. As much as my in front of the camera life may not be very simple, I want my private life to be simple,” she added.

<img src='' alt='092616-GraceLee_PUSH.jpg' width='400' height='290' align='left' border='0'>At the opening of her newest restaurant, TV host Grace Lee said food will always be one of her biggest passions. 'I love cooking and I love eating so I love food. Aside from the fact that I’ve always wanted to share food, I also wanted to share Korean culture through food with the Filipino people. This was a natural business venture for me. I have about four restaurant concepts now, six restaurants operating and among all of them Kko Kko is my baby. So it will always be very dear to me,” she shared during the Kko Kko restaurant grand opening held last September 23 in Ortigas center in Pasig.Even though she already has several business ventures, Grace said she will never say goodbye to hosting and showbiz. 'Well it’s not that difficult because with media naman my time is allotted a specific number of hours in a day and that is already dedicated to my front of the camera work. So anything after that, you have to kind of sacrifice lang fun times and hanging out with friends. Because the restaurant business is a full time job and it’s a difficult business. This is a very meticulous business that requires a lot of your time. I think it works best when you’re passionate about what you do. I love the work I do in front of the camera as much as my work behind the camera which is my restaurant business. It’s definitely complimentary,” she explained.Even her circle of friends in showbiz are fans of her food. “Shalani (Soledad-Romulo) is a big fan. Mariel (Rodriguez) is also a big fan of our chicken, mommy Tintin (Bersola) actually just interviewed me for her show and she loves our food and her whole family loved our food as well. We get a lot of big fans. Like si Luis Manzano is a big fan of my mom’s kimchi so that’s great. Fortunately everyone who’s tried our food loves it so I’m very proud of Kko Kko,” she admitted.

Grace Lee talks about her new ‘baby’ and relationships.

Grace Lee on dating and love: ‘Maybe next year better luck to me’ | PUSH.COM.PH