Saad Toor, 26
chef
The perfect date: I think my perfect date would have to be at a restaurant where you just have great, intelligent conversation, some good wine, awesome food and good service, which is not hard to find here. We're kind of spoiled.
Something most people don't know about me: I studied law and political science at the University of Akron, and I worked at a law firm for almost five years before I grabbed life by the horns, turned it around and decided to follow my passion, which is cooking.
My passion: My career. Anything and everything food related.
My favorite ... sports team: I love the Cavs because I grew up in the LeBron era. When I was in high school, LeBron was No. 1 in the state and No. 2 was Grant Urbanski, who was our team captain at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School, where I attended. ... It's tough now to see where [the Cavs] are, but we'll always have those years. ... musician/band: My favorite group of all-time is Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. I have been listening to them since I was 5 or 6 years old, and I've seen them probably six or seven times in Cleveland throughout all the years. ... TV show: As stereotypical as it is, it's got to be Iron Chef. ... place in Cleveland: The East Ninth Street pier. ... book: Workin' More Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter.
... vacation destination: Kauai, Hawaii. It's one of the smaller islands in Hawaii, and it's not as developed as Honolulu or Big Island. It's much more down home, almost in a Cleveland fashion. Everyone's got that aloha spirit — the hospitality, the love, the care — the whole mentality of aloha, which is just hang loose, relax and chill out. ... way to exercise: Weightlifting. I run a lot, and I hit the diving board at least two times a week, but weightlifting, hands down. ... month: July, for two reasons. One, it's when my birthday is. Two, it's always beautiful. ... website: I have a routine of [visiting] cooking- and culinary-related websites. Any website where I can gain culinary inspiration. ... drink: Sierra Nevada Torpedo. India Pale Ale is the kind of beer that I really love, so Sierra Nevada Torpedo is kind of dangerous — it's an extra IPA, so you have one and you're done.
My usual hangout: My kitchen at home, or any kitchen, for that matter. ... It's where everybody congregates — it's where everybody comes to chill out and talk. And it's just where everybody can be at ease.
In high school I was ... best-dressed.
And now I am ... covered in fish guts.
My No. 1 dating rule: Just relax, be yourself and have fun.
My deal-breaker: I'm a pretty outgoing, agreeable dude, so I don't really have a deal-breaker, but if I did have one, it would be poor hygiene.
On a first date, I never ... allow my date to pay. I would never allow my date to pay period.
Biggest turn-on: Intelligence and confidence.
Biggest turnoff: Arrogance and narrow-mindedness.
Hidden talent: I'm amazing with cars, and no one really knows. I like to restore vehicles. I love working on German vehicles. It's a completely different beast than working on any other car — the way they're engineered and how complicated things are.
I own too many: You'd think that I'd own too many knives, but I only own, like, four. I don't own too many of anything.
My best feature: My generosity, which I get from my mother.
My bad habit: Is working too hard a bad habit?
My first kiss: My first kiss was forgettable, because I have zero recollection of it.
My guilty pleasure: Eating a really big meal and then going to sleep. I feel so guilty when I do that, because it's so bad for you, but it's the best thing in the world.
How my ex would describe me: As a catch.
How my best friend would describe me: One in a million.
Going out or staying in: I like to stay in toward the beginning of the night, and then I like to go out toward the lingering hours of the evening.
Morning person or night owl: I am both, which is crazy. It totally takes its toll, but as soon as I get up, I'm the definition of a morning person. ... But my work requires me to work through one or two o'clock in the morning some nights.
Early, late or right on time: Right on time.
Dogs or cats: I prefer dogs.
iPhone or Android: Android. I just love Android. It's just so fast. It knows me.
Dancing, yes or no: I'm not a dancing kind of person. ... But I will if I have to, especially at a wedding.
Twitter, yes or no: I'm more of a Facebook kind of person. I just feel as though Twitter is going to take a lot of time from me.
My longest relationship: About three years.
My biggest goal right now: To impact the hospitality industry in Cleveland so that it grows even further than what this past generation of industry people like Michael Symon and Jonathan Sawyer have done. That generation — they've paved the way.
Celebrity crush: Adriana Lima, before she got married.
Most unusual place I've met someone: I ran into one of my classmates from high school on vacation in Hawaii, thousands of miles away, at the same hotel, at the same pool, and we were doing the exact same thing, just laying out and getting breakfast.
My take on Cleveland's single scene: I think the single scene could be grown in a way, because it seems like every time I go out, all I see is couples.
What do you find sexy about yourself? The fact that I can cook cuisines from almost every continent in the world.
Why do you think you're single? I'm single because I don't put the time and effort needed into maintaining a relationship or I don't even put the time and effort into dating.
