or
@(Html.Kendo().DropDownList() .Name("color") .DataTextField("Text") .DataValueField("Value") .BindTo(new List<SelectListItem>() { new SelectListItem() { Text = "Black", Value = "1" }, new SelectListItem() { Text = "Orange", Value = "2" }, new SelectListItem() { Text = "Grey", Value = "3" } }) .Value("1") )