Jet Tila shares his childhood in the first Thai market in the US in LA, Tournament of Champions experience, and the stories behind his many tattoos. This week on Food Network Obsessed, host Jaymee Sire sits down with Jet Tila to talk about their brief time as floor reporters on the Iron Chef franchise and the time he avoided an awkward encounter with Jaymee. They dive into the unique challenges of Tournament of Champions and why it’s the show Jet wants to win the most. He talks about his favorite Food Network memories (and people) and the chef’s tattoo that almost was (but that he ultimately didn’t get). Jet dives into his childhood growing up in the first Thai restaurants and markets in Los Angeles, the staple ingredients he always grabs at an Asian supermarket, and what it means to him to represent and elevate Asian cuisine in the food world.
Jet Tila shares his childhood in the first Thai market in the US in LA, Tournament of Champions experience, and the stories behind his many tattoos. This week on Food Network Obsessed, host Jaymee Sire sits down with Jet Tila to talk about their brief time as floor reporters on the Iron Chef franchise and the time he avoided an awkward encounter with Jaymee. They dive into the unique challenges of Tournament of Champions and why it’s the show Jet wants to win the most. He talks about his favorite Food Network memories (and people) and the chef’s tattoo that almost was (but that he ultimately didn’t get). Jet dives into his childhood growing up in the first Thai restaurants and markets in Los Angeles, the staple ingredients he always grabs at an Asian supermarket, and what it means to him to represent and elevate Asian cuisine in the food world.
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Find episode transcript here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/jet-tila-on-his-questionable-tattoos-asian-representation-in-food-culture
[MUSIC PLAYING] JAYMEE SIRE: Happy Friday, and welcome to Food Network Obsessed, the podcast where we dish on all things Food Network with your favorite Food Network stars. I'm your host Jaymee Sire. And today we have Jet Tila on the pod. And I was super excited to have him on because we sort of have an interesting history with both of us being former floor reporters for the Iron Chef franchise.
But he actually surprised me with an even funnier moment that I was totally not aware of until this interview. So I'm excited for you guys to hear it. Also during our chat, Jet shares some fun Food Network memories, including the story behind his matching tattoos with Alton Brown-- yes, you heard me correctly. We also talk about Jet's family opening the first Thai markets and restaurants in Los Angeles all the way back in the 70s.
So he shares some of those memories growing up around food 24/7 and how it really had an impact on him becoming a chef. Of course, we talk about the latest season of Tournament of Champions, but we actually recorded this interview with Jet a couple of months ago before the new season premiered.
So we didn't have a chance to talk about that crazy tie that happened between him and Antonia at the end of the season. But hey, I guess that just means we'll have to ask Jet back for a part two. So let's get to it, shall we? He is a culinary anthropologist and entrepreneur with appearances on your favorite shows like TOC, Chopped All-Stars, Cutthroat Kitchen, Beat Bobby Flay, and Guy's Grocery Games. I am talking about none other than Jet Tila.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Jet, welcome to the pod. How are you doing today?
JET TILA: What's happening, Jaymee? It's finally nice to get to chat, right?
JAYMEE SIRE: Yes.
JET TILA: We've never had an extended opportunity to really kind of get acquainted.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah, I agree. In fact, the only time I've met you in person, we were just standing next to each other at a big Today Show, Thanksgiving special. It was super fun for me because it was my first time being on the Today Show. You were repping California. I was repping Montana. They had people from all 50 states, and we were standing there talking about our dishes. And you revealed to me-- I hope I'm not outing you because this was actually a very positive interaction that I had. But you--
JET TILA: Oh, man--
JAYMEE SIRE: Told me that you cooked your Thanksgiving dish for the show in your hotel room in a microwave via instant car delivery at 3:00 in the morning.
JET TILA: Oh, man. Jaymee, the first time we're hanging out and you're going right for it, which is a good thing by the way. I think it's important for people to understand how things happen behind the scenes. So, yes, you're correct. My dish was wild rice dressing, and something happened where my associate and friend in New York didn't get it ready for me. So I get off the plane, I get to the retail, and I Instacart a bunch of wild rice dressings and some accouterments.
I throw it all together in the microwave, and I bring it to the Today Show. And that's right. You're exactly right. That's how I got that done that time.
JAYMEE SIRE: I think we need to out the friend who didn't have the dish. No, I'm just kidding. I would never do that. I would never do that.
JET TILA: Her name is Jaymee Sire. That's her name.
JAYMEE SIRE: That's the friend.
JET TILA: That's the friend.
JAYMEE SIRE: Meanwhile, I special ordered in huckleberries because I thought that I wanted to be very authentic to Montana, and huckleberries remind me of Montana. And huckleberries are not cheap, by the way. And as it turns out, this dish that-- I think I had to bring in two of them, and both of them just sat out. And I don't think they took close ups. There was just a lot of waving and smiling, and I didn't realize that. So I was trying to go the extra mile, which was not necessary in that situation.
JET TILA: You did it right. You just did it for the wrong episode. Do you know what I mean?
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah.
JET TILA: You did perfect because the dish was pristine, and it was ready to eat, and it was like everything you wanted. And then you're like, oh, 50 chefs, 50 dishes, like you saw. Yeah. It was one of those giant camera shots. I just kind of jibbed all the way through, and we just waved and that was it. So next time--
JAYMEE SIRE: Next time--
JET TILA: Do it exactly the same way because that's the way it should be.
JAYMEE SIRE: Hopefully, next time I will actually be demoing the dish and not just the wave and smile and all that. But we did have a chance to interact a little bit during that two hours of just standing out in the cold. For anybody that doesn't know, we actually have something in common that is unique only to us. So would you like to share with our listeners what that is?
JET TILA: I'm going to guess that you are speaking of Iron Chef America and floor reporting.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yes.
JET TILA: Is that right?
JAYMEE SIRE: That is correct. We are the-- obviously, Kevin was there for a very long time before us, before the reboots. But you and I are the only ones that have been the floor reporter for exactly one season. Just one season.
JET TILA: So how do we read into that, Jaymee? I think we need to go deeper.
JAYMEE SIRE: I don't know.
JET TILA: Right?
JAYMEE SIRE: I don't know.
JET TILA: What does that mean about us when Kevin had like 15 seasons and we each get one season? So hmm.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah. Hmm.
JET TILA: All right.
JAYMEE SIRE: I know.
JET TILA: Yeah. If I really do it too much I'll just get depressed. You know what? May I share a story?
JAYMEE SIRE: Please, please.
JET TILA: OK. Because the Today Show was the first time we actually met.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yes.
JET TILA: We potentially could have met before. So I'm just going to tell you a story about my Jaymee Sire story because this is what I--
JAYMEE SIRE: OK. I love it. I love it.
JET TILA: I'm judging Beat Bobby Flay. All right? And the next EP after me was supposed to be another duo. One of them couldn't make it. It was some emergency came up and they were like, we're going to call in Jaymee Sire. So I was like, oh, no, I've never met her, Bobby.
And I did the Iron Chef thing after her. I don't know if she's mad at me. I don't know if-- because we both have reputations on the street for being like-- we're just normal. We are who we are. We're nice people. We don't want to make waves. And I was like, I don't know if Jaymee hates me, if she's mad at me.
And Bobby's literally like, dude, Jaymee is awesome. She's not going to be mad at you. But like, I'm going to run out the door. So I think you came in one entrance and I jammed out because you were literally right after me, and you know the turn between shows are really tight. So there's my Jaymee Sire story.
JAYMEE SIRE: That's awesome. I actually do remember that day because-- yeah, I think they-- honestly, I think I got a-- I woke up to a text from my agent at 7:00 AM. They're like, can you do Beat Bobby Flay today? And I'm like, yes, springing out of bed because I was always jumping at the chance to do that. I always do. I love that show. I had so much fun on that show.
JET TILA: Exactly.
JAYMEE SIRE: I do remember getting to studio, and I knew that you were there. I had no idea that I was actually supposed to host with you potentially, and that it was a little switcheroo situation. For the record, I do not hate you. I was not that you, ever. Ever. I know that there's business decisions that are over our heads, over our pay grade.
JET TILA: 1000%. Yeah. Way above us and for good or bad reasons. But I just wasn't-- I didn't know and I was just like, you know what I mean? But we both were kind of-- I think I said in the same headspace, right?
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah. No, I think I was like-- when I heard you were there, I was like, oh, [INAUDIBLE]. I didn't want to run into you only because I'm incredibly awkward and that's the [INAUDIBLE].
JET TILA: As am I, by the way. As am I.
JAYMEE SIRE: So it was nothing to do with you. It was only to avoid any awkwardness. So maybe someday-- maybe someday we can talk to Bobby and have him put us on as co-host, and we can redo the moment that was supposed to happen a couple years ago.
JET TILA: The circle will be complete because now we're homies and we've done-- anyway, I just thought I'd share because this is a great podcast you're doing by the way.
JAYMEE SIRE: Oh, thank you.
JET TILA: And I thought, you know what? This is the kind of content. This is the kind of stuff I want-- the stories I want to tell that you don't really get a chance to tell.
JAYMEE SIRE: No. These are the stories that I love hearing from people. I think it's so much fun. I think it's great for the viewers and the listeners to get that little inside look of what happens on TV in certain situations. But no, that's-- I'm so glad you told that story. That's such a great story.
JET TILA: Anyway. But I'm glad we're friends now.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yes, absolutely.
JET TILA: And it's all good.
JAYMEE SIRE: I am very glad for that as well. I mean, speaking of Iron Chef though, I mean, that must have been a cool experience for you just because you had been on the show previously as a competitor and now the tables have turned, and you're there now, the one interviewing all these chefs.
JET TILA: Yeah. You know my whole-- I think Iron Chef really sums up kind of my Food Network journey because it was about 10 years in between becoming a full-time chef-- well, I was a full-time chef for like 27 years. I was asked to do Iron Chef while I was in Las Vegas, cooking at this really big deal hotel. And then my journey as a chef ended when I taped Iron Chef because I met Alli, wanted to get married, have kids.
And then so my media career began at that point. So about a decade later, I'm backing Kitchen Stadium as the floor reporter. So it was very surreal. It was an amazing experience. And it's-- I think you know. I mean, like we were talking about.
You got to know when to jump in, and you got to know when to approach the chefs. I think one of the advantages for me was knowing, like in cooking along with some of the Iron chefs and other competitors. So, yeah. I'll never forget it man. It was really great.
JAYMEE SIRE: No, I agree. I had such a great experience on the show. We both wish it was a longer experience, but that's [INAUDIBLE].
JET TILA: One season.
JAYMEE SIRE: Well, speaking of competition shows, we obviously have to talk about Tournament Of Champions.
JET TILA: Oh.
JAYMEE SIRE: It's definitely a show on everyone's minds right now. We saw you on the show last season. You were eventually knocked out by Brooke Williamson, who, of course, went on to win the entire thing. And this season you are back.
JET TILA: Yeah.
JAYMEE SIRE: So coming back, do you feel like you have something to prove, perhaps?
JET TILA: Man, OK. This is your show, and it's a good chance for me to have therapy at the same time and talk about the truth.
JAYMEE SIRE: I love it. I'll be your therapist.
JET TILA: Please, if you don't mind. Tournament Of Champions for me is really the show I want to win the most.
JAYMEE SIRE: Really?
JET TILA: Truly, because I'm not a super competitive guy, right? Especially when it comes to competing against friends, right? In the world when I was a chef, very competitive, very aggressive. But it's like, oh, I know all these people. And I am a different person on Tournament of Champions.
When you have a stadium like that, and when you have blind judging, and when you have that caliber of competitors plus judges, it's like you can't-- I don't want to mess up because I don't want to give anyone in this room license to be like, oh, that dude brought in half way and he's not really-- he's not going to bang heads.
JAYMEE SIRE: What did you learn from last season that you are bringing to the competition this year?
JET TILA: For me, I'm an overthinker, right? The problem that I have is when I walk into a competition situation, I'm overthinking every little step. What I really learned this year was let the randomizer do its thing and then just flow with it. Last year I was trying to wheel the randomizer. I was trying to use the force. I was trying to like try--
JAYMEE SIRE: Use the force.
JET TILA: Yeah. I was trying to use like ESPN, and then if it works. So this year, I just went with it. I had no idea what was going to come. I cooked a lot too, by the way. I mean, good or bad, I think this last year we all did a lot of cooking. And I was watching your content. You are cooking, man.
JAYMEE SIRE: [INAUDIBLE]. Yes. I was cooking a lot.
JET TILA: No, big time.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yes.
JET TILA: Yeah. And for me I was doing the same thing because I think a lot of-- not being a traditional restaurant chef anymore and kind of running different aspects of our organization, you get a little out of touch. And it was really nice to spend like a good six, seven months cooking walking into Tournament of Champions.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah. I want to know more about the randomizer because that seems like just a scary few seconds as you're like watching-- and for anyone who hasn't seen the show last year or haven't had a chance to watch yet this season, I mean, basically, it's this big wheel kind of like a wheel of fortune situation, but like five of them.
And there's like a proteins, and veggies, and tools you have to use and time. And it just goes around and you're just waiting for it to land. Which of those things on there just really makes you nervous, makes you sweat? Like that's the one thing that you absolutely do not want it to land on. What is that?
JET TILA: Like all chefs, I think we all have Achilles heels, right?
JAYMEE SIRE: Mm-hmm.
JET TILA: And that thing is basically just loaded with five different reels of Achilles heels. And I went out last year on-- I went out last year in Middle Eastern. And again, I cook a lot, but I was always scared of cultures that I just haven't cooked a lot of, and I was always scared of tools. Like crazy tools like-- I mean, I've used waffle makers to make waffles.
But there's also a lot of crazy things on there that I think really change the fate of each cook. So there was very-- I don't think ever-- I'm not sure. I don't think anyone ever had like a give me. And it just gets harder as the game progresses.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah. I mean, it seems-- it's a randomizer, but it's also kind of like this, I guess, equalizer of everyone's just kind of now on the same page. I was trying to think like what would make me really nervous and-- I don't know.
JET TILA: Give me your Achilles heels or things that would make you scared to have to do, either--
JAYMEE SIRE: Well, here's the thing. And people who listen to the podcast know, or follow me on social media. I'm very vocal about the fact that I hate bell peppers. I don't even know if bell peppers is on the veggie list on the-- but it could be, because I hate them so much and I don't know what to do with them and I just-- and I wouldn't be able to taste the dish and know that it is balanced, whatever, because all I'd be able to taste is the bell pepper.
So I think for me that would be really hard, but there's so many things on there that would be just so mind blowingly difficult that I can't--
JET TILA: Yeah. Like one I didn't get was a raclette, like make. You know what I mean?
JAYMEE SIRE: Oh, like the actual--
JET TILA: Like the melter. Like the raclette melter. And I'm sure you're not using it to make raclette. You know what I mean?
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah.
JET TILA: So like, what do you do? So there were a lot of really kind of crazy combinations, but you still got to cook your way through it. And the level of competition this year, the level of-- the stakes are higher because you-- although you know what's going to go down, you're looking at 15 other of some of the best chefs in the world or in America. And, yeah. That's what fires you up. When you look around, it's a lot like MMA. I mean, it feels, it feels like that. You know what I mean?
JAYMEE SIRE: I mean, is there anyone you were excited or maybe terrified to see this season?
JET TILA: Yeah. You know, Brooke obviously because she's legitly talented and plays it close to the vest and doesn't really give you much to work with. Plays the mind games in a smart way. Antonia is always freaking me out. All right. I'm going to get in trouble, but I'm just going to say I think the West Coast bracket is a dangerous bracket.
I mean, the East Coast is awesome, but to fight your way through the West Coast bracket is scary. And I've just made eight enemies saying that, by the way.
JAYMEE SIRE: You just threw down the gauntlet on east versus west. But I mean, that's what this competition is about. And as you mentioned, it does have the sports feel to it, and obviously athletes can be very, very superstitious. I'm wondering if you have any rituals, any superstitions, before you kind of step out onto the stage that you do to kind of get ready.
JET TILA: Yeah. So I had a good luck charm each season. So last season was I had a bunch of Navy SEAL buddies, old school, real deal guys. And they gave me a challenge coin before I competed and were like, this is your good luck charm.
So this year, I wore a lucky-- I wore a lucky watch from a good friend of mine. It was like nothing fancy, but it was just symbolic. You know what I mean? So I had my red watch because Chinese red's a lucky number and in my culture. And so that was really it. So I didn't do anything extreme like not shower, or not shave, or, you know.
JAYMEE SIRE: I'm sure people were thankful for that portion of it.
JET TILA: Yeah. And I don't have the ability to get that big old, crazy playoff's facial.
JAYMEE SIRE: Like a hockey beard.
JET TILA: Yes, exactly. I won't look like a Viking. I'll look more like Fu Manchu. It would be the opposite of intimidating.
JAYMEE SIRE: OK. I like the lucky charms. I think those are a nice addition and something that you can kind of keep with you and know that it's there. I also love the charity component this year because not only are you playing for the title, you're playing for a local restaurant, which as we know throughout this pandemic, they have been hit so incredibly hard.
How much extra motivation did that give you to cook even harder and really compete for them?
JET TILA: Guy and Food Network, every win was a considerable amount of money to the winners at a local restaurant. And that really was kind of that warm and fuzzy, that thing that was the extra fire in my opinion. And a lot of money was raised by everybody for the restaurants.
And on top of that, getting your restaurant mentioned, right? In front of millions of people, and in that genuine moment of paying homage to that restaurant is so beneficial. I mean, coming from a mom and pop restaurant family, that was the icing on the cake for this season.
JAYMEE SIRE: Up next, Jet talks about having Alton Brown as a mentor during his time as a judge on Cutthroat Kitchen, plus he tells the story behind their matching tattoos.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
You are no stranger to these competition shows. You've competed against-- as we mentioned, against Morimoto on Iron Chef. You've also competed in one Guy's Grocery Games. You judged arguably the most evil show of all time, Cutthroat Kitchen, for many years. Do you have any favorite memories or stories from any of these shows that you can share with us?
JET TILA: Yeah, sure. I think Cutthroat Kitchen was really where, you know, no pun, like I cut my teeth, right? So I think the first memory of being that full-time Food Network job was getting that call as a fledgling young person on Food Network and going, oh, you're going to be able to work with Alton Brown every single day on this one show.
And I don't think people really ever knew. So Alton [INAUDIBLE], are very, very good friends. In fact, we have matching tattoos.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yes.
JET TILA: And that all came from those hours and hours and hours on Cutthroat Kitchen. And I told Alton early on, I was like, I really want to get good at this TV thing because it's totally different muscles, it takes a lot of different skills, and can you help me? So he would actually make time after every episode and was like, look, you got to less arms here, get to the point here, you know what I mean? This is the way. So having that one on one time with Alton was brilliant.
And then as the years went on, that happened with Bobby and that happened with Guy. It's such a warm kind of family that we have, and to be able to have that kind of very genuine like, yo, dude, you really want to get good? Then don't do this and do this, and everyone kind of helps each other.
So from being a fan to kind of being able to hang out with, I still get little chills and like I pinch myself when, oh, Bobby Flay just texted me. We're going to go eat dinner together. So, yeah. Jaymee, I'll always be that. Like that kid who grew up watching Food Network as a chef and just to have these opportunities to speak with you, to hang out in the groups when we're all in South Beach. It just trips me out, man. I mean, it really-- I feel very fortunate to be able to have this opportunity.
JAYMEE SIRE: No, I love that. I feel the exact same way. And I love hearing that Alton, you started off as a mentor, obviously became a very close friend of yours. I need to know more about the tattoos. I remember when it happened, but I forget what-- what is the tattoo that you guys have? That you both have.
JET TILA: So my right forearm, his left inner arm, it is a quote that says, "Never be Daunted." And we were hanging out, we were like, we should get matching tattoos. I'm like, what do you want? He's like, oh, I want this quote. And he's like, what do you want? I was like, oh, that's way smarter than what I wanted. Maybe I shouldn't say, but what I wanted was like--
JAYMEE SIRE: No, what did you want?
JET TILA: OK. I mean, again, this is the place to drop all kinds of stuff.
JAYMEE SIRE: This is a safe place. Safe place.
JET TILA: Sure. Sure. Yeah. Thousands and thousands of people listening. Anyway. OK, why not? I wanted a little chef octopus, eight legs with each one having a different little utensil.
JAYMEE SIRE: I love it.
JET TILA: It's cheeseball. Let's just be real.
JAYMEE SIRE: It's so cool. I like it. I like it. I mean, the never be daunted is definitely more powerful for sure. More meaningful.
JET TILA: Way more.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah.
JET TILA: Yeah.
JAYMEE SIRE: Especially since you guys got the same one and your friendship as you just described it, I think it's really, really cool.
JET TILA: Typewriter font because he's smart like that and he has typewriters.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah, exactly.
JET TILA: And now I just use his story and say, oh, yeah, you know. It's Hemingway. Doesn't everyone read Hemingway?
JAYMEE SIRE: You just adopted it for yourself, which I love. I mean, you obviously have a lot of tattoos. I know you were featured in ink magazine also.
JET TILA: Oh, man, you did all your digging? That's amazing.
JAYMEE SIRE: I got a research. I got to dig in. But I'm wondering-- I want you to tell the story-- I know it because I read the article-- but your first tattoo, what the meaning behind that is?
JET TILA: Are you talking about the brand tattoo when I was 18?
JAYMEE SIRE: Yes.
JET TILA: Oh, no. OK. When we're 18, we all think we're cool. And my buddies are like, dude, let's get the Singha logo from the Thai beer on our arms, because I was born in the year of the Tiger. So in my mind, I rationalized it like, oh, I'm a tiger. I'm going to get a tiger. That sounds really, really tough and cool.
Cut to like two, three years later, and I'm walking around Thailand. And my dad's like, you're an idiot. You just got like a brand-- you just got a brand logo on your arm, and you're not even getting paid for it. Yeah. It's like getting Budweiser, or something, or Coors which would be awesome, anyway. It would have been cooler than that. So yes. I will always love-hate my tiger tattoo on my right arm.
JAYMEE SIRE: So that's a love-hate. What's your actual favorite one?
JET TILA: Last year, I put this one on my right wrist, which is the name-- I've got Alli, Amaya, and Ren. So my wife and two children on my fore arm here, and that's the one I love the most. That's the one I love the most.
JAYMEE SIRE: Well, that means the most. I do not have any. I want to get one in honor of my father actually. I haven't had a chance to do it yet because of the pandemic. But it's on my-- but I like to hear people's stories of their tattoos and why they've gotten them, and even the stories where you maybe wish you could go back and change it.
JET TILA: You're not kidding.
JAYMEE SIRE: So I appreciate.
JET TILA: I am going to flip. Can I ask you a question?
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah. Sure, please.
JET TILA: I know this is your show. But being around so many chefs and food people, do you get a little bit of that? Do you, oh, I got to get a tattoo. Like there's a little bit of this camaraderie, this fellowship that we have.
JAYMEE SIRE: Definitely, a lot of-- I would say more chefs than not have not even one, like more than one. So I do see how that could-- how you could kind of get caught up in that. But I was always told I wasn't allowed to have tattoos or anything like that.
So it's like been ingrained into my head for so long. But I think I'm ready. I think I really want to do that. It's for me. It'll mean something to me. And I think that that's super-- an important part of it as well. Not always the most important, but in my case, it will be.
JET TILA: That's cool.
JAYMEE SIRE: So I appreciate you playing along and telling those stories. I love hearing that.
JET TILA: Yeah. I think they're fun. I think tattoos, you know what they do? A phenomenal job at being a bookmark in time. And a homage to your father, I mean, that's the perfect kind. And that's why my favorite tattoo is the one that's most symbolic of my family. All these-- I mean, I have some jackass tattoos, and I've got some serious tattoos. But that's just what happens, man. You get sucked in.
JAYMEE SIRE: Oh, I'm sure I will. I'm sure it won't be my last one. That's for sure.
JET TILA: Yeah, exactly.
JAYMEE SIRE: Well, we kind of touched on this a little bit. On TOC, you're repping for the West Coast. Obviously, you grew up in Los Angeles. You were born into essentially the first family of Thai food in LA. Your family opened the first Thai restaurants, the first Thai markets there. You've referred to it as birth luck. What was your childhood like growing up around food 24/7?
JET TILA: I can romanticize it as a 40-year-old man, right?
JAYMEE SIRE: Mm-hmm.
JET TILA: I can romanticize it as a 45-year-old man. But growing up in it, I was truly miserable. I mean--
JAYMEE SIRE: Really?
JET TILA: Imagine if you will, from like literally five years old. The restaurant is your daycare, right? The restaurant is your school, right? And then they opened a grocery store. So it went from restaurant to grocery store. Then they had a produce company. So we did spend time on farms. And then they had an import company. So it was vertical integration before I ever knew what it was.
But looking back on it, I basically had three concurrent apprenticeships in very, very difficult fields. So to work in a restaurant for 10,000 hours and to work in a grocery store and understand products and produce. I did like 20,000 hours by the time I was my mid twenties, and it was phenomenal. I mean, it really shaped-- it really shapes who I am.
It really kind of has directed my culinary point of view. And it really is birth luck. I mean, it's really like being at the right place at the right time. So I didn't understand it until my mid-20s. I didn't-- I was typical, like the kid who goes-- becomes a chef. I was high school dropout, made a lot of trouble.
So I always-- there was always a home with my family in their businesses. They were always like, if you screw up, you can always come back. But you've got to work. You got to work for it. So it was phenomenal.
JAYMEE SIRE: I can't see you as being like the troublemaker kid.
JET TILA: Oh--
JAYMEE SIRE: Or you were?
JET TILA: My plan is working. It is so awesome. You know, and it was-- I wasn't the guy who was intimidating or anything, I was just a rebel, right? I never wanted to do what people told me. I was in my mind thought I was going to do it my own way. I hate going to school. I'm not going to learn any books. You're not going to teach me anything. And so, yeah. I've been working since I was a kid.
So I was never like a bully or anything like that. I was just a guy that was-- there's a word for it, oppositional defiance disorder. My wife has a master's in early childhood education, treats me like a child. I think this is part of diagnosing children.
JAYMEE SIRE: So it works out?
JET TILA: It works out perfect.
JAYMEE SIRE: What are your family's businesses? Bangkok market closed in 2019 after nearly 50 years in business. So I'm curious, you're talking about growing up there and not liking it at the time. But as you look back, what is your most vivid memory, or vivid smell, or something that immediately like takes you back to that time when you see it or eat it or smell it or anything like that?
JET TILA: That truly is the smell of my childhood. It takes me immediately back to being a kid, stocking shelves and working in the butcher counter, and tying produce and being in the farms. But the really great memories are this. I mean, we were the only grocery store in the 80s and 90s that had quote unquote "exotic ingredients."
So Wolfgang, and Joachim, and Susan, and Mary Sue, all the great chefs in LA shopped at our store. And as I got older, I wasn't just bagging the groceries, I was delivering their groceries. And I was setting up their order guides. And when I went to French Culinary School, I went back and I was like, you guys all know me from bagging your groceries, can I have a job now?
So I got to work in the Asian restaurants as a kid. And once I went to culinary school, I got to go back and work for some of these really great chefs that were just kind of patrons of the store. So it really worked out.
JAYMEE SIRE: That's so cool. I love hearing that it kind of came full circle for you. If you were one of those chefs shopping in those aisles, what makes its way to your shopping cart or basket like every single time? What are some of those staples that you would always pick up?
JET TILA: Yeah. I am-- as everyone knows, my lens is very Southeast Asian. So it's always going to be like fish sauce, and jasmine rice, and curry paste, and coconut milk, and like seven different kinds of soy sauces. That's definitely my part of the world and, you know. It'll always be where I'm from. It's part of my identity.
JAYMEE SIRE: Speaking of that, I mean, you talk about just these influences in your life and other significant Asian influences as well aside from Thai. You've got Chinese, Korean, Japanese influences, and those really all present themselves I feel like in the dishes that you create. What does it mean to you to be able to represent Asian food culture in such a significant way and a diverse way?
JET TILA: Yeah. It really-- you hear it, but it's an honor. I mean, it's an honor to be able to represent multiple cultures. And it's also an honor to share knowledge. My favorite job in the whole world is teaching. If I could just do that every single day, I'd be very happy there. I get emails every day and DMs about, yo, you just taught me how to make Lo Mein and you just-- and Lo Mein eventually becomes Pad Thai, and Pad Thai becomes curry, and now they're doing sushi and, you know.
Through Food Network and through writing cookbooks and working, I get to teach the world how to make Asian food. And my whole thing is it's easier than you think. You know what I mean? And so that is the fuel. It really is the fuel.
I mean the happiest things in my life are my family, and the second part of it is to be able to teach and create community all at the same time. And this is the platform in which I can do that. It's a dream job. I don't work. I mean, there's not a single day of work. I get to just kind of do what I love every single day. It's pretty amazing.
JAYMEE SIRE: No, that community aspect is, I think, really important. And the way that food can really create that, I think is super special. And, in fact, I know you kind of helped a retirement community celebrate fully being vaccinated, the entire facility vaccinated. What was that celebration like? What did it entail and how did you get kind of hooked in with that?
JET TILA: Where do you get all this amazing research? This is the stuff I keep off my social media and my whole thing. That's amazing, Jaymee. OK. Yeah. So part of my working life through the years is working with very large institutions, right? From tech companies, to hospitals, to movie studios, but also it's very important to me to kind of work with senior living centers.
So for the last decade, no one knows this until now. I would visit and cook and do demos and make menus at a lot of senior living centers. So all the senior living centers in the world were impacted first from COVID, and it was a big push to try to get everybody vaxxed first, and then what goes with that are the food service workers and all the-- also other support staff.
So we got everybody vaxxed. We got all the support staff vaxxed. So to kind of celebrate, I did this little virtual hangout saying, hey guys, let's make a dish together. I miss you guys. I can't wait to come back. And it was a fun little deal we did a few weeks ago.
JAYMEE SIRE: I think that is really-- that's really sweet, and that's really admirable that you do take that time to kind of spread that joy and give back. And I think more people should know about it. So I wanted to give you credit for that.
JET TILA: I'm always giving back to young kids that come from poverty who want to cook, senior living centers, because history repeats itself and what better way to understand what's coming down the pipe than to hang out with people who have lived it. I've hung out with people who are 104. You know what I mean? 100 years old. And it's amazing to be able to have that opportunity.
And I also do a lot with the military. My brother is a police officer. So wherever I can, I'm always trying to give back because you got to keep that karma bank full, man, because you never know when you're going to need help. And it's nice to know that to put out a lot of positive energy on the world, it will come back. It absolutely will.
JAYMEE SIRE: I think that's a great message. And I think it says a lot that, I mean-- I think it would be obviously great and fine if you were publicizing this stuff, but you're clearly aren't doing it for--
JET TILA: No.
JAYMEE SIRE: The publicity or the like me over here saying good job because I do think that and I feel that. But you're clearly doing it because that's important to you and that's something that you don't even think twice about it. That's like a yes. I'm going to do that.
JET TILA: I came from-- my family came from nothing. I mean, literally in one generation, we came from as ultra poor family and to make something of ourselves. And then in two generations, to be able to be this immigrant son, to be on Food Network, it's every day is a privilege. And every day, if I can pass it forward or pay it back somewhere, that's my aim in life. It really makes me happy.
JAYMEE SIRE: No, I think that's great. Is that something-- I mean, what is your family thing? I mean, you say that you came from nothing, and then now you are on Food Network, and you're in a position to be able to give back. What do they think of all this?
JET TILA: They are the foundation. You know what I mean? They remind me where I come from. I have a group of my family constantly. Your feet are always on the ground in our house. You know what I'm saying? So it's all good.
JAYMEE SIRE: Well, I had so many more questions I wanted to ask you, but we are running a tad short on time. So I'm going to leave you with our standard final question that I like to ask all of our guests here on Food Network Obsessed, and that is what would be your perfect food day? So breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert. There are no rules in this question. So you can time travel. You can cook the food, somebody else can cook it. You can go to multiple countries. Lay it out. What's your perfect food day?
JET TILA: My perfect food day would probably start in France eating pastries with my wife and kids. That would definitely because I just want to eat.
JAYMEE SIRE: Any specific pastry or just any of them?
JET TILA: Again, just any-- a good baguette and French butter, and then go immediately to laminated doughs. I mean, just do that 5,000 calorie breakfast. There are no rules.
JAYMEE SIRE: There's no rules. There's no--
JET TILA: No rules.
JAYMEE SIRE: There's no consequences. There's no rules.
JET TILA: OK. And then teleport for lunch to Japan and have a really nice-- like an omakase sushi lunch somewhere. And then dinner would be teleporting back in time to hang out with my grandmother from my mother's side. So she was my first culinary teacher.
I had some special needs issues as a child, and it was very hard for me to focus. So she directed all that crazy energy into the kitchen. So from age three, she would stand me next to her, and it was having to work with my hands, understanding how my brain process things kind of different. She taught me how to cook from like age three to age 12. And we've spent thousands of meals together.
And she didn't live long enough to see any of this. Hang out with Jaymee Sire or Alton or Bobby. She didn't see any of that. So it would be to bring her back, and we'd all have lunch together somewhere on like-- it would be like SoBe, where there would be all of us all hanging out together and just making her the star of the day and breaking bread for dinner with her. That would be my perfect food day.
JAYMEE SIRE: I love that. I love that. Wait, what's for dessert? What's for dessert?
JET TILA: Oh, dessert. Wow, that's a good one. Wow. It would probably be having to do a dessert crawl.
JAYMEE SIRE: OK.
JET TILA: Right? Yeah, exactly. But I do favor savory food more than sweet, so I just might do a second course of teleporting back to Japan and having some kind of giant Kobe meal or something like that. It would be crazy.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah. I actually I'm on board for that answer because I am also not a huge sweets person. And I would much like-- much more rather like. I just have more savory foods. So I like the ending to your food day, just more delicious, fatty food.
JET TILA: Just more food. More savory fatty food and lots of red wine, right?
JAYMEE SIRE: Yes.
JET TILA: That's the-- or maybe Spain. Maybe finish in Spain. I think that would be the way to go. And I'm purposely not mentioning restaurants because whoever doesn't get mentioned is going to drop an email at me. So there you go.
JAYMEE SIRE: Well, we'll leave it up to everyone's imagination. I also cosign on the Spain edition to this perfect food day. It sounds perfect to me. And I do appreciate you taking the time to chat with me and tell all these stories. Some of them I had never heard before. They were news to me. This was a lot of fun, and I really appreciate it.
JET TILA: So I feel the same, Jaymee. Your continued success to judging Bobby Flay together, that'd be awesome. Thanks so much for having me.
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JAYMEE SIRE: Always such a delight when I get to chat with an incredible chef, who I am so used to watching on Food Network. Everyone's story is so unique. I love hearing all of them. Whether you've been a fan of Jet, or this interview made you a new one, you can of course binge watch all of Tournament of Champions streaming now on Discovery Plus.
As always, thanks so much for listening, and make sure you follow us wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss a single thing. And if you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to rate and review. We love it when you do that. I read them all. That's all for now. We will catch you foodies next Friday.
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