Curated Cuisine is a monthly series examining all things edible, from the chefs cooking the food to the writers reviewing the recipes. Meet the people shaping the food industry, both local and national and enjoy a post-show bite inspired by the conversation.
You might have first discovered the delicious dishes by Jon Kung from their wildly popular TikTok, which demonstrates a deeply personal approach to cooking. Darryl C. Murphy, host of The Common, moderated a conversation with Kung exploring their new cookbook “Kung Food: Chinese American Recipes from a Third-Culture Kitchen.”
Kung’s “third-culture” food journey has origins in being born in Los Angeles and raised in Hong Kong and Toronto, but stems from a fateful decision turning away from law school toward a passion for cooking creative cuisine that blurs lines and enriches taste buds.
About “Kung Food”
Jon Kung grew up as a “third-culture” kid: Born in Los Angeles, raised in Hong Kong and Toronto, and now living in Detroit, Jon learned to embrace their diasporic identity in the kitchen after pivoting his career from law school graduate to being a cook. When the pandemic shut down their immensely popular popup, they turned to social media—not just as a means of creative expression, but as a way to teach and inspire.
Over time, Jon discovered that expressing himself through food not only reflected their complicated identities, it affirmed them. From dumplings to the most decadent curried mac and cheese, Jon inspires millions through his creative recipes and content.
Through stunning, playful, and high-energy photos and Jon’s wit and humility, they bring forward a collection of recipes that blend cultural traditions, ingredients and flavors with his ultimate goal of redefining what Chinese American food can be.