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Among the countless food enthusiasts who have gained popularity on TikTok, Jon Kung stands out for his unique appeal and success. As a chef based in Detroit, Kung has amassed 1.7 million followers on the platform, defying the typical age bracket for influencers. Despite feeling old every day as a nearly 40-year-old on TikTok, Kung possesses a talent for digital storytelling and making a lasting impression. On occasion, this may involve him taking off his shirt, which he humorously attributes to the lack of air conditioning in his home.
Kung is a self-taught cook who started his professional career working at supper clubs and pop-up restaurants in Detroit, assisting renowned chefs who migrated to the city in the 2010s. Eventually, he established his own culinary ventures. Prior to embarking on his culinary journey, Kung pursued a law career and earned a degree in creative writing and theater from Eastern Michigan University, providing him with a solid foundation for creating his own content. According to him, “Everybody on TikTok is a theater kid.”
Having grown up between Hong Kong, Canada, and the US as the son of Hong Kong residents, Kung explores his third-culture sensibility through his cooking in his most impactful videos. He combines traditional Chinese condiments with dishes like pasta to create a fusion that resonates with his viewers. The overwhelming response to these posts has shown Kung that many people can relate to expressing their complex identities through food and finding affirmation in the process. This sentiment is expressed in his debut cookbook, “Kung Food: Recipes from a Third-Culture Chinese Kitchen.”
Kung’s cookbook, set to release this month in the US and in November in the UK, is filled with third-culture treasures, many of which evoke nostalgia. Some examples include Thanksgiving turkey congee, inspired by his mother’s microwaveable pies, and various dishes that borrow from different cultures, such as Persian tahdig clay pots and jerk chow mein. The book also features unique recipes influenced by popular culture, including Pokémon and online disputes. One of his most viral videos was a response to a negative comment about being a millennial, where Kung showcased the process of making honey-torched brie on toast while addressing the comment directly. This experience taught him to combine cooking with narrative or talking points to create engaging short-form content.
Kung’s cookbook also includes recipes sparked by cultural discussions, like a Reddit “flame war” about the ownership of kimchi. His mapo tofu kimchi jjigae recipe aims to unite Chinese and Korean netizens by incorporating two iconic dishes from each culture. Another notable recipe is his Asian chicken salad, inspired by comedian Margaret Cho’s skit on generic “Asian fusion” dishes. By infusing the salad with flavors like ponzu, pomelo, and Szechuan peppercorn oil, Kung aims to challenge the stereotype and showcase the diversity of Asian cuisine.
A significant portion of the cookbook focuses on the foundational elements of Chinese-American cuisine, such as flavored oils, master stocks, and spice mixes. Kung hopes that cooks from various diasporas will use these foundations to create their own third-culture dishes. He aims to expand the conversation surrounding cultural exchange in the culinary world, which has often been dominated by white, male chefs. Kung advocates for communication and collaboration among different ethnic groups, such as Chinese Americans, Nigerian Americans, and Mexican Americans, to celebrate third-culture cuisine across various culinary traditions.
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