Chef Jet tila

LocalFoodEater.com Supports C-CAP

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This year’s 29th annual C-CAP awards breakfast provided over $485,813 in scholarship money to students across the wider Los Angeles area. The awards ranged from full ride culinary scholarships to prestigious culinary schools in the country to partial tuition or cash. And there was fascinating news this year.

C-CAP LA scholarship students 2023

The fascinating news is that others will use the money to further their education after high school in other areas. As Program Coordinator, Gail Carney noted, Gail Carney, on behalf of C-CAP noted, “in whatever way the student choses to use the tuition money, it all helps to shape future generations of students that will play a big role in society.”

It is wonderful to be a part of an organization so valuable and needed for the community. I am so proud to note that Sri Sambangi, publisher of Local Food Eater was a donor of a $1500 scholarship in the name of our friend and pioneer food writer, Barbara Hansen, who has been a contributor to the website.

Gisselle Rivera of Banning High School received a Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College Full-Tuition Schoolship ($67,392) with a $1500 Barbara Hansen Culinary scholarship donation by Sridhar Sambangi. Gisselle was matched up because she loves to write and Barbara was a pioneering journalist for Los Angeles Times in ethnic writing.

I was privileged to be able to add this day, “you are so valued aas chefs to develop your own style and cuisine, and still we need writers like Barbara Hansen who are so valuable in connecting you and your work with the public.”

At the C-Cap presentation (top Liza Fontanesi, Program Director; Gerry Furth-Sides, LocalFoodEater.com; Gisselle Ribera, Banning High School; Sri Sambangi; Program Coordinator, Ely Opera, Student Coordinator, Jobs Liaison

Food for thought in academia was in good company by the Jonathan Club’s breakfast buffet. The Club trains and hires C-Cap students regularly.

Board members, teachers and students all had a change to talk with each other. The students introduced themselves and how C-CAP became meaningful to them during the program.

C-CAP students introduced themselves and their C-CAP experiences
Andrew Harris and C-CAP Council LA Chair, Barbara Fairchild

For our coverage on C-CAP ranging all the way back to a 2015 field trip, please see //localfoodeater.com/c-cap-joins-ventura-farm-days-tours-and-2000-vistors-by-gerry-furth-sides/

C-CAP LA Class of 2023 and Program Coordinator, Gail Carney

For more information about the organization, please see: @ccaplosangeles

The light force that makes the red carpet happen, Lawrence Moore with husband, Anthony, and Students.
A C-Cap fundraiser with celebrity chef and cookbook author Jet Tila (bottom right, mom Mary Tila on his left and Barbara Hansen, right; topL Lisa Fontanesi and Gail Carney, C-CAP Program Director and Coordinator, respectively; and bottom left: prominent food stylist, Alice Hart and former C-CAP board member Gloria Mandell)
C-CAP Council LA member Eric Boardman and Restaurant owner, contributor, Neal Fraser

LA Chefs & Surprise Celebrity Honor Jitlada’s Chef Tui at Thai Gala

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Head Line Hotel

Head Line Hotel valet Mehari instantly removed road fatigue

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Chef Jazz Singsanong (Jitlada) joined a star line-up of celebrity chefs with special Jitlada-inspired dishes to honor her beloved late Chef Tui Sungkamee.   The best of such fundraisers turn into chatty social evenings. This one, infused with such heartfelt feelings, turned into a gala that still felt like a family reunion.

Legendary Matt Groening was an approachable, guest.  He told the funniest story about how his first doodles on a restaurant receipt grew into doing portraits for all the staff that they later hung on the walls of the restaurant.

Surprise! Matt Groening honors Chef Tui with a special portrait and a story

Jazz, in chef coat, still remained the regal hostess throughout.  We were made to feel as welcome as the long-time passionate, Jittlada customers.

Sereechai Thai Newspaper President & CEO, Boon Chroenkitkan, (below) introduced us to the siblings at a Chang Beer event.  Jazz turned our table into a  lifetime-memory Thai party at once.    Chang was a sponsor of this Cancer Research fundraiser.  DJ Chris Holmes and DJ Zo provided the entertainment.

Newspaper publisher Boon charoenkitkan

Jittlada Restaurant served mango and sticky rice – as fast as they could

Jittlada’s bright, refreshing StickyRice/Mango

The evening was filled uper-stars Chef Jet Tila (International Thai Culinary Ambassador) and Roy Choi, who offered the best of his Line Hotel restaurant dishes.

Barbara Hansen photographs  her “bite of the evening” by Chef Jet Tila

Roy Choi’s restaurant in the Line Hotel served our “best bite” of fried chicken.

Neighbors, Langer’s and Cassell’s Hamburgers served dishes combining Jitlada Thai ingredients into their own signature dishes.

Kris Yenbamroong (Night + Market Song), Andy Ricker (Pok Pok) and Louis Tikaram (E.P. & L.P.) served as special honorary dishes.  Chef Kris and Andy share a laugh (below).

Kris Yenbamroong (Night + Market Song), Andy Ricker (Pok Pok)

“Extra spicy cuisine” helped the brother and sister duo to fame, but it is the total package that makes this restaurant a star. Hospitality, so characteristic of the Thai people – who have never been conquered as a country because they simply opened the doors to newcomers and learned from them- is at its highest here.  The party held the same feeling.

The Line Hotel ballroom has a spacious feeling to it because it opens onto an outdoor patio. The crowd spilled out into the patio, complete with fire pit, outside in the spring air.   A bar and two desserts were served.

Thai-style fashion made the party more festive

The firepit encouraged conversations with new friends

 

Thai-inspired high fashion

Cloudlike Budino and gelato (below) to finish the meal

Jitlada, 5233 1/2 West Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027, (323) 667-9809. Hours are Tues-Sun: Lunch 11 am – 3 pm Dinner 5 pm – 10:30 pm. For details on the restaurant and more of the menu that includes images, please see: //jitladala.wordpress.com

 

Jet Tila’s Enticing First Cookbook “101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die”

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Low key and genuinely as friendly as ever, Jet Tila’s personal introduction to his new cookbook,  “101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die”, made us feel special in Melissa’s Produce kitchen //chefjet.com/cookbook www.melissas.com

Chef Jet flanked by two of the best anywhere ethnic food researchers and writers, Barbara Hansen (left) who “discovered him”, Linda Burum (right)

The jet was relaxed among friends.  I’ve known him for 20 years and he has remained earnest, intelligent and friendly.  He referred to Barbara Hansen several times during his demo because when he worked in the Los Angeles Times kitchen.

Jet Tila'sThere is a new side now.  Jet playfully told of how he negotiated with mastermind, gazillionaire Las Vegas owner, Steve Wynn for his Wynn Encore Hotel job at the Wazuzu Restaurant.  This was after Tila cooked for Wynn and never even thought he would land an offer.  So the chef put down what he thought was an outlandish fee on a piece of paper.  “And it was snapped up,” he laughed.  I realized heard this story before — from Jet on the phone in Las Vegas when it happened!

Below is the Pineapple Fried Rice dish that has become a Wynn Hotel favorite. “It’s a recipe my family has been serving for 40 years,” says Jet.  “And I’ve put on every menu I’ve ever written.”  The chef asked the audience to call out the price for this “easy to make a dish” at the hotel.  It turned out to be double the highest price called out.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Pineapple Fried Rice

Jet is proud that Alton Brown wrote the introduction, noting that the book”is not a definitive guide to Asian cuisine, but  a very practical guide full of every essential recipe you’ll want.”  It helps that Ken Goodman’s photos jump off the page.

I worked with the “father of Thai cuisine, “Tommy Tang for 15 years, still preferring to eat his creations no how easy he said they were to prepare.  Even Jet’s authentic recipes don’t require extra shopping so they entice you to jump right in.

Green Beans

Szechuan-Style Green Beans

Jet explained it this way, “If you look at the way Americans and non-Asians consume Asian food, I wanted to cover 90% of the things they all love to eat.”  His aim is to “demystify Asian cooking” and make it “approachable.

Chicken Salad

Chinese Chicken Salad and Noodles below

 

 

Sample tip:  The secret to a good curry is not shaking the can of coconut milk, though even good Thai coconut milk cans have these instructions.  A good Thai coconut milk has 13% to 19% fat on top.  Skim that off to use as cooking oil, and fry your cooking (curry) paste in that fat to bring out the flavor. Forget the ” light” ridiculous coconut milk!

“All Asian dishes essentially are a balancing of five flavors,” Je explained.  “The ‘Yum’ philosophy of Asian kitchens is key.  It literally means a balance of five flavors: hot, sour, sweet, savory, salty to achieve the ‘yum.’ ” Jet claims that cooking through the book will instill an understanding of this.

Popular LA Book Author-Celebrity Chef Jet Tila to Appear at LUCKYRICE, July 28

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(Mom) Mary, Jet Tila and Barbara Hansen at the C-CAP fundraiser party, book-signing party

 

Jet Tila, celebrity chef, judge on Food Network’s “Cutthroat Kitchen,” and author of the new 101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die joins the 20+  participants at this year’s Los Angeles LUCKYRICE Feast. 

(Above)  The parties started this month.  Here Jet has a bit of fun with friend, celebrity pastry chef Sherry Yar, at her The Tuck Tavern fundraiser book party.  The kitchen prepared dishes from Jet’s Book.

Jet's satisfying food

A plate of Jet’s satisfying food: Kung Pao Shrimp, Szechuan-Style Green Beans, Chinese chicken Salad, Mongolian Beef- all in Jet’s cookbook!

Celebrating its 8th lucky year,  LUCKYRICE, America’s largest Asian food festival, explores the  diverse Asian-American experience, using food and drink as a universal lens.

Chicken Satay

Jet Tila’s Chicken Satay from his cook book

WHO:
Celebrity Chef Jet Tila
 
WHEN:
Friday, July 28th 
7:00PM-10:00PM
 
WHERE:
Vibiana, 214 S Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
WHAT:
This year’s LUCKYRICE Feast is an Asian food blowout that includes up-and-coming chefs, classic dishes, trendy pop-ups, and flavor infusions representing the Asian diaspora of Los Angeles. 
 
A sampling of the night’s dishes include:
  • Celebrity Chef Jet Tila’s Northern Thai Pork Chili Dip with Lucky Purple Sticky Rice;
  • Chinese Laundry’s signature Mama’s Cold Noodles dressed in Sichuanese chili sauce, sesame mousse, with sour pickles, chickpeas, chicharrones, and pork sung;
  • Kalbi Sausage Corn Dogs from Seoul Sausage;
  • Bone Broth Ramen from Southeast Asian favorite Bone Kettle; 
  • Zha Jiang Fettuccine with Five-Spice Soft Soy Egg from Taiwanese street food favorite, Lao Tao; and
  • Cocktails provided by presenting sponsor Suntory Whisky, pouring their sought after Toki blend.
For more information on General Admission ticketing:
 
For more information on VIP admission:

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