Jet Tila’s story begins in the heart of Los Angeles, where the aromas of his family’s restaurants and the vibrant aisles of Bangkok Market — America’s first Thai grocery store — shaped his earliest memories. Immersed from childhood in the ancient traditions of Asian cuisine, he learned that cooking was both craft and heritage. His formal training at Le Cordon Bleu refined that foundation, giving him the tools to merge authenticity with creativity. Today, Tila’s dishes carry the flavors of generations while embracing modern invention. An author of two celebrated cookbooks with his wife, pastry chef Ali Tila, he is also a familiar face to television audiences as co-host of Iron Chef America, judge on Cutthroat Kitchen, and guest on Today, Chopped, and Beat Bobby Flay. For Tila, every plate is a story — one that begins in the markets of his youth and unfolds wherever great food is shared.