When I ask influencer chef Jon Kung to name the purchase they regret most, there's no deliberation. “In my early twenties, I bought this used SMEG fridge,” the 42-year-old Chinese American TikTok creator tells me. “It's got this giant British flag on it, and I still have it. I've stuck Sex Pistols, Ozzy Osbourne, and Spice Girls stickers on the sides to try to make it a little better.”
It's become a conversation piece at the dinner parties Kung hosts at home. Every holiday season, Kung whips up their Chinese takeout feast; it's a seven-course spread that maps their upbringing across Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Detroit—mapo tofu, pumpkin and lotus root curry, superior stock wonton noodle soup, crab rangoons, Balinese crab fried rice, mushroom lo mein, and, for the grand finale, Cantonese roast duck with cherry duck sauce. And, obviously, dessert.
That layered, third-culture palate is exactly what has made Kung one of the most compelling food personalities of his generation, with over 2 million online followers. (They also published a cookbook, Kung Food, with over 100 recipes.) Whether they're demystifying global ingredients for a Western audience or sharing meal prep tips, Kung's perspective remains the same: good food should feel like home.
I caught up with Jon Kung over Zoom to talk about their favorite cooking techniques and kitchen gear.
Wash Your Rice
When I ask Kung what they wish they had that doesn’t already exist, they don’t hesitate: “A rice cooker that also washes your rice.”
“It’s so important to wash your rice, especially if you’re making Asian rice. Italians don’t wash their rice because they need that starch for risotto, but in almost any other culture, you have to wash your rice. Also, I don’t think people know there are bug eggs in rice. They’re called rice weevils, and unless you’re buying that super expensive prewashed rice, there are lots of bugs in rice.”
For now, you'll need to wash your rice by hand, but if you need a rice cooker, King likes the same Japanese rice cookers the WIRED Reviews team swears by: “Zojirushi rice cookers are fantastic, specifically the ones that have pressure options, because they keep rice fresh for so long.”
Drip Coffee Done Right
“I switch between a drip coffee and an Americano when I make it for myself,” says Kung. “I used to do a Chemex pour-over, but recently I switched to the super automatic Terra Kaffe. It’s kind of awesome.” (Our reviewers also really like the Terra Kaffe.)
Skip the Combination Pans
“Combination pans—the ones that are a mix between nonstick and stainless steel—just end up being garbage versions for both jobs," says Kung. "I would rather people just get one ceramic nonstick pan and one stainless steel pan.”
Demeyere is Kung's go-to brand for stainless steel pans, and he recommends GreenPan for ceramic cookware, particularly the ceramic pans with a three-ply stainless steel bottom for durability.
“I use the stainless steel pan for searing and frying, and a ceramic nonstick pan for more delicate things, specifically eggs," he says. "You can cook eggs on a stainless steel pan, but if you want to cook eggs easily with very little oil, then just use a ceramic nonstick.”
A $30,000 Stove From the UK
The priciest item in Kung's kitchen is his AGA Total Control, which he had shipped from the UK. “I first saw one when I went to this local chef's place," he says. “I was just a baby line cook at the time and mystified by this thing. I was like, ‘as soon as I make it, make it, that’s going to be the first thing that I buy. And so after TikTok blew up, that's what I did with my first check.”
It's an induction range top, which Kung prefers over gas any day. “No toxic fumes. No residual heat. It's a lot more comfortable to use. It's easier to clean. It's better for the environment, and it also performs better.”
Get Your Knives Sharpened by Professionals
“Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on one fancy knife, spend it on two affordable ones, so you can always send one to get sharpened,” says Kung. “You can have the fanciest knife in the world, but if you don't get it sharpened, there's no point—ha!”
For a starter knife, Kung recommends Victorinox. (So do we.) You can pay extra for brands like Miyabi or Shun, but it isn't worth it if you neglect their upkeep. As a professional, Kung sharpens their knives themself, but they advise most people to seek out mail-in subscription services or local restaurants and shops that provide the service. “You can hurt your knives if you don't know what you're doing, and getting them sharpened isn't as expensive as you think," they say. You can get five knives sharpened for $69 through Williams Sonoma's Knife Aid partnership—that's only $13.80 per knife.
“Somebody had converted an ice cream truck into a knife-sharpening shop in Brooklyn," Kung says, "It's fun to see the kids come out thinking that there's ice cream, and then, there's that.”
Meal-Prep Essentials
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Facts Only
Jon Kung is a 42-year-old Chinese American TikTok creator and influencer chef with over 2 million followers.
He published a cookbook titled *Kung Food*, featuring over 100 recipes.
Kung hosts dinner parties with a seven-course Chinese takeout feast, including dishes like mapo tofu, crab rangoons, and Cantonese roast duck.
He regrets purchasing a used SMEG fridge with a British flag, which he has decorated with stickers.
Kung advocates for washing rice, especially Asian rice, to remove starch and potential rice weevils.
He recommends Zojirushi rice cookers, particularly models with pressure options.
Kung prefers the Terra Kaffe super automatic coffee maker over pour-over methods.
He advises against combination pans, recommending separate ceramic nonstick and stainless steel pans instead.
His preferred brands for cookware are Demeyere for stainless steel and GreenPan for ceramic nonstick.
Kung owns an AGA Total Control induction range, shipped from the UK, which he purchased after his TikTok success.
He recommends affordable starter knives like Victorinox and professional sharpening services.
Kung mentions a knife-sharpening service in Brooklyn that operates out of a converted ice cream truck.
Executive Summary
Jon Kung, a 42-year-old Chinese American TikTok creator and influencer chef with over 2 million followers, is known for blending global culinary traditions, particularly through his Chinese takeout feasts and cookbook *Kung Food*. In an interview, he shared insights into his kitchen practices, including his preference for washing rice, his use of specific cookware like Zojirushi rice cookers and Demeyere stainless steel pans, and his investment in a high-end AGA Total Control induction range. Kung also emphasized the importance of professional knife sharpening and recommended affordable starter knives like Victorinox. His approach to cooking reflects a third-culture perspective, aiming to make global ingredients accessible while maintaining a sense of home. The conversation highlighted his practical tips for home cooks, from meal prep to equipment choices, all rooted in his professional and personal culinary experiences.
Kung’s kitchen philosophy balances tradition with innovation, as seen in his regret over a British-flagged SMEG fridge—now adorned with punk and pop culture stickers—and his advocacy for induction cooking over gas. His recommendations, such as avoiding combination pans and using separate ceramic nonstick and stainless steel pans, underscore his focus on functionality and durability. The interview also touched on his meal-prep strategies and his preference for tools like the Terra Kaffe coffee maker, reflecting his adaptability in the kitchen. Overall, Kung’s perspective offers a blend of cultural heritage, professional expertise, and practical advice for modern cooking.
Full Take
Jon Kung’s interview offers a compelling lens into the intersection of cultural identity, culinary innovation, and practical kitchen wisdom. His third-culture approach—blending Chinese, Western, and global influences—resonates in an era where food media often flattens cultural nuances. The strongest version of this narrative highlights Kung’s ability to demystify global ingredients while maintaining authenticity, a rare balance in influencer-driven content. His emphasis on technique (e.g., rice washing) and equipment (e.g., induction cooking) reflects a broader shift toward sustainability and precision in home cooking.
However, the piece subtly reinforces the "influencer as authority" paradigm, where personal anecdotes (like the SMEG fridge) carry weight alongside professional advice. This blurs the line between relatable storytelling and expert guidance, a common pattern in lifestyle media (ARC-0024 Ambiguity). The focus on high-end equipment (e.g., the $30,000 AGA stove) also risks alienating audiences who lack access to such tools, though Kung mitigates this by recommending affordable alternatives like Victorinox knives.
Rooted in the democratization of culinary knowledge, Kung’s perspective challenges the gatekeeping of "authentic" cuisine while acknowledging the practical barriers (e.g., knife sharpening costs) that home cooks face. The broader implication is a tension between aspirational food culture and accessible, everyday cooking—a dynamic that shapes modern food media.
Bridge questions: How does Kung’s third-culture identity influence his culinary authority compared to chefs with more traditional backgrounds? What role does social media play in validating or distorting practical cooking advice? Would his recommendations hold the same weight without his online following?
Counterstrike scan: If this were part of a coordinated campaign, it might leverage Kung’s relatability to normalize high-end kitchen investments while framing affordability as a secondary concern. However, the content’s balance of personal anecdotes and practical tips doesn’t align with a manipulative playbook. The focus remains on genuine culinary education, not exploitation.
Patterns detected: ARC-0024 Ambiguity (blurring personal anecdote and expert advice).
Sentinel — Human
The article exhibits strong human characteristics, featuring specific anecdotal details, a conversational tone, and idiosyncratic emphasis that strongly suggest human authorship rather than synthetic generation.