Jon Kung
Chinese-American chef
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jonathan Kung is a Chinese-American chef based in Detroit, Michigan. They are known for their viral cooking content on TikTok and Instagram. Kung's debut cookbook Kung Food: Recipes from a Third-Culture Chinese Kitchen was released in 2023.
Life and career
Kung was born in Los Angeles to parents from Hong Kong.[1] Kung was raised in Hong Kong and Toronto.[2][3] They received their bachelor's degree in creative writing and theatre from Eastern Michigan University.[3] Kung moved to Detroit in 2007 to study law at University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.[4][5] During law school Kung began to cook more often and shared their experiences in a blog.[1] Kung began to assist chefs in Detroit,[3] and they also worked as a cook at Gold Cash Gold, Takoi, and Standby.[6] Eventually, they started their own food popup at Eastern Market, Kung Food, until they had to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] They graduated law school never passed the Michigan bar exam, failing the first time by three points and the second time by two. They decided to shift to cooking as a career not long after.[1]
In 2020, Kung gained a following by posting cooking videos to TikTok and Instagram.[5][3] Their initial videos were "survival" recipes fit for viewers sheltering in place.[2] Their recipes frequently combine traditional Chinese ingredients and American dishes.[3] Their debut book Kung Food: Recipes from a Third-Culture Chinese Kitchen was released in October 2023.[3] Kung and drag queen Kim Chi co-hosted the culture and food podcast 1 for the Table.[7]
Kung is nonbinary and uses he/him[1] and they/them pronouns.[5][6]
