UHDS News

View the video at the source: KVAL TV, Feb. 8, 2013.

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Lunar New Year, known to many as the Chinese New Year, is fast approaching.

Oregon State University is celebrating with food.  To help make the meal just a little more special they brought in celebrity chef Jet Tila.

Chef Jet Tila has made several appearances on Food Network shows like Chopped, and he’s worked with big names like Anthony Bourdain.  However, all they had to do to get this high caliber chef to Corvallis was ask.

“It’s nice to be the token Chinese Asian guy, and fly around the country and talk about Asian food,” says Chef Tila, “But no, seriously, this is the biggest … I wouldn’t say holiday, but biggest day of remembrance for all Chinese people around the world. The Lunar New Year is a way for me to teach people about Asian Cuisine, and food is the most non political/confrontational way to teach people about culture.”

And for this chef, whether it is Corvallis or anywhere, being able to use his celebrity status to share culture through cuisine is the ultimate.

“It’s amazing that people would want to come out and say hello,” Says Chef Tila. “And if celebrity is helping educate people then that is one of the best things celebrity can do for anyone.”

[Corvallis Gazette-Times, Feb. 11, 2013] — Jet Tila of TV’s Food Network visits OSU and shares some stir-fry tips

The chef transferred the finished product — Chinese fried rice — from the wok to a bowl made from a pineapple shell.

“Does that look sexy?” he asked the audience. “Food must look sexy!”

Chef and Food Network television personality Jet Tila offered tips in Asian cooking and cracked jokes during an interactive demonstration Thursday at Oregon State University’s Marketplace West Dining Center. Tila shared his expertise and recipes with hundreds of people during the lunch and dinner hours as part of OSU’s celebration of the first day of the lunar calendar.

After fried rice, he began preparing spicy maple pork, a Thai dish.

“We’re going from China to Thailand in a snap,” he said.

While cooking in a temporary kitchen on a raised platform, Tila chattered about the proper cooking oil to use, techniques in chopping vegetables and the do’s and don’ts of Asian cooking.

Anyone can make good stir fry, Tila said, but there are certain rules they should follow.

“First rule of stir fry is this … everything in its place,” he said. “All that means in the culinary world is, get everything prepped and ready to go.”

Tila cut up the vegetables, including the ends of the bell pepper.

“I waste nothing because my grandmother would slap me on the hand,” he said.

He said the best investment any chef can make is one multiuse knife.

“I’m not a knife Madonna,” he said. “You just need one darn good chef’s knife.”

High-temperature, low-flavor oils are best for cooking in a wok, he said, and there is one hard and fast rule in Chinese cooking.

Read the full article by GT reporter Canda Fuqua. Photos by Jesse Skoubo.