Chinese. Canadian. New Yorker.

What is cooking for me?

Growing up, it was always the sound of a big sizzling wok as the spices were thrown into the steaming hot oil. It felt fiery, passionate, and chaotic. Instructions were always a pinch of this, a little bit of that - no, a little more. I was fascinated by the rhythms of the kitchen and admired the impeccable method to this madness. 

When I was in 6th grade, my parents and I moved from Beijing to Toronto. Gone were the morning bustling from the meat and produce markets tucked in a hutong alleyway. So were my memories of my sleepy self sluggishly chewing on a steamed pork bun, suddenly jolted awake by the reeking ghastly smells of animal blood and the metallic scents from the seafood on display. That is when I knew we had arrived. The show was on. I licked the last remnants of my breakfast from the corner of my lips, and waited with great anticipation to see my grandma bargain with the merchants.  

In Toronto, we first rented a squeaking old house in a neighborhood filled with locals, with no Asian supermarket within a 45 minute drive. Breakfast became two whole grain toasts with an egg, hurriedly stuffed down my throat as I ran towards the school bus, always just shy of late. My mother learned to adapt her cooking to the ingredients in Canada.

My palate became imbued with Western influences as we ate at the local restaurants. On an eye-opening trip to Spain, the paellas and oxtail stews helped me see the connection between Asian and European cuisine for the first time. I picked up a never-found interest in chemistry as I discovered molecular gastronomy from Albert Adria’s episode on Chef’s Table. As I moved to New York City for college, there was no question that I kept experimenting with new foods and cuisines I’ve never tried before.

Why am I doing this?

Other than my love for creating dishes, I am doing this because I don’t want Chinese food to be relegated to the silo of cheap and oily take outs. I want to show people what real Chinese food is, and what Chinese fusion CAN be. 

At the same time, I refuse to confine myself to just that. I lived in Beijing. I am Canadian. I am a New York transplant with a passion for sustainable cooking. I have an identity that refuses to be pinned down.

Jia is the first character of my Chinese name. It also means “home” in Mandarin. As a multinational expat trying to define the meaning of home, I am here to tell my Story of Jia, one dish at a time.

Who is this for?

Recipes - is for people who want step-by-step instructions for learning Chinese cuisine & my other signature dishes (not just Chinese food!).

Experiments & Concepts - is for people who want to think differently about their approach to ingredient choices, cooking techniques, and recipe design. Join me as I explore new concepts, cuisines, and contemporary challenges surrounding food sustainability and identity.

Stories - is for everyone to experience visual stories, told through the showing of a multi-course meal I create. The subject of my stories are food, people, love and everything in between. Launching sometime in the future.

Disclaimer : I have a full-time job, and this is my hobby on the side. The views expressed here are mine, and not those of my full-time employer.