Celebrity Chef Jet Tila Cooks for Kean
Students, faculty and staff at Kean University recently got a culinary treat when celebrity chef Jet Tila, best known for appearances on Iron Chef America, Chopped and Cutthroat Kitchen, opened a pop-up restaurant in a dining hall for the afternoon.
Tila prepared and served Vietnamese fusion food, posed for selfies, signed books and spent one-on-one time with fans.
“This is a way to engage and tell students they can get high quality and healthy food here,” said Tila. “It's fun to interact with students and connect with them. I encourage them to ask questions and even take a selfie.”
Tila partnered with Kean and Gourmet Dining LLC, the University’s food vendor, to develop the program, which is designed to add a global taste to the dining hall’s menu and draw students in.
“The whole idea is we want to introduce new ideas to the school, since it’s such a diverse culture here at Kean,” said Susan Rubin, Gourmet Dining resident district manager. “We also want students to know that the dining hall is open to everyone. You don’t have to be a residential student.”
Tila worked with Kean’s Executive Chef Kenneth Fredericks, to prepare the dishes.
“There is a wow factor for students as they come into the dining hall and see Jet here,” said Fredericks. “If you look around, we have students from different cultures coming to Kean for a world-class education. We are bringing new experiences to students as part of their educational experience.”
Students were especially excited to be able to meet the man behind the day's delicious lunchtime options, which included Korean BBQ beef, teriyaki chicken, miso glazed sweet potato, sweet chili steamed vegetables, cucumber salad and more. Danielle Butler, a junior biology major from Plainfield, has been a Tila fan since watching him on Food Network with her mom. She was one of the first people in line to be served by the celebrity chef.
“I am trying to play it cool, but I am really geeked right now. I told my little sister she must come with me,” she said.
Tila’s appearance created a buzz on social media too.
“I love being a Kean student! Not only did I get to eat food from one of my favorite celebrity chefs, but he took the time to speak with me and answer my questions,” student Kris Berrios, a senior psychology major, posted on Instagram. “Don’t know which is better, @jettila or his food!”
Kean has welcomed celebrity chefs to the residence hall dining hall in the past as a way to further promote the dining option and will continue the celebrity chef series next year.