Jet Tila's Net Worth In 2024 Isn't From Being 'Cutthroat' — It's From Being Himself

Jet Tila 's net worth in 2024 is thanks to a few factors: His upbringing and his being game for just about anything.

"My cooking success is attributed to my grandmother from my mom’s side who really helped me channel my ADHD energy into cooking from a young age," he told Millennial magazine . "My father was a fearless visionary who taught me anything was possible, and my mother gave me the love and support that drove me."

Tila's lack of overthinking also played a huge role in becoming a star chef.

"I've always been too dumb to say 'no,'" the Thai cuisine king joked. "From cooking at Google, to Wynn then Food Network, I always just went for it."

Is it really dumb if it pays off in spades? We think not! Find out how Jet Tila rose to chef stardom and how much he's earned along the way.

Related: Jet Tila's Classic Pad Thai Recipe

How did Jet Tila get famous?

Tila was born Jet Tilakamonkul on Feb. 6, 1975, in Los Angeles. His parents are Thai Chinese immigrants who established some of the first Thai food markets and restaurants in the United States.

"As a kid, I spent time learning the ancient traditions of Asian cuisine from my Cantonese grandmother," Tila told The Snack . "She was my first cooking instructor. I have these flavor and sense memories that go back 40 years and inspire me to always look for that authentic experience that I remember growing up. Food is about learning the old ways, listening to the stories they tell you, then shaping them into art for all the senses."

Tila's family owned seven Thai eateries, and Tila worked in three of them, developing a love for seasonings and ingredients that often had to be imported to the U.S.

"Wanting to know where they came from, what they could do, and how to use them, that really sparked my passion to cook," he said.

His passion for cooking was a saving grace for Tila, who told The Los Angeles Times that he struggled to find direction in life and dropped out of high school, getting a GED and working odd jobs for years.

In his 20s, Tila began teaching cooking classes out of his backyard, typically for around 20 people at a time. Soon, he was featured in The Los Angeles Times , and his class sizes grew significantly and made him realize that cooking Thai cuisine was his calling and could be a lucrative career.

He enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu, then the California Sushi Academy, and worked for a corporate catering service for several years. He was also a food and cooking contributing writer for The Los Angeles Times , NPR and Food Network, to name a few.

Tila hosted Thai food tours throughout Los Angeles and, in 2008, became executive chef at Wazuzu at the Encore in Las Vegas, opening the eatery in what was reportedly a record 98 days. He left Wazuzu after three years, and in 2011 appeared on Iron Chef America . While he didn't win, his score was close to victor Masaharu Morimoto 's, and his appearance established him as a full-blown celebrity chef far beyond the confines of the City of Angels.

Since his Iron Chef America appearance, Tila is a TV regular and owns several of his own eateries. He's appeared on Beat Bobby Flay , Best Bite In Town , Chopped , Cutthroat Kitchen , Guy's Grocery Games , Parts Unknown With Anthony Bourdain , Chopped , Cutthroat Kitchen , TODAY and more — not to mention his own series, Ready Jet Cook .

Related: Bobby Flay's Net Worth and How He Made It

What is Jet Tila's net worth in 2024?

Jet Tila's net worth in 2024 clocks in at a cool $1 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth .

Tila counts several other celebrity chefs, including Alton Brown , Bobby Flay , Guy Fieri and Alex Guarnaschelli , as his mentors, which likely has helped him manage all his different endeavors.

"I mean, personal time reviewing my career and getting real-life advice," he told Millennial magazine . "It's kind of the dream set of mentors and they each have shaped parts of my life and career."

He's diversified his income streams thanks to his restaurants, TV appearances, cookbooks, merch and — if you have the cash to splash — virtual hangouts and cooking classes.

"I learned quickly that I wasn’t just a chef, but a brand — a product that could be licensed, sold and used to promote things," Tila told The Los Angeles Times in 2018. "I wrote recipes and packaged them into concepts. I created a logo that I could apply to my recipes and concepts. That logo meant Chef Jet made that recipe and I had to make sure the recipes were delicious. So when any of my guests in restaurants, campuses or cooking classes made them, there was brand recognition."

Related: Alton Brown Shares 10 Things That Make Life Worth Living—From Kitchen Tools to Puppies to Coffee

What restaurants does Jet Tila own?

Tila is a developer and owns a minority stake in the casual chain Pei Wei Asian Kitchen, which was formerly part of P.F. Chang's.

"The original culinary team that made Pei Wei great is back,” Tila told Restaurant Business in 2022. "There's lots of internal innovation from collaboration with the in-house chefs and together, we’re creating a new playbook."

He's also developer of Dragon Tiger Noodle Co ., which has five locations throughout Nevada (and a sixth on the way), one in Colorado and one in Washington.

Related: Guy Fieri's Net Worth From Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and More

What world record does Jet Tila hold?

Tila has not one, but four world records : He made the world's largest stir fry (4,010 lbs.); the world's largest fruit salad (over 15,000 lbs.); the world's largest seafood stew (6,656 lbs.); and the world's largest California roll (422 ft.).

What languages does Jet Tila speak?

English is actually Tila's third language, he told Millennial magazine : He grew up speaking Thai and Cantonese at home.

Related: How to Add an Egg to Instant Ramen, According to Jet Tila

Where does Jet Tila live?

Tila and his wife, Ali Tila , live in Los Angeles with their two children.

What awards has Jet Tila won?

Tila's Ready Jet Cook has been nominated for a Shorty Award , three Emmys and a James Beard Award and won a Telly Award. He is a winner of the Dream of Los Angeles Award and was named the first-ever Culinary Ambassador of Thai Cuisine by the Royal Thai Consul-General.

Next up: The Bear Star and Chef Matty Matheson's Net Worth Proves It Pays to Do What You Love