Ep. 3 : Jing Gao

The journey from rootlessness to cultural pride isn't a straight line - just ask Jing Gao. Born in Chengdu, China, the founder of Fly By Jing spent her childhood moving across continents, adopting a Western name and working tirelessly to blend in as the only Asian kid in her schools. But a remarkable transformation began when she reconnected with her culinary heritage as an adult.

In this captivating conversation, Jing reveals how food became her pathway back to identity. From starting a food blog that caught the attention of celebrity chefs to opening (and painfully losing) her first restaurant in Shanghai, each step prepared her for what would become Fly By Jing - now one of America's fastest-growing condiment brands. 

The story behind Fly By Jing's viral chili crisp is both entrepreneurial masterclass and spiritual journey. Jing shares the raw details of her Kickstarter success, manufacturing challenges in China, and a shipping disaster that became an unexpected brand-building moment. With remarkable candor, she explores how business growth forced personal growth - confronting fears, embracing vulnerability, and finding purpose beyond profit.

Most powerfully, Jing articulates how her mission transcends sauce, challenging perceptions of Chinese cuisine as "cheap" while creating space for authentic cultural expression. Her ambition? To make chili crisp as ubiquitous in American homes as ketchup, while staying true to Sichuan culinary traditions.

Whether you're building a business, searching for identity, or simply curious about the woman behind the condiment taking over your social feed, this conversation offers wisdom on resilience, adaptability, and the courage to embrace what makes you different. Have you tried it on ice cream yet? You should.