Things You Didn’t Know About Jordan Andino

Although Andino grew up with his mom in Manhattan Beach, Calif., he was born in The Six. And so he’d return to Toronto in the summers and on vacations to spend time with his dad. As a result, he’s worked in several top-notch Canadian kitchens alongside his father, who was the chef de cuisine and executive chef at places like North 44, Rosewater, Aqua, and Flow.

When you think of some of the culinary greats, who comes to mind? We certainly think of notable chefs like Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller, and Jean Georges Vongerichten. As it turns out, in addition to graduating at the top of his class at Cornell University’s Hotel School of Administration, Andino has also trained under all of these culinary masters.

Before hosting Late Nite Eats, Andino made appearances on series like Beat Bobby Flay and Chopped, and he has also been featured on numerous TV stations across the U.S. So there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen him pop up on your screens before!

There’s no denying the popularity of reality royal family the Kardashians. As it turns out, Andino has an in with them too—he was the featured chef on one of the sisters’ spinoff series, Kourtney and Khloe Take the Hamptons.

In an interview with Food Network Canada, Andino revealed that any home cook who is interested in furthering their skills absolutely needs to purchase a copy of Larousse Gastronomique.

“It’s the number one book that every person who’s passionate about cooking should have,” he said. “It’s the encyclopedia of cooking. It’s the last definitive answer on something.”

Andino is a big fan of tattoos, which is why he’s gotten several over the years. Big Bang Tattoos is his go-to spot—there he’s gotten salt (he always seasons his food), a spoon (“Filipinos eat with spoons”), garlic, a pig, and calamansi (a small citrus plant that he loves to cook with), among others.

When you’ve got so much skill, you need to share it with others. Andino has been doing exactly that with Flip Sigi, a fast-casual Filipino Taquerias with two locations in New York. The spots aren’t just known for their delicious dishes, but also for their vibrant atmospheres and eclectic music.

Why walk when you can skateboard? That seems to be one of Jordan’s mantras. Not only does he love the method of transportation, but he also has a skateboard tattoo and skateboards adorn the walls of his restaurants.

Jordan has worked with, around, and for some pretty notable chefs over the years, but the one person whose food continues to impress and inspire him most is his grandmother’s. He says “anything that she makes” is basically his favourite dish. That includes Korean-style shortribs, pork belly, and pancit, a Filipino rice noodles with veggies, sweet Chinese sausage, and shrimp.