Chef Conversations

In the kitchen with Thomas Griese of Jing Scottsdale

By Alison Bailin Batz / Photo by Debby Wolvos

Thomas Griese is the corporate executive chef of Jing Scottsdale, where he crafts and creatively plates globally inspired dishes with Asian influences.

What is the significance of the name Jing?

In Chinese, it loosely translates to “energy,” which is our primary focus at the restaurant. We bring together a high-energy aesthetic and elevated dishes that balance flavor with presentation and precision.

What are the must-try dishes?

Our Peking duck, which takes three days to prepare and is only available in limited quantities each night, is one of our most popular items. Another standout dish is the Alaskan snow crab roll with warm ponzu butter. You also don’t want to miss out on any of our steaks that are cooked in our hand-crafted Josper grill over live fire, and if looking for a great veg, our crispy Brussels with Szechuan glaze are outstanding.

What inspired you to become a chef?

I picked up a copy of chef Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry Cookbook in my early teens and I remember thinking, “I’m going to work for him someday.” I got myself accepted into culinary school after high school, and by my early 20s, I was – indeed – working in that kitchen.

Tell us about your journey since then.

I’ve been lucky enough to cook for some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the world, including Bouchon and Le Cirque. I also helped oversee the culinary program at The Setai, Miami Beach, and then held multiple roles with Michael Mina restaurants. I then went to Italy to work under world-renowned butcher Dario Cecchini. I later met Jing founder Charlie Huang in 2019 and felt like our visions aligned.

If your cooking style was a movie, what would it be and why?

While not in a jet 10,000 miles up, the kitchen is fast, unpredictable and right on the edge. I’d like to think I’m Maverick – my name is even Thomas, like Tom Cruise – but Michael Mina’s nickname for me did happen to be The Ice Man for my calm under pressure.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

My uncle is NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Griese, and while that is pretty fun, believe it or not, he put out a cookbook – Griese Spoon Cookbook – before me!

Jing, 10605 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale; 602.699.8888; www.jingrestaurant.com.