Plus his least favorite ingredient to cook with.
EatingWell:Whats your top piece of advice for first-time grillers?
Tila:Take it one protein or dish at a time.
Photo:Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images
Start with a 1-inch steak or a chicken breast pounded into 1-inch thickness.
Salt, pepper and olive oil are always the perfect starting point.
Buy a cheap probe thermometer to nail it every time.
From there, it’s possible for you to go up in size of protein or complexity of dish.
EatingWell:Whats one ingredient you wish people would grill with more often?
Tila:Oyster mushrooms, baby corn and stone fruit are all really great on the grill and underappreciated.
EatingWell:Is there any ingredient you wont cook with?
EatingWell:Weve seen everything from raw onion to steel brushes for cleaning grills.
Whats your go-to cleaning method?
Tila:Everyone needs a cheap wire brush.
Once your grill is hot before you cook, give it an aggressive brushing.
EatingWell:Do you have any tips for keeping bugs away while cooking outdoors?
It could be overhead or just a cheap battery fan blowing over the food.
If you want to get some citronella candles, that can work too.
Another option is food covers, but they can be expensive.
EatingWell:Can you tell me all about your new outdoor kitchen?
Our goal was to be able to cook any meal outdoors that we can cook indoors.
We quickly learned that we actually had more fire power outdoors than we do indoors.
EatingWell:What part of the outdoor kitchen excites you most?
EatingWell:Do you already know what youre going to make for July 4?
If so, whats on the menu?
EatingWell:What does eating well mean to you?
