{"id":172635,"date":"2026-02-28T16:00:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T21:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/?p=172635"},"modified":"2026-02-28T16:30:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T21:30:49","slug":"jing-gao-fly-by-jing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/jing-gao-fly-by-jing\/","title":{"rendered":"Mother Essentials: Jing Gao of Fly by Jing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Born in Chengdu and raised between China and the U.S., Jing Gao<\/a> has turned Fly By Jing<\/a> into a brand celebrated for bold Sichuan flavors, rich cultural storytelling, and modern Chinese pantry staples. (We\u2019re longtime devotees of her signature Chili Crisp<\/a>\u2014and just as hooked on her new Classic Soy Noodles<\/a>, a six-minute, family-friendly staple.)<\/p>\n

Now based in Nevada, Jing balances the demands of founder life with raising her toddler son, Kai (you might remember her touching essay<\/a> on being reborn as a mother). In her Mother Essentials<\/a> list below, she shares the rituals and everyday comforts that nourish herself and her family\u2014showing how food is both her creative medium and<\/em> love language. From toddler-approved Chinese music books and her “morning pages” ritual, to her Fly by Jing<\/a> favorites and local hikes through the red rock canyons, these are the products and practices keeping Jing fueled and inspired every day.<\/p>\n

Fly By Jing Classic Soy Noodles.<\/strong> “A key comfort food in our house. They\u2019re quick enough for busy evenings (6 minutes!), flavorful enough for adults, and\u2014because they\u2019re our very first non-spicy noodle\u2014simple enough to share with kids.” Classic Soy Noodles (6-Pack), $30, Fly by Jing<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Bao Bao Learns Chinese.<\/strong> “A great music book for toddlers to learn Chinese via catchy songs. Kai loves listening and singing along to the same Chinese nursery rhymes that I grew up with. This is a playful, accessible, and a sweet way to keep culture woven into our everyday life.” Bao Bao Learns Chinese Vol. 1, $28.99, Amazon<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Regulars Bundle by Tubby Todd.<\/strong> “My son has sensitive skin, so anything that\u2019s gentle and reliable is immediately an everyday essential.” The Regulars Bundle, $49, Tubby Todd<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Expand Meditation App.<\/strong> “Even five quiet minutes can entirely shift the tone of my day. Being a founder means keeping my calm when things get chaotic, so it\u2019s important to me that this is a part of my daily practice.” MonroeInstitute.org<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Morning Pages (The Artist\u2019s Way).<\/strong> “If you\u2019ve ever read The Artist\u2019s Way<\/em>, you\u2019ll know the power of the morning pages. I\u2019m still dedicated to doing these daily\u2014even years later. The stream-of-consciousness style of writing helps me clear my mind first thing in the morning and, maybe most importantly, stay connected to my inner voice.” The Artist’s Way, $22.37, Bookshop<\/a> and Amazon<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hiking the Red Rock Canyons.<\/strong> “Getting outside for me is non-negotiable. Whether it\u2019s a long hike or a simple walk, the fresh air and scenery helps me recalibrate. It\u2019s been fun to share that with Kai as he gets older and begins to appreciate the views as well.” Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Toiro Donabe With Steamer Attachment.<\/strong> “One of the most versatile pieces in my kitchen. I use it for steaming vegetables, seafood, rice\u2014even simmering broths. Steaming in a donabe preserves the natural sweetness and delicacy of ingredients, and when you steam over kombu water or dashi, it infuses everything with deep umami. It makes simple, nourishing family meals feel elevated.” Donabe Steamer, $240, Toiro<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Zojirushi Rice Cooker.<\/strong> “Speaking of rice, one of the most game-changing kitchen tools is a simple rice cooker. It saves me the hassle of manually preparing the rice (so I can prep the other parts of the meal in the meantime), but the end result is consistent and high quality.” Zojirushi Rice Cooker, $55.99, Amazon<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Fly By Jing Electric Hot Pot Starter Set.<\/strong> “Hot pot has always been about the joy of gathering around a table with people you love, but it\u2019s taken on new meaning since becoming a mom. It gives me a bit of extra time and space to spend time with my family at the end of hectic founder days.” Hot Pot Starter Set, $130, Fly By Jing<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp.<\/strong> “My cookbook\u2014The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp<\/em>\u2014offers some really great recipes that are rooted in tradition but adapted for the modern kitchen. It\u2019s easy inspo for elevating your go-to family meals with a little something extra.” The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp: Spicy Recipes and Stories from Fly By Jing’s Kitchen, $18, Amazon<\/a> and Bookshop<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ghia.<\/strong> “An easy non-alc beverage everyone loves. I\u2019m a big fan of a quick and easy drink option that makes my at-home meals feel a little extra special. Ghia\u2019s great if you\u2019re cutting back on alcohol. It\u2019s a big crowd-pleaser\u2014so it works equally as well for hosting as it does for nights in with the family.” Ghia Non-Alcoholic Ap\u00e9ritif, $38, Amazon<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Blueland Cleaning Products.<\/strong> “Making meals at home means slightly more mess than ordering in, but I love Blueland because it makes the clean-up process feel extra simple and safe\u2014key for me as a newer mom. I\u2019m partial to their multi-surface cleaner, which is free from parabens, phosphates, ammonia, VOCs, chlorine bleach, and phthalates, and\u2014best of all\u2014is easily refillable.” Blueland Multi-surface Cleaner Starter Set, $16, Blueland<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork, Ireland<\/strong>. “I gifted myself a birthday trip to Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork, Ireland for a week-long homesteading course. It was transformative. Learning about growing, cooking, and sustaining food systems felt especially poignant as a mother and left me dreaming about starting a farm of my own someday.” Ballymaloecookeryschool.ie<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Chiyo.<\/strong> “This TCM-based meal delivery service was originally designed for prenatal and postpartum care, but honestly, I still order from them regularly. It\u2019s deeply nourishing, beautifully prepared food\u2014for anyone, anytime.” WeAreChiyo.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

For more\u00a0<\/em>MOTHER ESSENTIALS<\/em><\/a>, peep our recent features with\u00a0Sarah Fritsch<\/a>\u00a0of Studio Tigress, artist\u00a0Lena Corwin<\/a>,\u00a0Hello!Lucky\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0sister duo, doula and author\u00a0Latham Thomas<\/a>,\u00a0Carla Wingett<\/a>\u00a0of Idlewild Floral,\u00a0Andrea Faulkner Williams<\/a>\u00a0of Tubby Todd,\u00a0Hana Getachew<\/a>\u00a0of Bole Road Textiles, artist & author\u00a0Carissa Potter Carlson<\/a>, actress & activist\u00a0Hilary Swank<\/a>, the co-founders of\u00a0Hearth Display<\/a>, author and organizer\u00a0Aida Mariam Davis<\/a>, design consultant\u00a0Joyce Lee<\/a>, self-care advocate\u00a0Rachel Garahan<\/a>, and DJ and director\u00a0Va$htie Kola<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Born in Chengdu and raised between China and the U.S., Jing Gao has turned Fly By Jing into a brand celebrated for bold Sichuan flavors, rich cultural storytelling, and modern Chinese pantry staples. (We\u2019re longtime devotees of her signature Chili Crisp\u2014and just as hooked on her new Classic Soy Noodles, a six-minute, family-friendly staple.) Now…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":172663,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[66,108,7],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172635"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=172635"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172635\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":172671,"href":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172635\/revisions\/172671"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/172663"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=172635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=172635"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=172635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}