These days, every celeb is a multihyphenate star, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson is no different. Sure, he's an actor, activist and Broadway star, but tucked away in his Instagram bio is a one-liner that proves he's one of us: "Aspiring professional food cooker person."
The Modern Family actor grew up in Albuquerque, NM, which is reflected in his all-time favorite foods—salsa, enchiladas and tacos—but over the years, he's diversified his cuisine choices, even becoming an investor (with his husband, Justin) in a swanky, Los Angeles-based French bistro, Terrine.
During a break between filming and starring in his one-man show, we sat down with the aspiring professional food cooker person himself to talk about his favorite restaurants, what he eats in a typical day—and the moment that forever changed the way he eats.
His Willpower Lasts Until Dinner.
"I try to eat healthy," Ferguson says (don't we all?). Here's what that looks like.
Breakfast: Eggs, oatmeal, sausage, salsa, coffee
Lunch: He keeps it light. "Chicken is always good!"
Dinner: "Dinner is where I indulge. I love to go out."
JTF loves to eat good food and tells me that catering on the set of Modern Family has a "wide variety." That sure can't hurt the actor's process.
He's All About These Two LA Hot Spots.
Ferguson is all about the Night + Song Market in West Hollywood. "It's Thai-Vietnamese food ... very spicy," he says. "But, it's one of my favorite places."
But then there's also Terrine, which he may be a little biased toward, but it still sounds pretty amazing. "It's a French bistro with fresh California ingredients," he explains. "We're really proud of this place."
This Meal Sent Him to the Hospital.
JTF has gotten heartburn sporadically throughout his life, but it wasn't until he turned 30 that it really started hitting him hard.
"After a night of eating heavy food, I thought I was having a heart attack and I went to the emergency room," he says. "Fortunately, it was just heartburn. Heartburn can be incredibly painful, and if its not something you're used to, it can be scary."
That's all cleared up for him, though, since he started taking Pepcid before meals.
Foods like pizza, pasta, and enchiladas would cause the worst pain for him.
"After performing on stage [in my Broadway show, Fully Committed], which is basically 90 minutes of cardio, I would want nothing more than to just eat a huge bowl of pasta, but having that food later at night always triggered heartburn," he says.
Luckily for Jesse, he has found a cure for the 'burn, which means he can keep acting pain-free, but more importantly, he can continue his affair with those glorious enchiladas.
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