Philly Chef, Star Athlete Among TIME's 100 Most Influential People

PHILADELPHIA — Two notable Philadelphia figures were recently named among TIME Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

The annual TIME100 list is out, and among figures such as President Donald Trump, musician Ed Sheeran, and surgeon and humanitarian Dr. Robert Montgomery are a Philadelphia chef and a sports star.

They are Chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon of Kalaya and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.

"Nok’s Thai cuisine embodies everything she’s gone through and everything she’s worked for, which means that her dishes are vibrant, personal, and full of flavor," Chef Michael Solomonov, of Zahav and Federal Donuts fame, wrote about Suntaranon in TIME. "Nok lights up any room that she enters, and her Philly restaurant, Kalaya, is no exception. She’s given everyone in the city the ability to experience an incredible meal in a beautiful space, something truly special. Eating Nok’s food—and being her friend—is a very visceral, delicious experience."

Philadelphians can celebrate with Suntaranon May 3 at Bok Building’s Two Persons Coffee from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. where she will be hosting a cookbook event in partnership with Binding Agents. There will be a brief talk with Suntaranon and co-author Natalie Jesionka, drinks, light bites from Kalaya, and time to mingle and get books signed. Tickets available online here.

Former New York Yankees star short stop Derek Jeter penned the editorial about Hurts, who was named the MVP in Super Bowl LIX after a decisive victory over the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs.

"I admire how great athletes deal with both success and failure," Jeter wrote. "What Jalen Hurts went through in being benched during the 2018 National Championship game would break a lot of people down. But not Jalen; he focused on what he could control and found a new path to success. In the NFL, Jalen didn’t let a Super Bowl defeat in 2023 shake his confidence. He used that loss as motivation and kept a picture of himself walking off the field after losing as his phone lock screen."

See TIME's full list of the 100 most influential people in the world online here.