TIME Journal’s 2025 record of the 100 Most Influential Individuals got here out this week, and Philly had two representatives: Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, the visionary chef behind Kalaya.
Every winner was the topic of a brief essay by one other celeb. Right here’s what they needed to say.
Jalen Hurts
Hurts’ journey from a promising faculty quarterback to shock Eagles draft choose to Tremendous Bowl MVP is inspiring. His management helped convey dwelling the Lombardi Trophy in Tremendous Bowl 59, and his impression goes nicely past stats and highlights. In his TIME profile, baseball legend and basic “winner” Derek Jeter captured what makes Hurts particular:
“Generally folks win, then exhale. Jalen isn’t exhaling. He’s embracing the following problem. Win or lose, Jalen’s resilience and dedication provide all of us one thing to admire.”
Hurts has additionally made an impression in Philly by donating $200,000 to purchase greater than 300 air-con models for 10 Philly colleges a yr in the past.
Hurts’ dedication and work ethic have by no means been questioned, however he’s been on groups with plenty of veteran management and this previous season was marked by the arrival of Saquon Barkley, who had a huge effect on the crew and shortly turned a fan favourite.
‘Nok’ Suntaranon
Suntaranon has contributed mightily to Philadelphia’s eating panorama along with her genuine and creative Thai delicacies at Kalaya in Fishtown. Acknowledged by TIME as an “innovator,” Nok’s cooking is deeply private, reflecting her journey and keenness. Fellow Philadelphia chef Michael Solomonov, of Zahav fame, described her as:
“Wild and eccentric, Nok’s meals embodies all the things she’s gone by way of and all the things she’s labored for, which suggests her dishes are vibrant, private, and filled with taste.”
Kalaya has grow to be a must-visit vacation spot for meals lovers, and Nok’s affect stretches past the kitchen — she’s a James Beard Award winner, cookbook creator, and a featured chef on Netflix’s Chef’s Desk.
As she informed Billy Penn’s Ali Mohsen after profitable her Beard Award in 2023:
“I’m very aggressive, and never in a really quiet means. After I opened Kalaya I hoped for greatest new restaurant so dangerous, so dangerous. And till in the present day I by no means gave up, I saved pushing.”
Suntaranon’s recognition is the newest proof of Philadelphia’s place on the worldwide culinary map, displaying the world town’s wealthy and numerous meals tradition.
And for those who’re on the lookout for some extent of intersection in these tales, Billy Penn has one: This story from 2021 about Kalaya’s 60-foot-long hoagies, made specifically for the Eagles’ earlier Tremendous Bowl look.