Mets' Jonah Tong Details Wild Grilled Cheese Recipe Containing Maple Syrup in Video
New York Mets pitcher Jonah Tong expanded on his past claims that maple syrup is the secret to a perfect grilled cheese in a recent interview with Rob Friedman of Pitching Ninja.
"I'm telling you, it's the greatest combination on earth," Tong told Friedman. "I don't know what about the cheese, the butter, the bread, toasted with a sweet maple syrup— the darker the better— chef's kiss."
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According to Tong, making the grilled cheese starts with greasing the pan with butter before placing in fresh-baked white bread and American cheese.
"You brown it on both sides. You make sure it's crispy, but soft on the inside, because the cheese melts," Tong said. "Put it off. Then you grab your maple syrup. So, this has to be Canadian. If it's Vermont, it doesn't count. There is a difference."
The grilled cheese is then cut into strips and dipped into a bowl of syrup "like a French toast stick," Tong said.
The Mets might be hoping Tong's cooking skills can fuel a breakout season for the right-hander in 2026. After making his MLB debut last season, he's heading into the campaign as the fourth-ranked prospect in the Mets organization, according to MLB Pipeline.
Tong was drafted by the Mets as a seventh-round pick in 2022. His name has come up in trade rumors surrounding New York's ongoing search for pitching help, although he responded to those reports earlier this week by saying he loves "being a Met."
The 22-year-old could now join Brandon Sproat, the Mets' No. 5 ranked prospect, and Christian Scott, who made his debut in 2024 but missed the 2025 season while recovering from elbow surgery, in competing for a spot in the Mets' rotation next spring.
How much of an opportunity Tong gets next season could depend at least in part in how much competition the Mets add to their pitching pipeline this winter. ESPN's Jeff Passan recently named the Mets as one of seven teams that have so far been "most aggressive" in pursuing "mid-tier" pitching this offseason.
