Summary of J.Kenji Lopez Alt - Interview with North American Post, Elaine Ikoma Ko, July 2022, Seattle, WA, USA

00:00:00 - 00:45:00

J. Kenji Lopez Alt is a chef, food writer, and social media personality who has become renowned for his approach to cooking. In this interview, he discusses his upbringing, his career, and his latest book. He emphasizes the importance of following your passions and provides advice for those who want to learn more about cooking.

• 00:00:00 James Kenji Lopez Alt is a Japanese-American chef and food writer who has become renowned for his social media presence and YouTube channel. He has three published books, the most recent of which is the "Walk."
• 00:05:00 Kenji Lopez Alt was born in Japan and moved to the US with his parents when he was four years old. He grew up in New York City and was close to his Japanese grandparents. His grandparents came to the US shortly after they were married and lived in an apartment building next door to Kenji's parents. Kenji's grandparents passed away two years ago.
• 00:10:00 J.Kenji Lopez Alt, who grew up other than Japanese food, remarks that he would say his mother's cooking was more typical of Japanese cuisine than American food. He also says that he enjoyed cooking with his father, who was more into science. Alt later failed in an attempt to become a professional cook, and eventually returned to the kitchen as a hobby.
• 00:15:00 J.Kenji Lopez Alt, a chef and science enthusiast, transitioned to food writing after being hired as a test cook at Cook's Illustrated magazine. He discusses his passion for writing and cooking, and how those two hobbies intersected to form his current career.
• 00:20:00 J. Kenji Lopez Alt talks about how he found his passion in life and how it has helped him in his career. Alt discusses his experience as a cook's illustrator and then as a food writer. He says that it's important to follow your passions and to allow your writing voice to develop.
• 00:25:00 The author discusses his experiences in cooking and various recipes he's created. He also discusses his book, The Food Lab, and how it is different from his other books.
• 00:30:00 Kenji Lopez Alt discusses balancing work and home life with his two young children, as well as his first book, the food lab. He shares that he and his wife have a successful career in the computer industry, but that he has learned to say no to people in order to have a healthy balance in his life. His photos are beautiful and showcase his culinary skills beautifully.
• 00:35:00 J.Kenji Lopez Alt, a Seattle-based author, cook, and food commentator, discusses his experiences living and working in various cities across North America. Seattle, he says, has a "comfortable food scene" that reminds him of his hometown of Boston. He also speaks about his work as an author and food commentator, and how writing about food has helped him to develop a more personal relationship with food.
• 00:40:00 Kenji Lopez Alt's book, "A Wok Cookbook," is a compilation of recipes inspired by Japanese and Western dishes. Alt discusses the benefits of cooking with a wok and how it has made him a better chef.
• 00:45:00 Kenji Lopez Alt discusses his book "Cook the Way You Cook: If You've Enjoyed Cooking In It and You Enjoy, There's No Reason to Change Those Things." He emphasizes that there is no need to change your cooking style if you enjoy it, and that the recipes in the book are designed to teach you how to cook more effectively and achieve different results than you might be used to. He provides contact information for Instagram and YouTube accounts where people can ask questions and leave comments.