J. Kenji López-Alt

J. Kenji López-Alt 3x NYT Best-Selling Author of The Food Lab, The Wok, and Every Night is Pizza Night. Seattle mostly. YouTube.

08/11/2026

Combustion Inc's Predictive Thermometer is my absolute go-to in the kitchen, especially when cooking with meat. With a typical thermometer, you need to find the exact center of the meat to test for temp. With multiple sensors and predictive algorithms, this thermometer does the work for you, allowing you to get a more holistic view of the internal temp from the center to the edges of your roast. Grab yours 🌡️: https://combustion.inc/

P.S. Full recipe for this tsukune is live now on my YouTube and Patreon!

08/10/2026

Great Japanese meatballs—like this tsukune—starts with the grind. And that's a grind you're gonna have to do yourself.

Tsukune is at its best with a juicy, springy texture that you just can't get with pre-ground, store-bought chicken. My solution is to start with skin-on chicken thighs and grind them myself in a food processor with all the aromatics. Pro tip: Chilling the chicken briefly in the freezer beforehand helps keep everything cold and firm so the blades chop the meat and skin cleanly instead of smearing the fat around.

The final result is just what I want out of tsukune: No binders like eggs or bread crumbs, just chicken and seasonings for good texture and good flavor. Watch the full video now on my YouTube or Patreon. Don't forget, Super Frienjis on my Patreon enjoy exclusive access to recipes from the Kenji Eats Japan series. Join us!

08/09/2026

Smoke and miso are natural partners; Japanese cooking has paired smoky flavors with fermented ones for centuries. Combined with the bubbly, broily, caramelization happening in this nasu dengaku, it's hard to go wrong. Get the full video on YouTube or ad-free on Patreon (Super Frienjis on Patreon also have access to the full written recipe. Join us!)

08/08/2026

Tentsuyu, or tempura dipping sauce, can be made either cold, right in the bowl, or warmed over a saucepan. Heating it briefly will evaporate off the hint of alcohol it gets from the mirin and sake and give it a mellower flavor.

And of course, add some grated daikon right before serving. You can never go wrong with grated daikon.

08/07/2026

If you're an American who's had tempura before, chances are it was at a Japanese restaurant as one of many menu offerings. In Japan, on the other hand, restaurants are much more specialized, focusing in on just one type of food (like tempura, for example) 🍤

When the team was in Japan in April of this year, we had the pleasure of visiting one such place, Ginza Tenichi in Tokyo, that served a wide range of seasonal seafood and vegetables. We knew we had to bring some of that tempura magic back to Seattle!

Check out the latest video making some vegetable tempura. And if you join our Cookbook Club on Patreon, you'll enjoy three exclusive recipes using the same tempura batter technique!

08/06/2026

A simple miso paste for making nasu dengaku (Japanese miso-glazed eggplant). Video now up on YouTube. Super Frienjis can enjoy the video and written recipe on my Patreon, too!

08/05/2026

Batter up! It's tempura time.

Head to my Patreon or YouTube for a breakdown of the technique that makes for the lightest, crispiest, delicately lacy, but still super crunchy tempura. Cookbook Club members on my Patreon will receive some bonus recipes inspired by this technique this upcoming Friday—join us!

08/04/2026

New video now up on YouTube & Patreon for nasu dengaku (Japanese miso-glazed eggplant). Paid Frienjis on my Patreon enjoy exclusive access to written recipes from the Kenji Eats Japan series—including this one! Head over there and join us.

08/01/2026

Famously inspired by the Legend of Zelda, Kyoto's urban planners obviously put a lot of work into designing this town...

New episode of Kenji Eats Japan is up on YouTube and Patreon and this time it's all about the tofu. Check it out!

07/31/2026

While our team was in Japan earlier this year, getting a good tofu meal was a non-negotiable before leaving Kyoto—and Yudofu Sagano in the Arashiyama area of town was the perfect fix.

Join the team for a laid-back yudofu lunch in the latest Kenji Eats Japan episode on my YouTube and (free) Patreon: https://frienji.kenjilopezalt.com/posts/enjoy-tofu-lunch-165137604

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