J. Kenji López-Alt facts for kids

James Kenji López-Alt (born October 31, 1979) is an American chef and food writer. He is famous for using science to make popular recipes even better. He also explains why certain cooking methods work.

His first book, The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science, was a huge success. It appeared on the New York Times Bestseller list. In 2016, it won a James Beard Foundation Award for best General Cooking cookbook. This book grew from his popular "The Food Lab" column on the Serious Eats food blog.

López-Alt helped start Wursthall in 2017. This is a restaurant in San Mateo, California. He also has a very popular YouTube channel. There, he shows how to cook different recipes. He films from his own point of view, so it feels like you are cooking with him!

In 2020, he released a children's book called Every Night is Pizza Night. In 2022, he published The Wok: Recipes and Techniques. This book focuses on cooking with a wok, a special round-bottomed pan. Both books became New York Times Bestsellers. The Wok also earned him another James Beard Foundation Award.

Early Life and Education

James Kenji Alt was born on October 31, 1979. His birthplace was Boston, Massachusetts. His parents are Frederick Alt and Keiko Nakanishi. His Japanese grandfather, Koji Nakanishi, was a famous chemist.

Kenji and his sisters grew up in Manhattan, New York. They lived one floor above his Japanese grandparents. He went to the Dalton School. In 2002, he graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He studied architecture there.

Career Highlights

Starting Out in Cooking (2000s to 2015)

López-Alt recording for a Serious Eats video in Nantucket, Massachusetts

López-Alt's first job in a restaurant was during college. He wanted to be a waiter. But the restaurant needed a prep cook, so he took that job instead. He later worked with well-known chefs in Boston. These included Barbara Lynch and Ken Oringer.

He also worked as a test cook and editor. This was for Cook's Illustrated magazine and America's Test Kitchen.

López-Alt became the Managing Culinary Director for Serious Eats. This is a popular food blog. He wrote a column there called "The Food Lab." This column was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award.

His first book, The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science, came out in 2015. It was based on his column. The book became a New York Times Bestseller. It won the 2016 James Beard Foundation Award for General Cooking. It also won awards from the International Association of Culinary Professionals. People called it a very important book for home cooks.

After The Food Lab (2016 to Present)

Wursthall Restaurant & Bierhaus

In 2017, López-Alt opened Wursthall Restaurant & Bierhaus. It is located in San Mateo, California. He started it with partners Adam Simpson and Tyson Mao.

López-Alt began his YouTube channel in 2016. By March 2022, it had over one million subscribers. His videos show recipes and cooking tips. He films them in his home kitchen. The videos are shot from his point of view. This makes viewers feel like they are right there cooking with him.

In 2019, López-Alt started writing a monthly column. This was for The New York Times Cooking.

His children's book, Every Night is Pizza Night, came out in 2020. It quickly became a New York Times Children's Bestseller.

After moving to Seattle in late 2020, his Instagram posts became very popular. He often recommended local businesses and dishes. The Seattle Times said he became a powerful food influencer in the city.

In 2022, he released The Wok: Recipes and Techniques. This large book focuses on cooking with a wok. The Seattle Times called it one of the most anticipated cookbooks of the year. It reached number one on the New York Times Bestseller list. In 2023, it won the Pacific Northwest Book Award. It also won a James Beard Foundation Book Award.

He still appears as a guest on the Serious Eats podcast, Special Sauce.

Personal Life

As of 2021, López-Alt lives in Seattle, Washington. He used to live in San Mateo, California, New York City, and Boston. He uses his middle name, Kenji, in his daily life.

In 2009, López-Alt married Adriana López. She is a software engineer from Colombia. They combined their last names to López-Alt. They have two children. Their second child was born in September 2021.

Filmography