# J. Kenji López-Alt on Reddit (u/J_Kenji_Lopez-Alt)

Part of Celebrities on Reddit, researched with Autumn (https://www.autumn.ai) from public sources. Updated 2026-11-06. Interactive version: https://www.autumn.ai/resources/celebrities-on-reddit/kenji-lopez-alt

J. Kenji López-Alt: Chef and food writer, author of The Food Lab.

- Reddit account: [u/J_Kenji_Lopez-Alt](https://www.reddit.com/user/J_Kenji_Lopez-Alt/) (Personal account)
- How we know it's theirs: [His 2019 r/IAmA AMA, posted from this account](https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/e1ih2w/im_j_kenji_lópezalt_recipe_writer_chef_author_of/)
- Where they post, in the records we retrieved: r/seriouseats (18), r/Cooking (14), r/FoodPorn (9), r/IAmA (9), r/AskCulinary (4), r/food (3)
- Known activity in the posts we found: 2012 to 2026
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Kenji_L%C3%B3pez-Alt

## Moments

### u/J_Kenji_Lopez-Alt in r/Cooking, Jan 2, 2024 · Normal redditor

Replying to the post "Dinner burned, house full of smoke, frying pan ruined - what went wrong?".

> Hey there. That’s my recipe! I’m sorry this happened to you. Here’s my take on the issues:
>
> A ceramic nonstick pan is much thinner and lighter than a stainless pan, and nonstick coatings are not made for this kind of heat. A thinner and lighter pan will transfer heat from the burner much faster than a thicker pan which will deliver heat at a more steady, regular rate.
>
> You also need to follow the directions a little more closely. It specifically says to add the oil before heating the pan because the oil acts as an indicator of the heat level. “Heat oil in an oven-safe medium stainless steel skillet over high heat until just starting to smoke.”
>
> With recipes you should always read the visual cues and make sure you understand the steps before jumping in. If your oil was smoking heavily after adding it to the pan, you’ve strayed from the recipe and you should stop and re-read/reassess what’s going on!
>
> Finally, all equipment is different, and electric resistance stovetops in particular vary wildly in output. Always follow visual cues and a thermometer (which are consistent from kitchen to kitchen) as opposed to timing and stovetop settings (which vary from kitchen to kitchen).
>
> I’m sorry for the loss of your pan. Now you have room in the kitchen for a stainless skillet though!

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/18w92p4/dinner_burned_house_full_of_smoke_frying_pan/kfwn18y/ · 3,490 points as of Nov 6, 2026

### u/J_Kenji_Lopez-Alt in r/IAmA, Aug 20, 2019 · Personal story

Replying to a redditor:

> Best food book since On Food & Cooking. I don't know if Kenji got any inspiration at all from Good Eats. He's brilliant.

> Hey this means so much to me. And of course you were a huge, huge influence. I was watching your show before I knew the first thing about cooking!

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ct3msi/my_name_is_alton_brown_i_cook_stuff_and_make_tv/exikp28/ · 17,344 points as of Nov 6, 2026

### u/J_Kenji_Lopez-Alt in r/Cooking, Feb 13, 2024 · Advice

Replying to the post "How is Kenji Lopez able to make cacio e pepe in a hot pan without the cheese clumping?".

> Lower the heat and have very starch water made with good quality pasta. (Something extruded on Teflon like Barilla will not work as well). Agitate very rapidly while adding.
>
> Specifically in that video and my (non-traditional) recipe, the small amount of butter also helps with the emulsion.
>
> But also you can just do it off heat if my method doesn’t work for you.

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/1apn018/how_is_kenji_lopez_able_to_make_cacio_e_pepe_in_a/kq8wl0i/ · 1,784 points as of Nov 6, 2026

### u/J_Kenji_Lopez-Alt in r/Cooking, Apr 9, 2024 · Funny

Replying to a redditor:

> u/J_Kenji_Lopez-Alt Looks like you're safe for now.

> I’m not even currently a chef!

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/1bzen7w/which_celebrity_chef_do_you_think_is_overrated/kyqexu4/ · 2,184 points as of Nov 6, 2026