Kenji Lopez-Alt and other cooking demo videos

catalog

Well-known member

The yt recommendations came up with this a few days ago and I'm hooked.

Seems like it will never work, cos he's often making quite basic things and the videos are really long.

But they've become very popular and I was thinking of reasons:

1. He's quite a nice guy, sort of the opposite to Gordon ramsay

2. He puts the camera on his head so it's almost all true POV and so you don't get sick of his face.

3. It's all real time so for example with the eggs benedict one, you understand exactly how much whisking you need to do, which doesn't come across as well on paper or on a trad show.

4. Something about the combo of Latin America and Far East in his name, except he's in California.
 

entertainment

Well-known member
They've gotten much better those youtube cooking videos haven't they?

I'm obsessed with one called Chinese cooking demystified

I'm making dan dan noodles five times a week
 

catalog

Well-known member
I don't really make any of the things, or at least I haven't done yet. But there's something nice about watching them. There's a comment under one of them where someone says how he just liked seeing how he's got his kitchen organised.
 

entertainment

Well-known member
there's something very annoying about Kenji though

way too American

'Hello to you all guys gals and non-binary pals'

can't watch him anymore but loads of valuable cooking secrets scattered around his videos
 

catalog

Well-known member
Partly I suppose the tech now means you can do the whole thing yourself pretty easily which makes things a lot easier for the chefs.

His main innovation seems to me to be the head camera and no editing.

It's about as simple as it gets. Although he does have a few mounts that he uses to attach thd camera to the side of dishes.

 

entertainment

Well-known member
this guys has a nice quality to his speak


like he's showing you around in heaven, introducing you about all the wonderful things that are possible
 

catalog

Well-known member
there's something very annoying about Kenji though

way too American

'Hello to you all guys gals and non-binary pals'

can't watch him anymore but loads of valuable cooking secrets scattered around his videos
Yeah he's so nice, and it seems so authentic, there must be something ultra wrong with him. He'll probably get cancelled soon.

Another thing I like about him though is that when he eats the food at the end, he opens his patio door, but rarely goes outside, he just gets some fresh air, eats on the threshold.

3rmuMVB.jpg
 

catalog

Well-known member
These guys spend a lot of time on the basics. How to cook an egg and rice.

Lots of butter.

Reminds me of Jamie Oliver when he first started. Basically just drown fresh veg in olive oil was his tactic.
 

Leo

Well-known member
there was a time last year where my FB feed was filled with street food videos, cool 3-5 minute vids of all these different carts or tiny storefronts in Malaysia, Philippines or somewhere quickly cranking out these great looking local takeaway treats. mesmerizing.
 

catalog

Well-known member
Yeah I've seen a few of those, like a guy in India making a toasted sandwich with loads of fillings all mixed into a paste, makes it in 60 seconds.


One thing that's impressive about kenji is the number of things he's got on the go at the same time. Multiple pans, chopping, talking to camera.
 
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catalog

Well-known member
I think it's his face all over the video, that in combo with the voice.

Kenji's good cos it's all almost entirely POV.

The face is just too oppressive, especially right now. And it takes away from the world.

I think as humans we're hard wired to recognise and continually parse facial expressions.

Constant face is too tiring.

A lot of popular console games are POV for this reason i think. Obviously there's the other reason that it puts you in the scene more, but it's gotta also be cos it would just be too much to have a continually changing face.
 

catalog

Well-known member
This one's weird.


Who would bother doing it? Looks gross at the end as well.

Easy listening music over the top, no voice.

Not keen.
 

WashYourHands

Cat Malogen
Have been psychologically scarred by fried bread at home and school cantines (wink), but when it’s right it’s righteous

These clips are the antithesis of some cock strutting round “going native” because you actually pick up tricks. All the prep is done, people can see how hot a pan and burner can work together, ingredients etc. Food shows are to today what diy shows were a while back. I think Barefoot Cuntessa is the worst. Flick round freeview and there the moomin is with her pussy whipped husband in the Hamptons. And the voice. Monstrous people

Cooking for a living (in this western sense) is signing up to 18 days, split shifts and head chefs so jacked on charles they can’t even taste the flavour profile covers they send out without adding a bag of salt. Maybe Covid could encourage more self employed chefs back to small stalls and healthier options
 
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Leo

Well-known member
yeah, knew a guy who spent years as a line cook in a few restaurants. each shift was 10-12 hours of insane relentless pressure, sweating so much in a hot kitchen that everyone would drink like fish just to remain hydrated. various stressed-out colleagues threatening another cook or waiter with a craving knife was a fairly regular occurrence. Bourdain's "kitchen confidential" is apparently pretty spot on.
 
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