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James Chen
Culinary Writer
Writes about cooking technique, world cuisine and the science of flavour — why a step works, not just what to do.
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James covers cooking technique, world cuisine, fermentation and the science behind good flavour for MyCookingCalendar. His writing leans on a simple idea: understanding why a step works is more useful than memorising what to do.
He focuses on making restaurant-style techniques approachable for home cooks — knife skills, heat control, building flavour and getting consistent results.
Artículos de James Chen
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Cooking Techniques10 minutos
AI Recipe Maker: How Smart Recipe Generators Work
How AI recipe makers work, what makes a good recipe generator, and how to use one to create meals tailored to your dietary needs and ingredients.
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Cooking Techniques22 minutos
Japanese Cooking at Home: The Complete Beginner's Guide
Master Japanese home cooking from scratch — pantry essentials, dashi stock, knife techniques, and the ichiju sansai meal structure that defines washoku.
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Cooking Techniques13 minutos
How to Make Dashi: The Complete Guide to Japanese Stock
Dashi is the foundation of Japanese cooking — a 20-minute stock with the deepest umami flavour. Learn ichiban, niban, kombu and vegan shiitake dashi step by step.
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Cooking Techniques15 minutos
15 Japanese Pantry Essentials That Unlock Real Cooking
Build the Japanese pantry that makes authentic home cooking possible — from shoyu and mirin to kombu and yuzu kosho. What each ingredient does and what to buy first.
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Cooking Techniques22 minutos
World Cuisine Guide: 10 Global Flavours at Home
From Turkish kebabs to Korean bibimbap, Mexican mole to Thai curry — a practical guide to cooking ten world cuisines at home, pantry to technique.
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Cooking Techniques15 minutos
Turkish Cuisine: Authentic Cooking at Home
Discover the depth of Turkish cuisine — mezze spreads, slow-braised stews, and charcoal-grilled kebabs. Learn the essential pantry and foundational techniques.
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Cooking Techniques15 minutos
Korean Cuisine: Authentic Cooking at Home
Master Korean cooking from its fermented foundations — gochujang, doenjang, kimchi — through to bibimbap and bulgogi. Pantry guide and core techniques.
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Cooking Techniques16 minutos
Mexican Cuisine: Authentic Cooking at Home
Beyond tacos and guacamole lies one of the world's most sophisticated cuisines. Master the chile-based sauces, the masa technique, and the mole tradition.
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Cooking Techniques18 minutos
Indian Cuisine: Authentic Cooking at Home
India's 28 states each cook differently — yet shared principles unite them. Master the spice alchemy, the onion-tomato base, and the dal traditions here.
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Cooking Techniques14 minutos
Japanese Home Cooking: Dishes, Techniques, Pantry
Japanese home cooking — washoku — rests on a handful of foundational techniques and pantry staples that unlock dashi, rice, miso soup, ramen, and tonkatsu.
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Cooking Techniques15 minutos
Indian Curry Guide: Spices, Techniques, Recipes
Indian curry is a continent's worth of regional cuisines. Learn to build a curry from first principles — toasting spices, the masala base, and rogan josh.
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Cooking Techniques14 minutos
Thai Street Food at Home: Pad Thai, Som Tum, Larb
Thai street food is complex and satisfying, but learnable at home. This guide covers Thai flavour balance, the essential pantry, and pad thai, som tum, larb.
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Cooking Techniques14 minutos
Korean Cuisine: Kimchi, Bibimbap, and Beyond
Master Korean cuisine's fermented flavors and bold spices — pantry essentials, kimchi and gochujang techniques, plus bibimbap and doenjang jjigae recipes.
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Cooking Techniques14 minutos
Vietnamese Cuisine: Pho, Banh Mi, and Fresh Flavour
Learn Vietnamese cuisine's fresh-herb balance: build an authentic bone-broth pho and a perfect banh mi, plus the regional differences that define it.
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Cooking Techniques15 minutos
Chinese Regional Cuisine: Sichuan vs. Cantonese
A guide to China's regional cuisines: Sichuan's mála heat versus Cantonese seafood broths, plus the key techniques and pantry staples of each style.
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Cooking Techniques13 minutos
Peruvian Cuisine: Ceviche and Lomo Saltado
Peruvian cuisine unpacked: ceviche technique, lomo saltado's stir-fry roots, ají amarillo, and the fusion history behind Peru's celebrated food.
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Cooking Techniques15 minutos
Indian Regional Cuisine: Butter Chicken to Dosa
North vs South Indian cooking explained: wheat versus rice traditions, key spice blends, and the techniques behind butter chicken, dosa, and more.
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Food Science14 minutos
The Maillard Reaction: A Complete Science Behind Browning, Crust and Flavour Development
The chemistry behind browning, crust and flavour — how the Maillard reaction works and how to control it for better searing, roasting and baking.
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Food Science15 minutos
The Science of Fermentation: A Complete Lacto-Fermentation, Koji, Kombucha and Why It Matters
The microbiology behind sauerkraut, kombucha and koji, explained in practical terms so you can ferment safely and troubleshoot with confidence.
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Cooking Techniques15 minutos
Sous Vide Cooking: A Complete Guide to Temperatures, Times and Techniques
The physics behind precision water-bath cooking, with time-temperature tables and how to pair sous vide with traditional searing techniques.
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Growing Your Food12 minutos
How to Grow Microgreens at Home: Varieties and Method
Microgreens are nutrient-dense and easy to grow at home. This guide covers the best varieties, the nutrition science, the growing method, and how to use them.
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Cooking Techniques14 minutos
Indonesian Cuisine: A Complete Rendang, Nasi Goreng, Satay and the Spice Islands' Flavours
Indonesia's spice-trade history shaped global cooking. This guide explores rendang, nasi goreng, satay, and the bumbu paste techniques behind them.
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Cooking Techniques13 minutos
Filipino Cuisine: A Complete Adobo, Sinigang, Lechon and the Archipelago's Bold Flavours
A guide to Filipino cuisine's Spanish, Chinese and Malay roots — adobo, sinigang, lechon and street food, with pantry and techniques.
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Cooking Techniques14 minutos
Malaysian Cuisine: Laksa, Char Kway Teow and More
A guide to Malaysian cuisine's Malay, Chinese and Indian fusion — laksa, char kway teow, roti canai, nasi lemak, pantry and techniques.
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Cooking Techniques13 minutos
Caribbean Cuisine: A Complete Jerk, Roti, Rice and Peas and the Islands' Sun-Soaked Flavours
A guide to Caribbean cuisine — jerk chicken, roti, rice and peas — covering pantry staples, techniques and the islands' bold flavours.
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Cooking Techniques13 minutos
Uzbek Cuisine: A Complete Plov, Shashlik, Samsa and the Ancient Flavours of the Silk Road
Uzbek cuisine is Central Asia's tradition of rice, lamb and aromatic spice forged along the Silk Road. Discover the pantry, techniques and two full recipes.
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Food Science13 minutos
Food Chemistry: A Complete How Acids and Bases Transform Flavour, Texture and Colour in Cooking
pH is one of the most powerful, underused tools in a cook's arsenal — governing flavour, texture and colour from pickles to marinades.
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Food Science13 minutos
Umami: A Complete Science of the Fifth Taste, Glutamates and How to Build Depth of Flavour
Umami, the fifth taste, was proven in 1908 and formally recognised in 1985. This guide explains glutamates and how to stack them for real depth.
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Food Science12 minutos
The Science of Spices: How Heat Changes Flavour
Spices are packed with volatile compounds and alkaloids. Here's how heat and fat transform them, and how to build complex flavour.
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Growing Your Food12 minutos
Growing Chillies: A Complete From Seed to Harvest, Variety Guide and Preserving Your Crop
A complete guide to growing chillies from seed to harvest — varieties, feeding, troubleshooting, preserving and overwintering plants.
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Healthy Eating10 minutos
Cooking Methods That Preserve Nutrients
Heat, water, and oxygen destroy different nutrients in different ways. Knowing which method preserves which micronutrients changes how you cook meals.
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Cooking Techniques13 minutos
Sous Vide Cooking: Water Bath Temperatures Guide
How sous vide's precise water-bath temperatures use protein science and pasteurisation math to deliver perfectly cooked, restaurant-quality results every time.
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Cooking Techniques12 minutos
How to Season Food: Salt, Acid, Fat and Heat
Salt, fat, acid and heat are physics and chemistry, not style — understanding osmosis, aroma perception and flavour solvents lets you season by principle.
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Nutrition Science12 minutos
Magnesium Deficiency: Signs, Causes, and Best Food Sources
Around half of people in Western countries fall short on magnesium, and blood tests often miss it. Learn the signs, food sources, and forms that absorb.
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Vegan & Plant-Based11 minutos
Tempeh vs Tofu: Nutrition, Protein and Cooking
Tempeh and tofu look similar on a grocery shelf but cook completely differently: fermentation gives tempeh more protein and a firmer bite, while tofu absorbs flavour and blends smoother.
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Cooking Techniques11 minutos
How to Braise Meat Perfectly: Science and Technique
How collagen conversion, fond, and gentle heat turn cheap, tough cuts into fall-apart tender, richly flavoured braises — every time.
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Cooking Techniques12 minutos
Spice Blends of the World: How to Make Your Own
The chemistry behind garam masala, za'atar, five-spice, berbere, and five other world spice blends — plus how blooming and toasting unlock their flavour.
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Intermittent Fasting12 minutos
Intermittent Fasting: 7 Evidence-Based Benefits
The 7 most robustly evidenced benefits of intermittent fasting — fat loss, insulin sensitivity, autophagy, brain and heart health, longevity, and inflammation.
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Diet Guides12 minutos
The Zone Diet: 40/30/30 Ratio, Blocks & Science
The Zone Diet prescribes precise 40/30/30 macro ratios at every meal to control insulin. This guide covers the block method, food choices, and the evidence.
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Diet Guides12 minutos
The Sirtfood Diet: What Are Sirtuins, and Does It Work?
The Sirtfood Diet claims foods like dark chocolate and red wine activate longevity proteins called sirtuins. This guide examines the science and 3-week plan.
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Diet Guides13 minutos
High-Protein Diet: Benefits, Risks and Best Sources
High-protein diets consistently outperform standard diets for fat loss and muscle preservation. This guide covers optimal intake, best sources, and safety.
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Meal Planning9 minutos
MyCookingCalendar vs Paprika 3: Which Is Better?
Paprika 3 excels at organising recipes. MyCookingCalendar is an AI planner with 3 000+ built-in recipes and tracking. Here is which one you need.
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Nutrition Science15 minutos
High Protein Meal Plan for Men Over 40
Why protein needs climb after 40, plus a complete 7-day high protein meal plan for men focused on muscle preservation, testosterone-friendly nutrition, and practical meals.
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Food Science12 minutos
Quinoa vs Rice: Nutrition, Protein and Cooking Differences
Quinoa and rice look similar on the plate, but one is a complete-protein seed and the other a starchy grass grain — here is what actually differs in nutrition, glycemic impact, and cooking.
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Nutrition Science11 minutos
Can AI Count Calories Accurately? What to Trust and What to Check
AI calorie estimates are useful and imprecise, and knowing which is which makes them far more valuable. Where the numbers hold up, where they fall apart, and how to use them anyway.
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Cooking Techniques10 minutos
What to Cook With What You Have: A Practical System
The 'what's for dinner' problem is a search problem in disguise — you're searching from the wrong end. Here's a system for working forward from ingredients instead of backward from a dish name.
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Food Science10 minutos
Are AI-Generated Recipes Safe to Cook? What to Check First
AI recipe generators are good at combining ingredients and bad at knowing whether chicken is actually cooked through. Here's exactly what to verify before you rely on a generated recipe.
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Food Science10 minutos
How Accurate Is Photo Calorie Counting, Really?
A look at what actually happens when an AI estimates calories from a photograph — where it gets close, where it drifts, and the specific habits that close the gap.
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Food Science8 minutos
The Best Angle and Lighting for Food Photo Tracking
Small, specific habits — overhead angle, natural light, whole plate in frame — measurably improve how well a photo estimates your meal. Here is exactly what to do.
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Meal Planning8 minutos
Building a Family Recipe Collection That Actually Outlasts You
Handwritten recipe cards fade, get spilled on, and eventually get lost in a move. Here's how to turn a family's scattered recipes — the ones from a grandmother's card box and the ones pulled from cooking blogs last month — into a collection that survives.
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Cooking Techniques9 minutos
Knife Skills Masterclass: 7 Essential Cuts Every Home Cook Must Know
Learning to cut properly is the single biggest upgrade any home cook can make. A professional chef explains the 7 essential cuts, the correct grip, and how a sharp knife changes everything.
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Vegan & Plant-Based11 minutos
Vegan Meal Prep: A Chef's Complete Guide to Cooking for the Week in 2 Hours
The biggest barrier to a consistent plant-based diet isn't motivation — it's preparation time. This practical guide from a professional chef shows exactly how to batch-cook a week of varied, nutritious vegan meals in a single Sunday session.
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Cooking Techniques10 minutos
How to Season Food Like a Professional Chef: Salt, Acid, Fat and Heat
Most home cooking fails not because of bad recipes but because of poor seasoning. This guide from a professional chef teaches the four elements of seasoning — salt, acid, fat and heat — and exactly how to apply them.
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Cooking Techniques11 minutos
Braising, Roasting, Sautéing: Which Cooking Method to Use and When
The secret to great cooking isn't just what you cook — it's how you cook it. This professional guide explains the science behind the six core cooking methods and teaches you when to apply each one for maximum flavour.
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Cooking Techniques11 minutos
How to Make Homemade Pasta from Scratch — Complete Beginner's Guide
Everything you need to know to make fresh pasta at home — without a machine, without fear. Fettuccine, pappardelle, ravioli and more from just flour and eggs.
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Cooking Techniques10 minutos
How to Build Flavour in Cooking — The Professional Chef's Framework
The biggest difference between home cooks and professionals isn't technique — it's understanding flavour. Learn the layering method that transforms every dish you make.
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Cooking Techniques12 minutos
The Complete Guide to Gluten-Free Baking — Science, Flours and Recipes
Gluten-free baking is notoriously difficult — but it doesn't have to be. This complete guide explains the science of gluten, the best alternative flours, and the techniques that actually work.
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Cooking Techniques11 minutos
How to Make and Maintain a Sourdough Starter — Complete Beginner Guide
Everything you need to create and maintain a healthy sourdough starter from scratch — the living culture that makes sourdough bread possible. No special equipment required.
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Cooking Techniques10 minutos
Zero-Waste Cooking: How to Use Every Part of Your Ingredients
The average household wastes 30–40% of the food it buys. These techniques — used in professional kitchens worldwide — help you use every part of vegetables, meat, fish and herbs to reduce waste and eat better.