Two Million Viewers and Counting
Alumna Namiko Chen's food blog preserves culture, spreads tradition
There’s a reason shows on the Food Network and Cooking Channel rake in tens of millions of viewers and advertising dollars — and only part of it has to do with what’s on the stove. If you’ve ever spent hours transfixed by Giada de Laurentis’ Nutella ravioli, Ina Garten’s football field-sized herb garden or the ginormous portions consumed by Guy Fieri in diners across America, you already know that cooking shows are about people. And music. And spotless refrigerators and artful plating. And the sound of water boiling, a grill sizzling and steam rising.
Cal State East Bay alumna Namiko (formerly Hirasawa) Chen has all those elements down pat on her blog and YouTube recipe channel, Just One Cookbook, which tracks a profitable 2 million page views each month and counting — and may someday catapult her to celebrity chef status.