Just One Cookbook
Japanese recipe food blog
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Just One Cookbook (JOC) is a Japanese recipe blog written in English and created by Namiko (Nami) Hirasawa Chen (Japanese: 平澤菜美子, Hirasawa Namiko).
- Namiko Hirasawa Chen
- Shen Wen Chen
| |
Screenshot  Main page of Just One Cookbook on April 24, 2026 | |
Website type | Food blog |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Creators |
|
| Website | justonecookbook |
| Launched | January 1, 2011 |
| Current status | Active |
Chen is a home cook who began the food blog in 2011[1] as a way to share recipes for simple Japanese dishes in English[2] with friends and to preserve family recipes for her children.[3]
Early life
Chen was born in Osaka, Japan and raised in Yokohama, Japan. She learned to cook from her mother.[4]
She moved to the United States at age 20 to attend college. After graduating, she worked as a digital map specialist and met Shen Wen Chen, a colleague at her company. They eventually married and settled in the San Francisco Bay Area in California.[1]
Content
Chen develops, tests, and publishes traditional and modern Japanese recipes for home cooking. She chose the blog's name because she "wanted to transfer all [her] Japanese recipes to English and store it in just one cookbook, on the website."[4]
The website also has information about Japanese pantry items and substitutions for hard-to-find Japanese ingredients.[4] The recipes feature step-by-step photos for each recipe instruction in the preparation and cooking process.[1]
In 2024, the blog launched JOC Goods, which sells artisanal tableware and kitchenware from Japan.[5] The following year they launched JOC Japan Travel, which provides travel guides, sample itineraries, accommodation and dining recommendations, transportation advice, and information on local customs.[6]
Reception
In 2022, Just One Cookbook had 5 million visits per month.[4]