Author Archives: J. Michael Beza

3 Reasons Why You Should Have a Donabe by J. Michael Beza I love eating and I love trying new restaurants, but occasionally here on When It’s Hot, I’ll bring things back to the kitchen. The kitchen is where a food lover can learn some of his/her biggest insights into what they like, or betterContinue reading “Kitchen Talk: Donabe”

by J. Michael Beza Since the 2020 dining out odyssey has had more twists and turns than Shyamalan movie, I haven’t gotten around to trying many new restaurants. 2021, with any luck, will finally ease us back to normal, and be a safer time for eating out again. As such, it is my goal toContinue reading “When It’s Hot: Restaurant Review Primer”

by J. Michael Beza Boy, what a year. It’s definitely going to go down in history with the 2011s, 1776s, and 1492s of the World and with any luck, we’ll be able to make it through these last couple of weeks without another disastrous event befalling mankind, which should be cause for celebration! What betterContinue reading “If 2020 Were a Meal”

by J. Michael Beza Everybody has those bucket list items that they’re planning to try when they travel abroad. The ubiquity of foodie travel content ranging from the Bourdains (RIP) to the Weins has been a salient resource in that regard, leading to incredible restaurant roadmaps for travelers to follow. Nearly everywhere you go inContinue reading “7 Underrated Foods Everyone Should Try in Japan”

I’ve always fancied myself as an authority on food—ever since I discovered there was a channel dedicated to it when I was eight years old which I would flip to occasionally when the viewing on Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network got a bit dry. I let myself absorb the teachings of Emeril, Mario, and Alton, andContinue reading “How Japan Changed Me as an Eater”

Originally, I intended this list to be a single post, but I managed to drone on longer than it takes to eat four full meals. If you’re still with me, thank you for tuning back in to catch the last half of my “last meals” on death row list. I can’t promise that this won’tContinue reading “My Last Meal: Part 2”

If you have already read the introduction to this blog, then you already know that I like movie references. You must also know that this is intended to be a meditative space regarding the topic of food, food culture, eating, thinking, and thinking about eating. I don’t expect you to embark on this voyage withContinue reading “My Last Meal: Part 1”