J. Kenji López-Alt is Seattle’s reluctant powerful food influencer

J. Kenji López-Alt didn't arrive in Seattle last winter with the buzz befitting such a cult figure in the culinary scene. Then López-Alt started to check out the local food scene, chronicling the meals he ate around Capitol Hill and beyond on his Instagram account, to his 378,000 followers. Since his arrival, López-Alt's 2015 opus, "The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science," has been a bestseller at the popular Book Larder in Fremont, and his illustrated book, "Every Night is Pizza Night," has been the bestselling children's book as well, the bookstore reports. López-Alt may be the most powerful food influencer this city has seen in the social media age, say many in the restaurant industry. An intrigued López-Alt said he would be in Seattle on Sept. 27 for his book tour and wanted to swing by Lichterman's pizza operation. Recently, López-Alt started exploring Seattle's chicken teriyaki scene and found a favorite, Grillbird Teriyaki in West Seattle. In between bites, López-Alt raved about his new adopted home, calling Seattle one of the most welcoming and best cities he has ever visited.