Uncle Queso

08/07/2026

The goings on at StudioHotplate are slowly returning to normal after a week of distractions preparing for, then recovering from, a second visit with Uncle Queso. The aftermath is here. StudioHotplate.com/chaos

07/06/2026

During my last checkup my liver doctor gave me a simple instruction: eat more protein.

Simple in theory, anyway.

What followed was a surprising amount of math involving protein targets, sodium limits, grocery budgets, and figuring out how to make food that was actually worth eating. This pinto bean and chicken salad started as a recipe in my email box, but quickly turned into something else: a practical solution to a very real problem. Low sodium. High protein. Affordable. And most importantly, something I’ll actually eat.

The story (and recipe) can be found at StudioHotplate.com/pinto

05/06/2026

Companies often release uncomfortable news on Fridays, hoping it gets buried by the distractions of the weekend. In that spirit, StudioHotplate would like to announce the return of Uncle Queso, grilled cheese evangelist, former food truck operator, and self-appointed authority on matters involving melted cheese. After an extended absence, he has negotiated a return to the organization as a full-time part-time contributor. Management remains cautiously optimistic. Uncle Queso remains extremely enthusiastic. https://www.studiohotplate.com/uncle.html

28/05/2026

Uncle Queso has officially pulled his truck into StudioHotplate for a guest appearance, and things escalated immediately. What started as a simple grilled cheese recipe somehow turned into a full podcast interview about “dairy architecture,” jalapeño jelly obsession, and the Five Commandments of the Melt. Included: the recipe for “El Queso Dulce” — a sweet, spicy, gloriously unhinged grilled cheese built around sharp cheddar, fontina, and Uncle Queso’s Sweet Heat Revival jalapeño jelly. Honestly, this may be the dumbest thing I’ve ever taken seriously… which is probably why it turned out so well. https://studiohotplate.com/f-sh-26-007.html

06/05/2026

I usually post things that are a little lighter. This isn’t one of those. StudioHotplate was supposed to be about food and art, but somewhere along the way life had other plans. I came across something I wrote a while back that was meant to explain all of that, and it didn’t feel like an introduction anymore — it felt like something that needed its own space.

So I posted it today. It’s the story of my illness and what it’s taken to come back from it — not a cleaned-up version, just the truth as I understand it now. It’s here if you want to read it: https://studiohotplate.com/w-05-06-2026.html

05/05/2026

I didn’t start this version of StudioHotplate with a full recipe. I started with a spice. There’s something about that that felt right — the small things that add up, the stuff that actually gives something flavor. It’s simple. A little strange. And it says more than it probably should. (Also, yes… it involves Taco Bell packets.) https://www.studiohotplate.com/food.html

04/05/2026

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears! Don’t forget! I’m a finalist in a competition called The People’s Artist. Voting begins today, and I’d appreciate your vote. You can vote once a day if you’re feeling generous.

This piece – like all my recent works – was created from reclaimed materials that have already lived a life.

https://peoplesartist.org/2026/edward-jasek

03/05/2026

My buddy Ed has been working on something for a while now. Some of you may remember StudioHotplate from years back. Warehouse studio, hotplate cooking, making a mess of things and calling it a system.

This isn’t that.
Same instincts. Clearer head.

It’s part food, part art, part whatever else seems to catch his attention. Less chaos. More intention. Still figuring things out — just a little more honestly this time.

It went live today.

If you’re curious, you can start here: https://www.studiohotplate.com

Or don’t. He’ll probably keep doing this either way.

– Uncle Queso

01/05/2026

Johnny Depp presents The People’s Artist contest is a celebration of imagination. One artist will win $25,000, appear in Artforum Magazine, and see their artwork displayed at The Art of Elysium's Salon in LA. Help me become that artist by voting, starting on May 4th. You can vote every day until I win the whole thing, become world famous, and forget those who helped me rise to the top of the global art scene – or I’m sent home crying, hat in hand, and back to a life of quiet, desperate anonymity. So please vote, vote often, and don’t forget to tell your friends to vote, too!

I Make Art From What The World Discards — Finding Beauty, Memory, And Meaning In The Overlooked.