Alton Brown profiled by Chemical & Engineering News

Chemical & Engineering News profiles one of my heros, Mr. Alton Brown, star of Good Eats and my future best friend. Turns out Mr. Brown isn't just a motorcycle enthusiast, but also a scuba diver. (And, of course, a great cook and charming television presenter.) He's a gadget lover, too, and has consulted with General Electric:

Aside from branching out to speak to various scientific communities, Brown’s also been hired by industry as a consultant. His first foray was with General Electric, which asked him to teach their engineers how food cooks because GE thought it would help workers build better appliances. “The industry guys began to realize that if they did understand what goes on inside a cookie when it bakes, maybe it would make a difference in how appliances are designed,” he says. Brown’s advice contributed to GE’s line of Trivection ovens that combine thermal, convection, and microwave energies to cook food faster. He also appears in short videos on the GE appliance website (www.geappliances.com).

An Appetite For Science [Pubs.ACS.org via Serious Eats]

Discussion

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#1 posted by strider_mt2k

, July 31, 2008 7:41 AM

The guy is talented end entertaining as hell to watch on TV.

I can't watch an episode of "Good Eats" without picking up something I can use right away on my own cooking.

#2 posted by mujadaddy , July 31, 2008 7:54 AM

Indeed, even if the dish isn't to my taste, the foodscience is very interesting and practical.

#3 posted by Marley9 , July 31, 2008 9:12 AM

Alton friggin rocks! By far my favorite show on my favorite channel. As soon as I have five hundred dollars laying around that does not get spent on computer or camera equipment, I am gonna lay it down on his 54 DVD set.

#4 posted by airship , July 31, 2008 9:22 AM

If we still had a pantheon, Alton would be the God of Cooking.

(But I do wish he'd learn not to say 'uh' every other word.)

#5 posted by scriptedfate , July 31, 2008 9:32 AM

#4: The 'uh' is because he wears an earpiece that feeds him his lines. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Eats#Trivia )

...personally, I find it part of his charm :D

Has anyone else tried his braised ribs? My [insert-deity-name-here], they're awesome.

#6 posted by ubernym , July 31, 2008 9:40 AM

Good Eats is the only cooking show that's ever inspired me enough to cook what I saw on the show. Alton's stovetop mac recipe is as household favorite, and it's so easy to make. I'll never buy boxed mac again, which is AWESOME.

I love you Alton Brown.

#7 posted by zeta , July 31, 2008 9:52 AM

I don't know. Altons Show may be interesting, and yes, I learned a few things - but there was never ever a recipe where I thought: I must try that. He is all about the science of cooking, but none of the art.

#8 posted by mujadaddy , July 31, 2008 10:20 AM

Zeta: Disagree. Two words: Beef Roulade.

#9 posted by dculberson , July 31, 2008 11:28 AM

ubernym, thanks for the tip on the stovetop mac. I make mac & cheese from scratch (well, not-from-a-box at least), but it's not as good as his recipe sounds. I'm gonna give it a shot.

#10 posted by jitrobug , July 31, 2008 11:31 AM

Reading about his beer making show made me trust him a bit less...

#11 posted by Anonymous , July 31, 2008 11:49 AM

I heard he hates fat people. Kind of a tough trait for a guy on foodie shows.

#12 posted by w000t , July 31, 2008 12:52 PM

I'm a big fan of Brown, but I've always wished that Harold McGee, Brown's über-geek predecessor would get more credit and attention. Anyway, if you're a fan of Alton Brown, you'll probably also like Harold McGee.