Alton Brown (born on July 30, 1962 in Los Angeles, California) is the creator and host of the television show Good Eats, a cooking show on the Food Network. He is often described as a culinary version of Mr. Wizard or Bill Nye because he brings a scientific and humorous approach to his cooking shows. Bon Appétit magazine named him "Cooking Teacher of the Year" in 2004. He is the main commentator on the show Iron Chef America, an American adaptation of the Japanese series Iron Chef. Alton is also a regular contributor to Bon Appétit and Men’s Journal magazines.

Prior to his cooking career, he received a degree in drama from the University of Georgia. He then worked in cinematography and film production. In that field, he is probably best known for his work as the director of photography for the R.E.M. music video The One I Love.

At some point he noticed that he was very dissatisfied with the quality of cooking shows currently airing on American television, so he set out to produce his own show. Not possessing the requisite knowledge, he enrolled in the New England Culinary Institute, from which he graduated in 1995. Brown states that he had been a poor science student in high school and college, so he began to study the subject as he took cooking training and felt the need to understand the underlying processes of cooking.

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L.A. Times - Food & Dining

The story behind Philippe's and its famous French dip
Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The Los Angeles landmark will celebrate its centennial Monday with dignitaries, the founder's grandson and slashed prices. Philippe's, home of the French dip sandwich, turns 100 this year, and for much of the last century local historians and foodies have been arguing over one question: How was the dish created?
A movable feast day
Wed, 19 Jan 2005 00:00:00 -0800
As the end of Ramadam -- Islam's holiest month -- is celebrated around the world, this week's Encore recipe from 2005 takes a look at other festive dishes that are traditional to the Muslim table. Tomorrow night is the beginning of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim holiday corresponding to the final day of the Mecca pilgrimage. Non-Muslims are probably more familiar with Eid al-Fitr, which ends the Ramadan fast, but Eid al-Adha -- the Feast of the Sacrifice -- is actually the more important celebration. It's also known as the Great Feast (Eid al-Kabir).
Home beer brewing calls to a new generation -- and to women
Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Clubs, websites and blogs are springing up as enthusiasts experiment with new brews and share what they've learned along the way. IT'S ONE of the many home brew competitions that take place around the country each year. There's the panel of certified judges, the international entrants in 28 categories of beer and mead -- and there's the hops-filled afternoon of sipping and scribbling until a winner is crowned.

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