Alton Brown’s Good Eats: A Culinary Comeback
Watching Alton Brown effortlessly explain complex scientific concepts on Good Eats made culinary science seem simple. However, behind the scenes was a meticulous filmmaker battling self-doubt. Good Eats: The Return sees Brown navigating a changed media landscape and his own evolved perspective.
Alton Brown must balance entertainment and education in the Good Eats revival. “It’s about storytelling,” says Brown. “Information bombards us, but a good story captivates.”
Brown acknowledges the trust he’s built with his audience. “I’ve gained trust, and perhaps due to age, become an authority figure,” he says.
Today’s culinary field is crowded with shows like America’s Test Kitchen, Modernist Cuisine, and influential figures like J. Kenji López-Alt. This shift allows Brown to embrace complex science. “I’m not hesitant to use complex terminology anymore,” he admits. “We’ve gone full throttle.”
While enthusiastic about science, Brown isn’t a scientist. Good Eats: The Return benefits from Dr. Arielle Johnson, a former Noma scientist and MIT Media Lab member, as science advisor. “I’m an enthusiast, but now I have a PhD on the team,” Brown explains. “We’re exploring territory made possible by social media and food science advancements.”
Is Good Eats‘ resurgence a reboot or continuation? Brown is conflicted. “It’s like the BBC; they can wait five years for a new season—that’s what this is.”
Planning the new show, Brown considered media consumption, the internet’s impact on food, and film technology. Streaming and binge-watching changed viewer expectations. “We made this show for binge-watchers who want deep immersion,” Brown says.
Streaming allows Brown to play with cultural references. “I can reference things in the cultural zeitgeist in new ways,” he explains. He even acknowledges the playful references between Good Eats and Breaking Bad.
Television production has become more sophisticated. Good Eats retains its low-fi aesthetic, favoring traditional techniques over CGI. “We use analog devices like mirrors because CGI feels cold,” Brown states. “We use theater craft. It’s a physical set with an honest visual language.”
Brown considered how viewers would watch Good Eats: The Return on various screens. He aimed for visuals compelling on both small and large displays. “I competed with commercials before. Now, I compete with Netflix and Amazon,” he explains.
Brown pushed his team to explore unique camera angles, drawing on his cinematography experience. “Cameras go places and in ways they normally can’t,” he teases. “I’ve learned to stage longer scenes. Lighting technology allows complex changes mid-scene, combining scenes into single shots.”
Despite changing viewer habits, Brown remains committed to meticulous filmmaking. “I’m still old-school, using prime lenses and big cameras,” he says. “We’re meticulous. If I didn’t love the production process, I wouldn’t do this.”
