Every true Alton Brown fan knows that there's so much more to the famous food personality than meets the eye. For example, did you know he has a CD with actual songs sung by him? And have you experienced his live show that's all about food and science? If you've memorized almost every Alton Brown fun fact [1] and want to get to know one of the most beloved Food Network hosts even better, you've come to the right place. Consider this the official bucket list of things every Alton obsessive needs to check off their list. Without further ado, grab your to-do list and get started!
Go to one of his favorite coffee shops.
Alton Brown is a serious coffee connoisseur and is always sharing his favorite spots [3] on Instagram when he travels. In fact, he might even be opening his own coffee shop in Georgia [4]. If you need an Alton-approved coffee break in your life, check out some of his favorites that might be in your area.
Watch Good Eats from start to finish.
How real is your love of Good Eats? Even if you've seen your fair share of reruns on Food Network and on Netflix when it was streaming, you haven't had the full experience until you've seen the entire series from start to finish. Get to know Alton even better and learn a ton in the process by checking off each episode of the 14-season show that started in 1999. You can even buy the complete Good Eats series [5] on Amazon.
Buy all of his cookbooks.
Did you know that Alton Brown has written more than 10 books? Every true fan will have everything from I'm Just Here For the Food: Food + Heat = Cooking [6] (published in 2002) to Good Eats: The Early Years [7] (published in 2009) stocked on their bookshelf. If anything, grab Alton's most recent cookbook, Everyday Cook [8], which was shot entirely on an iPhone and features some of the chef's best recipes for the everyday cook, like Overnight Coconut Oats and Open Sesame Noodles.
See a live show.
Alton has taken his food knowledge and science expertise to the stage with his live show Eat Your Science [9]. The show ran on Broadway for a limited time, and it's still going strong across the US. The entertaining show showcases Alton's knack for comedy, his legendary experiments, and even his musical skills. Every true fan will want to get tickets for Eat Your Science while they're available.
Make his famous pretzel recipe.
One of Alton Brown's best recipes [10] is famous soft pretzels. This has become the go-to recipe for anyone who wants to make the perfect soft pretzels at home, and it's totally foolproof.
Get the recipe: Alton Brown's homemade pretzels [11]
Try an Alton-inspired experiment.
OK, maybe you don't want to try this one — the one where Alton Brown and Stephen Colbert make carbonated ice cream [12] in a big machine — at home. But there are plenty of fun cooking experiments that are unique to Alton Brown and that any fan can try out, too. For instance, you could try out his foam whipper chocolate mousse [13] with a nitrous oxide charger, or get less technical with his famous grilled grilled cheese recipe [14], which calls for putting both the cheese and the bread on an actual grill.
Buy his album.
Did you know Alton has some pretty good pipes? Bitter Like Me [15] ($15) is Alton's first CD with all of his own original songs. On the album's page, Alton explained, "If you had told me five years ago that I would release a CD of food songs I'd written for my live touring shows, I would have backed away slowly while dialing 9-1-1. And yet . . . here I am announcing the release of Bitter Like Me, a CD of food songs I've written." The track list includes songs called "Airport Shrimp Cocktail," "Pork Chop Blues," and "Cooking Lesson Lullaby."
Follow him on Snapchat.
One of many food celebrities you should be following on Snapchat [16] is Alton Brown. You'll get behind-the-scenes access to all of his antics and personal adventures.
Have a Cutthroat Kitchen marathon.
Arguably one of the best shows on the Food Network is the witty and competitive Cutthroat Kitchen. To truly appreciate Alton's unique sense of humor and learn from his prank expertise, have a marathon and relish in every single twisted sabotage.
Read his book Feasting on Asphalt.
In 2008, Alton Brown — who loves motorcycles — wrote Feasting on Asphalt [17], a book that chronicled his motorcycle trip from New Orleans to Minnesota, which later turned into a series on Food Network. You'll get an even more intimate look into Alton's life and discover some of his talents that aren't related to food.