Food for Thought
by Alton Brown
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
From Alton Brown, the New York Times bestselling cookbook author and beloved culinary food personality, a debut collection of personal essays defined by his flair, wit, and insight.
As soon as I received this ARC I immediately sat down to read it. I can hear Alton's voice throughout and if there is an audio verison narrated by him that would be a great way to go!
I enjoyed reading his essays and thoughts, although I certainly don't agree with them all. This collection of essays and general musings reads like the narration of an episode of “Good Eats.” It mixes autobiographical anecdotes with educational food lessons. Brown manages to pick and choose stories from his life that are interesting to hear about, and his voice and personality come through loud and clear. He does tend to get a little rambly at times, but that is his style.
I recommend this for established fans of Brown.

Alton Brown is a renowned American television personality, author, and celebrity chef. He is best known for his popular Food Network show "Good Eats," which combined cooking, science, and humor in a unique and engaging way. In this book, Brown's signature wit and culinary expertise shine through as he guides readers through the intricacies of various cooking techniques, from making flawless biscuits to preparing for the production of "Good Eats" episodes. With his down-to-earth approach and emphasis on understanding the underlying science behind the culinary arts, Brown has built a loyal following of home cooks and food enthusiasts who appreciate his practical and entertaining style. This book is a must-read for fans of Alton Brown and anyone interested in exploring the art of cooking with a touch of humor and intellectual curiosity.

Loved this. It was just the book I needed to read. Alton Brown is the best thing about the Food Network, and this book makes you remember why. Well written, thoughtful, hilarious, and something you want to share with everyone you know, this is going to be a book I'd gift to anyone I know.

As a long time viewer of Good Eats I wanted to enjoy this collection of short stories by Alton Brown but I felt like I was not in on the joke during my read. I hope others find some joy and humor in the book.

I read this book around Thanksgiving, and it inspired me to spatchcock my turkey for our holiday meal; I was pleased with the results! Don't get the wrong idea though, this memoir doesn't include recipes, you would need to look for Brown's cookbook titles for that. This title is a memoir full of anecdotes and information on Alton Brown's origin story. The insight he gives into how he got started in the industry was intriguing, and the doodles throughout were very charming and added to the personal feel of the book.

This collection of essays and general musings reads like the narration of an episode of “Good Eats.” It mixes autobiographical anecdotes with educational food lessons. Brown manages to pick and choose stories from his life that are interesting to hear about, and his voice and personality come through loud and clear. He does tend to get a little rambly at times, but that is his style. There were a couple of sections that didn’t really interest me personally, (such as the chapter in which he talked about what a masterpiece “Apocalypse Now” is. No disrespect, but I’m not really a fan.) In fact, most of the movies and TV shows he refers to in this book are not my cup of tea, so I was pretty convinced that Alton Brown and I would have nothing in common media wise. But he eventually mentioned being a huge David Lynch fan, so I admit that I was incorrect.

This book will likely make you hungry. The way he described his grandmother’s homemade biscuits made me want one immediately, swimming with melted butter. There was definitely plenty to like here, as the overall tone is very candid and personable. He was a theater major in college?! I’m SHOCKED! (I used to do theater all the time, and I am not shocked.) I personally loved his story about why he will no longer eat Octopus, because I also adore that animal for the same reasons. I also enjoyed the behind the scenes glimpses into how he pulled off various things throughout his career, such as speaking a mile a minute on “Good Eats” and “Iron Chef: America.” He goes into this in detail and it’s pretty interesting. And I do agree with him on several things, like the fact that a martini glass is poorly designed for socializing. There's a great section about Japan and I learned some interesting stuff from that one as well. I think that fans of Brown's shows will especially take to this book because of the bits of trivia and little factoids scattered throughout. If you want to gain more personal insight into his past and present, that's there too.

It is worth mentioning, though, that even amidst the humor he does come across as a bit of a snob in a couple of these essays. His disdain for The Food Network is very clear, as he refers to it bitterly as the “food game show network” even though he himself took part in those sorts of programs. The entire chapter badmouthing Martha Stewart is also not a great look, in my opinion. (And it’s a tad rich that he goes after her for pushing "perfectionism" on the masses when most of this book is about how staunchly particular Brown is about pretty much everything. I have to wonder why it was included at all.) There's a long political metaphor later on involving pineapple on pizza that I didn't fully comprehend, but that was probably on me.

Despite what I consider to be a few off-putting missteps, "Food For Thought" is a fairly smooth read that I would recommend to established fans of Alton Brown. I'm not sure if there's an audio version or not. If there is and he narrates, that's probably the best way to go with this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

Biggest TW: Brief mention of animal butchering for consumption, Disordered Eating, Lots of descriptive alcohol/drinking talk, Bullying

Alton Brown has been a beloved figure for me for many years. Every program featuring Alton on Food Network has captivated me, and upon starting this memoir, I was instantly engaged. His distinctive voice resonated throughout the text; had I encountered an excerpt without context, I would have easily recognized it as his work. I found myself laughing frequently while reading, which only fueled my desire to continue. The memoir was both entertaining and thought-provoking, leaving me eager for each new section. I thoroughly appreciated this memoir format, which includes essays on topics such as the foods that shape his identity, the significance of the kitchen table, cultural appropriation in cuisine, and the evolving relationship we have with food. I eagerly anticipate recommending this book upon its release.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

When I saw Alton Brown was releasing a memoir, I knew I had to read it. I was so excited for this!!! I started reading it as soon as I got the approval email for the ARC!

I love Alton Brown. His wit, his methods, his knowledge, his techniques--I think he's great! I've never seen something with Alton Brown on Food Network that I didn't like. The moment I started reading this, I was hooked! Alton's voice comes through loud and clear; if I had read an excerpt without knowing what this was, I'd think it was something from Alton.

I was only a few chapters in when I texted my bestie and told her she needed to get on NetGalley and request this book. She also loves Alton, so stay tuned for her thoughts later haha! I laughed so many times throughout my reading experience with this text and that just made me want to keep going. It was entertaining and engaging and I was always excited to get an opportunity to read a little bit more. I haven't read any celebrity chef memoirs before and this made me want to find more... though perhaps Alton has set the bar too high..? 👀

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC!

Alton Brown has a great and unique voice - if you are a long-time fan I absolutely recommend this collection of essays, and if you're not I still say give it a try - you might find yourself checking out some old Good Eats episodes next if you like his style!

In Food for Thought, television host and food educator Alton Brown offers more than three dozen short essays, all told in the erudite and acerbic manner that viewers have come to expect from his work on such shows as Good Eats, Cutthroat Kitchen, and Iron Chef America. The pieces can be loosely collected into various categories, including memoir (e.g., meals that informed his career development, cooking for family and friends, his television work, growing up as an overweight child), instructional (e.g., how he cooks chicken and turkey, how he mixes his daily martinis, how to follow recipe instructions), rants (e.g., Martha Stewart’s divisive cult of perfectionism, his aversion to “elevated” dishes, his aversion to multi-use kitchen tools), those somewhat related to the food industry (e.g., five questions he is often asked, famous food scenes in movies, the role that food plays in our lives), and those totally unrelated to the food industry (e.g., what it means to be a teacher, DNA testing to establish ancestry, fashion versus style when dressing oneself). There was no obvious connection to how these essays were ordered in the book, so they are best read as a series of one-off ruminations on whatever happened to be on the author’s mind at the time.

I have always enjoyed Brown’s appearances on the myriad shows he has hosted, as well as the times I have seen him speak at some of his personal appearances. I find his takes on food science and the production of high-quality meals to be enlightening and quite engaging. That said, the group of articles in this volume were of a far more uneven quality than his on-screen work; the skill set that makes him so effective on television did not always translate to the page. While some of these essays were strong and moving—particular standouts include his reflections on cooking biscuits as a way of connecting with his grandmother, the common threads that food provides to everyone, and his development as a show host—many others were largely forgettable. As this was not an actual memoir, I found most of the author’s reminiscences about vignettes from his past (e.g., trying to win over a date with his cooking prowess, feeding laxative-laced s’mores to his aunt) to be indulgences that distracted from what could have been a more substantial message. Further, I was confused, but not entertained, by the two “screenplays” included in the book, which came across as a little more mean-spirited than likely was intended. So, while I am satisfied with having read Food for Thought, it is a book that I could only recommend to someone who was already an Alton Brown fan.

The best of Alton Brown yet! I have read all of his cookbooks and learned more about science than cooking (I am still a rotten cook but can make a mean Alton Brown pizza crust!), but this book puts everything in a different and even more interesting light! This is basically a memoir but with funny stories that I will never forget (the blob). Alton gets real talking about his vulnerabilities which makes him even more endearing. I love the end where he talks about his wife and the as hoc podcast they put together- which reminds me to take a look at it right after I finish this review. And for the die hards, there are still a few cooking lessons in here. Great job, Alton, in always keeping us interested in what you are doing!
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

Alton Brown has been a favorite of mine and my husband for a considerable number of years now. We have all of the Good Eats cookbooks. We have watched him on so many cooking shows (which it is VERY interesting to see how Alton feels about Food Network now). I must say that I greatly enjoyed this version of a memoir--with essays that range from the foods that define him, an ode to the kitchen table, cultural appropriation of food, how we don't enjoy food for just food's sake anymore.....I cannot wait to recommend this book when it comes out.

Alton Brown writes with the most unique, self-deprecating, intelligent and snarky wit. I enjoyed every minute reading this book.