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The Science of "Good Eats" coming to Laboratory

When Alton Brown, host and creator of the popular show "Good Eats" on the Food Network, sees a kitchen, he also sees a laboratory. For him, science is the foundation of everything he does in the kitchen, and he goes to creative lengths to help ensure his audience understands it as well.

Brown will be at the Laboratory on April 9 to talk about how science comes into play in his show and offer some examples of his scientific illustrations. The talk is at 1:30 p.m. in the Physics Building Auditorium at Technical Area 3. It also can be viewed on LABNET Channel 9 and on desktop computers using Real Media software.

The talk is co-sponsored by the Community Relations (CRO) Office and the Central New Mexico Section of the American Chemical Society.

The Food Network is available locally through most cable- and satellite-television providers.

In past episodes of Good Eats, Brown has used remote-controlled cars to illustrate thermodynamics, blow torches to demonstrate chemical breakdown and specially designed props to help his audience understand the science of what's happening in the kitchen and why.

Brown sees the science metaphors and entertaining illustrations as a way to make a connection with his audience. "Metaphors are very powerful. With them people have a parallel they can connect with and you can meet in the middle," he said. "They can figure out what you are trying to say on their own, so they don't feel like you are talking down to them. If you dumb things down you fail."

Practically anything can become fodder when Brown decides to make a scientific point: a racquetball court and a quilt demonstrate why a dirty oven results in uneven heating (inconsistent heat reflection), while two teenage dancers model how yogurt sauces will coagulate while cream-based sauces will not (fat molecules).

While his examples are amusing and make their point, it's not a show aimed at children. "Engineering types frequently tell me how much they appreciate how I manage to get to the core of what's going on," said Brown. As to when to insert the science sequences, Brown added, "It's usually in the process of the research when I have an 'Aha' moment. It's when I 'get it' that I figure other people need to get it too."

Even Brown's first cookbook, "I'm Just Here For the Food: Food + Heat = Cooking," illustrates his interest in science. Unlike most cookbooks that are organized from appetizers to desserts, Brown's is organized by cooking method such as searing and broiling. He goes into the details of how the type of heat "works" so that, he hopes, people will understand what they're doing — whether that is preparing steak or tofu.

Brown's interest in the science dynamics of food come via a unusual set of circumstances. In college, he said he wanted to go out on dates but girls frequently turned him down. But if he offered to cook for his potential date, his odds improved. Once he made the connection between cooking and science, his life has never been the same, he said. As time went on, Brown said he came to realize that he liked the cooking and science, regardless of the girls.

Brown's talk is recommended for anyone who would like some creative inspiration on how to communicate science to all audiences. While it will be open to the public, seating is limited.

For more information, contact Linda Anderman of CRO at 5-9196 or write to anderman@lanl.gov by electronic mail.

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