It's Alive! With Brad Leone
Brad's entertaining personality will whisk you away on a culinary adventure
Food, Entertainment, and Education
I avoid cooking and typically don't enjoy cooking shows. I was caught off guard by Brad Leone from Bon Appetit's It's Alive, which provides a surprisingly enjoyable and educational culinary adventure. Each episode tackles a new dish across a wide variety of styles and food cuisines, with a few "on location" episodes exploring food sources like oyster farms or cocoa fields.
I've spent most of my life avoiding cooking. There are a few dishes I'll throw together in the kitchen or on the grill but often the possibility of "getting things wrong" is intimidating. When I'm already hungry (which science shows contributes to poor decision making), I'm in no mind to begin a cooking adventure.
Brad blends a truly top-shelf chef skillset and experience with an enthusiastic yet casual attitude that welcomes and entertains viewers. His sense of humor and the fun/weird little visual animations added in post-production create a light-hearted voice to the show. Brad captures my interest in every episode, with humble and approachable guidance, that's unlike any other cooking show I've seen.
I love watching Brad. He makes me want to be in the kitchen learning new things. It's Alive reveals much of Brad's character and gregarious personality, and it's easy to imagine the fun of hanging out with him in person.
As someone who is routinely overwhelmed and put-off by the idea of exploring in the world of cooking, I'm surprised to find an interest kindled by Brad's knowledgable enthusiasm. Most cooking show hosts feel unapproachable and perhaps even arrogant. Brad turns that on its head with a refreshing humility and comfortably careless attitude without sacrificing any knowledge or skill.
It's Alive is incredibly watchable, and I've included the Season 1 playlist embedded below. I am confident you'll enjoy this fresh take on the "cooking show" format and leave each episode as I do: amused, a little smarter, and hungry!
-Andre