It's Alive! With Brad

In episode 1 of 'It's Alive' with Bon Appétit test kitchen manager Brad Leone, we follow him through his process of brewing his own kombucha. Main takeaways include: be creative, keep your SCOBY clean, take care of her, feed her, and use food-grade bottles to avoid glass explosions. It's a learning experience.

Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back with episode 2 of "It’s Alive," and this time he’s taking you to school, making tangy, creamy, salty cultured butter. Will it be boring? Nope. Is the process scientifically accurate? Maybe. Will there be jokes and made-up words? Most likely. Will you learn about butter? Of course. Get those churning hands ready, buy some buttermilk, cream, and grab some bread. It’s Butter. It’s Alive.

For episode 3 of "It's Alive," Bon Appetit Test Kitchen Manager, Brad Leone, visits Suarez Family Brewery in Livingston, NY. Brewmaster, Dan Suarez, may realize he's in for a little more than he bargained for when Brad gets his hands (and face) a little dirty. Will you be able to make beer at home after watching? Probably not... but as Dan Suarez said after reviewing this video "This is as technically correct as Brad Leone can be."

Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back with episode 4 of "It’s Alive," and this time he’s making fermented garlic honey. If that sounds simple...it is. That doesn't mean Brad won't have fun with it, though. Join him on this wild and roundabout journey to put two or three ingredients together.

Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back with episode 5 of "It’s Alive," and this time he’s making corned beef. Brad guides you through the process of celebrating St. Patrick's Day in style, complete with bagpipes, Guinness, dolphins and...wait, what? It may not technically be alive anymore, but we kind of just let Brad do his thing.

Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back with episode 6 of "It’s Alive," and this time he’s experimenting with koji-rubbed meats. His koji-rubbed short ribs are a crowd favorite, but will the chicken and "experimental shrimp" be winners too? Join Brad on this marginally scientific adventure to find out!

Bon Appétit Test Kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back for episode 19 of "It's Alive," and this time he's joined by Sean Evans, host of Hot Ones and Sean In The Wild from First We Feast. Brad teaches Sean the art of making pizza in a cast-iron skillet while being subjected to an abbreviated version of Sean's famous hot sauce challenge.

Bon Appétit Test Kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back for episode 20 of "It's Alive," and this time he's visiting the workshop of legendary knife maker Bob Kramer to see what goes into making a high quality chef's knife. Together they forge, grind, and squish their way through creating a 5 inch utility blade. A high quality chef's knife makes a great gift if you're still looking for the perfect present for your culinary loved ones this holiday season, or just to step up your own kitchen game. Check out kramerknives.com for additional designs, products, and maintenance tips.

Bon Appétit Test Kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back for episode 21 of "It's Alive," and this time he's giving you his top ten fermentation tips. Brad discusses his favorite equipment, best practices, and addresses some common concerns in the wild world of fermentation.

Bon Appétit Test Kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back for episode 22 of "It's Alive," and this time he's learning how honey is harvested. Brad visits his friends at Bee Local at The Croft Farm just outside Portland, Oregon, to extract honey and test his skills as a bee whisperer.

Bon Appétit Test Kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back for episode 23 of “It’s Alive,” and this time he’s learning how to make chocolate. (Fermentation plays a key role in the chocolate making process!) Brad travels with Guittard Chocolate to visit a cacao farm in Ecuador where he learns how farmers harvest and ferment cacao beans.

Bon Appétit Test Kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back for episode 24 of “It’s Alive.” This is part 2 of Brad's adventure to learn how chocolate is made. Brad joins Amy Guittard at the Guittard chocolate factory in San Francisco to follow fermented cacao beans on their journey toward becoming finished chocolate products.

Bon Appétit Test Kitchen Manager Brad Leone is back for episode 39 of “It’s Alive” and this time he’s making mustard. Rumor has it this might be his best creation yet. Join Brad as he gets into “some serious science” and reveals the fermented ace up his sleeve.

Bon Appétit Test Kitchen Manager Brad Leone is back for episode 40 of “It’s Alive,” and this time he's fermenting garlic in miso. Brad has two of his favorite ingredients hang out in Fermentation Station in preparation for making a delicious garlic-infused miso soup. Join him on his lifelong adventure to get that allicin going.

Bon Appétit Test Kitchen Manager Brad Leone is back for episode 41 of “It’s Alive,” and this time he's deep in the woods of Washington foraging for porcini mushrooms with his fungus friends, Colin and Andrew.

Bon Appétit's Brad Leone is back for episode 42 of “It’s Alive,” and this time he's making black garlic and homemade pasta. Join Brad on his lifelong quest to consume garlic in as many forms as possible.

Bon Appétit’s Brad Leone is back for episode 43 of “It’s Alive,” and this time he’s in Oregon to go pheasant hunting with Olympia Provisions’ very own Elias Cairo. Brad and Elias show you how to safely and responsibly harvest wild game for consumption. Joining them are Leather and Utah, Eli’s very talented dogs.

Bon Appétit’s Brad Leone is back for episode 44 of “It’s Alive,” for the second part of his pheasant hunting trip with Elias Cairo. Using the pheasants from the previous episode, Brad and Elias show you how to properly break down, preserve, and cook wild game.