About this season
Join Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, Brad Leone, on a wild, roundabout and marginally scientific adventure exploring fermented foods and more. From cultured butter and kombucha, to kimchi and miso, to beer and tepache, learn how to make fermented and live foods yourself.
Episodes (18)
1. How to Brew Your Own Kombucha with Brad
Aired 21 October 2016
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.
2. Brad Makes Cultured Butter
Aired 4 December 2016
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.
3. Brad Makes Beer
Aired 15 January 2017
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."
4. Brad Makes Fermented Garlic Honey
Aired 13 February 2017
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.
5. Brad Makes Perfect Corned Beef
Aired 15 March 2017
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.
6. Brad Uses Moldy Rice (Koji) to Make Food Delicious
Aired 27 April 2017
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!
7. Brad Makes a Fermented Mexican Pineapple Drink (Tepache)
Aired 11 May 2017
Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back with episode 7 of "It’s Alive," and this time he’s brewing up a refreshing batch of tepache. Highlights include, "I want to drink this all summer long" and "I hope this doesn't blow up."
8. Brad Makes Fermented Hot Sauce
Aired 2 June 2017
Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back with episode 8 of "It’s Alive," and this time he's bringing the fire with his homemade hot sauce.
9. Brad Grills Steak on a Campfire
Aired 11 July 2017
Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back with episode 9 of It's Alive. This time Brad takes his skills out of the kitchen and into the woods to teach you how to build the perfect campfire for cooking delicious food outdoors. Whether you're at a campground, backyard, or taking a quick day trip into the woods, Brad's setup lets you get creative and flex your outdoor culinary skills.
10. Brad Makes Campfire Seafood
Aired 13 July 2017
Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back with episode 10 of It's Alive. Brad uses the multi-zone campfire he built in the previous episode to whip up a delicious seafood feast for him and Vinny, with salmon, shrimp, oysters, langoustines, and more!
11. Brad Makes Campfire Breakfast
Aired 21 July 2017
Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back with episode 11 of It's Alive. Join Brad as he prepares a breakfast feast with his multi-zone campfire. He ends up with a delicious egg, potato, and bacon mix, a cheesy sausage wheel, some scrumptious stone fruit, and roughly nine-and-a-half of his fingers.
12. Brad Makes Campfire Ribs
Aired 2 August 2017
Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back with episode 12 of It's Alive. Brad wraps up his camping series with some delicious campfire cooked BBQ ribs, corn on the cob, and a neat little tip on how to make the most of your cooler.
13. Brad Makes Mistakes
Aired 25 August 2017
In this special edition of It's Alive, Bon Appétit Test Kitchen Manager Brad Leone shows you that he's not perfect. Despite a nearly flawless record thus far, Brad demonstrates he knows no bounds when it comes to going off topic, expressing himself with colorful language, and yelling at a tent.
14. Brad Makes Crunchy, Half-Sour Pickles
Aired 15 September 2017
Bon Appétit Test Kitchen manager, Brad Leone, is back with episode 14 of It's Alive. Watch as Brad makes his favorite, crunchy, half-sour pickles using a salt brine and a blend of tasty spices. Brad also discusses the solar eclipse, takes a crash course in film history, and recaps his vacation.
15. Brad Explores an Oyster Farm
Aired 29 September 2017
Bon Appétit Test Kitchen Manager Brad Leone is back with episode 15 of It's Alive. Brad takes a trip to Duxbury, Massachusetts to visit the folks at Island Creek Oyster to see what it takes to be an oyster farmer. He observes all the stages of oyster development, gets put to work on the farm, and learns the proper way to shuck an oyster!
16. How To Make Sausage with Brad
Aired 13 October 2017
Bon Appétit Test Kitchen Manager Brad Leone is back with episode 16 of It's Alive. Brad takes a trip to Portland, Oregon to literally see how the sausage is made. He's joined by Elias Cairo of Olympia Provisions, who guides Brad through the process of emulsifying, stuffing, and smoking the meats.
17. Brad Makes Sauerkraut
Aired 27 October 2017
Bon Appétit Test Kitchen Manager Brad Leone is back for Episode 17 or "It's Alive," and this time he's making a fermentation classic: sauerkraut. Join Brad as he turns some cabbage into delicious kraut, daydreams, and delves into movie trivia.
18. Brad Makes Kimchi
Aired 10 November 2017
Bon Appétit Test Kitchen Manager Brad Leone is back for Episode 18 or "It's Alive," and this time he's making kimchi. Join Brad as he battles test kitchen distractions and rubber gloves to show you his version of a cabbage kimchi.