Whether you know him as the zany, energetic host of "Good Eats" or as the diabolical mastermind of "Cutthroat Kitchen," chances are you know Alton Brown. "Good Eats" remains one of the most well-loved and longest-running shows in Food Network history, along with Rachael Ray's "30 Minute Meals" and noted butter enthusiast Ina Garten's "The Barefoot Contessa." Brown was instrumental in making food science mainstream and accessible. He didn't just show viewers how to cook delicious food he explained exactly what chemical processes made it delicious, from browning your meat to brining your holiday turkey. It's possible we wouldn't have J. Kenji López-Alt or Andrew "Babish" Rea without the influence of Alton Brown -- but if we really wanted to go back to the source, we'd have to thank R.E.M.
That's right: Before he was a television personality, Brown worked behind the camera as a director of photography, also known as a cinematographer. His work on the music video for R.E.M. hit "The One I Love" set into motion events that would one day lead to him making a guy cook gnocchi with a potato masher duct taped to his hand.