Alton Brown Biography: Wife, Age, Net Worth, TV Shows, Books, Daughter, Height, Awards

Alton Crawford Brown Jr. is an American chef, author, and television host who became widely known for his inventive and educational show Good Eats. Blending culinary techniques, food science, history, and humor, the show debuted in 1999 and quickly grew into a fan favorite.

Brown’s signature style—part cooking lesson, part comedy skit—redefined food television and set the stage for his later roles as a judge on Iron Chef America and host of Cutthroat Kitchen.

Profile

• Full name: Alton Crawford Brown Jr.
• Date of birth: July 30, 1962
• Age: 63 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• State of origin: California
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Chef; television personality; author; cinematographer; musician
• Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.816 m)
• Eye color: Brown
• Hair color: Brown
• Parents: Alton Crawford Brown Sr. (father); Phyllis Brown (née Sauls) (mother)
• Siblings: N/A
• Spouse: DeAnna Collins (m. 1999; div. 2015); Elizabeth Ingram (m. 2018)
• Children: Zoey Brown (daughter, born 1999)
• Relationship status: Married to Elizabeth Ingram
• Religion: Christian (formerly Southern Baptist; later distanced due to church’s anti‑gay stance)
• Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
• Net worth: US $13 million

Early Life and Education

Alton Crawford Brown Jr. is now 63 years old and was born on July 30, 1962, in Los Angeles. Raised primarily by his mother, Phyllis, he moved at age seven to rural Georgia after the death of his biological father, Alton Sr., from an apparent suicide when Alton was in sixth grade.

Living in Georgia exposed him to tough public school environments but he found solace in music and cooking.

As Alton Brown has recalled, he gained several step-siblings through his mother’s remarriages, though none were from the same biological parents. After an early graduation at 16, he studied theater and film at the University of Georgia before transferring to pursue his passion for filmmaking.

Dissatisfied with TV cooking shows, he enrolled at the New England Culinary Institute and graduated in 1997.

Personal Life

Alton Brown married DeAnna Collins, an executive producer on Good Eats, in 1999, and their daughter Zoey was born later that year. The couple divorced in May 2015.

In 2016 he hired interior designer Elizabeth Ingram to renovate his Marietta, Georgia loft—sparking a relationship that led to their engagement in April 2018 and their marriage later that year in Charleston, South Carolina.

They currently reside in Marietta with their three dogs.

Career

Alton Brown’s television journey began after earning his culinary certification, launching Good Eats in 1999 on PBS, later moving to Food Network. The program ran for 14 seasons until 2012, with a revival from 2019 to 2021.

Known for blending food science, humor, and technique, Good Eats won a Peabody Award in 2006 and earned multiple James Beard nominations.

He went on to host or judge other major shows including Iron Chef America, Cutthroat Kitchen (2013–2017), Feasting on Asphalt and Feasting on Waves (2006–2008), and Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend on Netflix in 2022.

His live stage performances—such as Alton Brown Live: The Edible Inevitable Tour, Eat Your Science, Beyond the Eats, and his farewell Last Bite Tour (2025)—have sold out across the U.S.

Awards

• James Beard Foundation Award – Best Cookbook for I’m Just Here for the Food (2003)
• James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Award – TV Host (2011)

Net worth

Alton Brown’s net worth is estimated at US $13 million, derived from his television career, bestselling books, live tours, endorsements, and branded kitchen products.

Social Media

• Instagram: @altonbrown
• Twitter/X: @altonbrown
• YouTube: Alton Brown
• TikTok: @alton_brown

Filmography

• Good Eats
• Iron Chef America
• Cutthroat Kitchen
• Feasting on Asphalt
• Feasting on Waves
• The Next Iron Chef
• Iron Chef Gauntlet
• Worst Cooks in America
• Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend

Books

• I’m Just Here for the Food: Food + Heat = Cooking
• Alton Brown’s Gear for Your Kitchen
• Good Eats: The Early Years
• Good Eats 2: The Middle Years
• EveryDayCook
• Good Eats 4: The Final Years
• Food for Thought: Essays & Ruminations