Perhaps the polar opposite of Don Draper is Alton Brown, host of 'Good Eats' on the Food Network. He's not dashing in the same way Don is, but he can do something more important. He can cook.
I became a 'Good Eats' fan because Alton talks about food in a way I understand best -- by explaining the science behind the food. Only a geek can get excited to learn about the Maillard reaction (how food browns during cooking), what the flash point of olive oil is or how a souffle rises. Emeril can get all BAM! on me but Alton wants me to care about the details that make the food tasty.
I recommend his first cookbook, Good Eats: The Early Years, for the recipes and, more importantly, the entertainment value. This is a man whose tongue is firmly planted in cheek at all times. In the age of celebrity chefs and their egos, it's refreshing to have Alton and his nerdish approach to cooking. He also keeps my left brain very happy (see here).
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