The show tends to focus on familiar dishes that can easily be made at home, and also features segments on choosing the right appliances, and getting the most out of inexpensive, multi-purpose tools.

In the tenth anniversary episode, Brown stated that the show was inspired by the idea of combining Julia Child, Mr. Wizard, and Monty Python.

In other episodes Brown is simply himself, but interacts with fictional characters such as his eggplant- and tomato-wielding neighbor Mr. McGregor, or a city councilman who refuses to eat fudge.

Since approximately season seven, however, Brown avoids saying "good eats" at the end of the intro, stopping just short and allowing the main title graphics to complete the phrase.

A 7-foot (2.1 m) section of the island was built for the show and placed on wheels, so it can be moved (or removed) for various shots, and a 12-square-foot (1.1 m2) grid of pipe was hung from the ceiling, for easier placement of cameras and microphones.

Starting with season 7, the show moved, this time to an exact replica of the previous kitchen and surrounding areas of the home, built on a sound stage.

[7] There are dozens of variations of the theme played throughout, crossing all genres of music, including the keypad tones in "Mission: Poachable" and nearly every incidence where a countdown of ten seconds is used.

[9] A staple feature of Good Eats is the presence of several recurring characters who play important roles on the show, from Brown's relatives and neighbors to various nemeses.

Sometimes he participates in an on-screen skit to re-enact such topics as cavemen discovering cooking techniques, while providing a voice-over narrative.

Two pilot episodes for Good Eats ("Steak Your Claim" and "This Spud's For You") aired on the Chicago, Illinois, PBS affiliate WTTW-TV in July 1998.

On October 10, 2009, Good Eats celebrated its 10th anniversary with an hour-long live stage show aired on the Food Network.

Brown emphasized that he was not on a diet in the modern American sense of the word (a temporary change in eating habits), but in the original Greek meaning (a permanent shift).

[17] "Rarely has science been taught on TV in such an entertaining – and appetizing – manner as it is in Alton Brown's goofy, tirelessly inventive series.

In the special Thanksgiving episode of 2011, "Reromancing the Bird," favorite characters of the show—sister Marsha, niece Marsha Jr., neighbor Chuck, the southerner Uncle Colonel Bob Boatwright, the food agent Sid, Frances Andersen portraying Uncle Bob's nurse, and the Dungeon Master—reappeared for a last time as a final tribute to their contribution to the show.

Brown announced via Facebook earlier that day at approximately 2:00 p.m. EST: Tonight at 8pm: The final, oh so special installment of Good Eats.

And yes, I'm kinda sad.When asked about the end of the show on the August 29, 2012, episode of The Nerdist Podcast, Brown stated "I've put Good Eats into cryogenic holding.

We shot them like movies, single-camera I crossed that line, and I also kind of saw the writing on the wall, I think, which was that the era of the instructional or educational culinary show was frankly coming to an end in primetime.

Brown addressed the future of Good Eats at the end of a video he posted to his official Facebook page on July 16, 2015.

On September 3, 2017, at the annual Dragon Con convention in Atlanta, Georgia, Alton Brown announced the successor of Good Eats.

Brown made the announcement while surrounded by several members of the production and on-air teams responsible for Good Eats, including Vickie Eng, Widdi Turner, and Lucky Yates.

[24] On June 3, 2019, Brown announced via social media that the show, now titled Good Eats: The Return, would debut Sunday, August 25, at 10 pm ET.

[28] On August 6, 2020, Brown announced on Facebook that a new season of Good Eats: The Return had begun production, with new episodes due out either in late 2020 or early 2021.

[29] This second season premiered as a Discovery+ exclusive in early 2021, but by June 2021 had started airing on Food Network alongside a special Alton-led Chopped tournament called "Alton's Maniacal Baskets".

[32] American publishers Stewart, Tabori and Chang released three separate volumes compiling the bulk of recipes featured on the television show.

The first book, Good Eats: The Early Years was released in October 2009 and featured an original cover art by illustrator Michael Koelsch.