Former ‘Test Kitchen’ star Brad Leone hangs with ‘Local Legends’ on new YouTube channel

During his decade-long stint at the food media company Bon Appétit, Brad Leone emerged as one of YouTube’s favorite chefs. Now, he’s bringing his fun-loving personality and experimental attitude to a new hub. Leone has launched a YouTube channel where he will house original web series with titles like Local Legends and Makin’ It.

After receiving formal culinary training and working jobs across the food service industry, Leone became a star on the Bon Appétit YouTube channel, where he formed a fruitful partnership with fellow “test kitchen” denizen Claire Saffitz. With his impulsive yet well-informed cooking style, Leone played the id to Saffitz’s superego. He also spread his love of fermented food through the web series It’s Alive, which pulled in millions of views per episode.

After numerous controversies rollicked Bon Appétit, an exodus of on-screen talent began. Saffitz left the test kitchen in 2020, and Leone departed last year — but he didn’t stay out of the public eye for long. In a trailer for his new channel, he promises viewers they will be able to watch “all of their favorite Leones,” from “chef” to “chicken whisperer” to “ADHD” to “legend” to just plain “Brad.”

Local Legends, which premiered its first episode on June 5, is one of the shows that will highlight its host’s multifaceted persona. It’s described as a “community guide” in which Leone travels to far-flung regions and unpacks local food traditions.

His first adventure brings him to rural Maine, where visits the Oxbow Brewing Company, hangs with the locals, and adventures into the wilderness. Legends has all the hallmarks of a typical Brad Leone joint: There’s buoyant conversation, unfiltered language, and, of course, fermentation.

New episodes of Local Legends will come out on Mondays. Makin’ It will drop on Wednesdays, though its premiere episode also dropped on June 5. The cooking show will explore the wide world of fermentation, from mushrooms to pickles to honey to beer.

Like an active culture, Leone’s new YouTube home is already growing fast. Just one week after sharing his channel trailer, Leone already counts more than 90,000 subscribers. The loyalty of his viewers is a testament to the devoted following he built during his many years at Bon Appétit. With his fans behind him, Leone is now exploring new frontiers. Luckily for him, he loves to adventure.