10 questions with food guru Ted Allen

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We grilled the former Chicago newspaperman, who got his start as areporter at the Lerner Newspapers on Chicago's North Side, on thenew series and some of his favorite foods.
Q: How did "Food Detectives" come about?
Allen: I'd been talking with the Food Network for years about a new show.But just wanting a TV show is not enough. I didn't really want todo an instructional cooking show. I wanted something more popcultural. This has a little more humor and it's been hystericalsince we started.
Q: You actually have some science background, right?
Allen: Yeah, my master's degree program had an extra six months devotedto science and environmental reporting, which I did not use muchwhen I was covering community meetings and writing about potholesand the Cubs. This show is fairly dedicated to the science, but Idon't think an examination of the five-second rule is going to winus a Nobel Prize.
Q: Do you go it alone?
Allen: I have a cast of henchmen that we call the Food Techs. For thefive-second rule episode we took the Food Techs out in the field,along with a friend who is a microbiologist at Johns Hopkins, andwe took various food items like french fries, M&Ms and shrimpand dropped them on the ground.
We timed them for five seconds then swabbed them and wiped the swabon a petri dish to see what would grow under various conditions, Wetested someone's desk along with a New York City street and akitchen floor. Just watchingsomeone with a PhD from Johns Hopkinsdo this was pretty hilarious.
Q: And the results?
Allen: It kind of depends on what the food is and where you are. Somefoods are stickier than others. Every surface is teeming withbacteria but it's a lot easier for bacteria to stick to a piece ofraw chicken than an M&M.
Q: What, if anything, has truly surprised you?
Allen: Besides looking at food myths, we also get into some stories, likewhere did the martini come from? We're also taking viewersquestions on the Web site and have already gotten a few, such as isit true that celery has negative calories? The theory being thatthe amount of energy you expend chewing and digesting it is morethan you absorb from eating it. That was kind of cool. If we do wina Nobel, I will gladly accept it. (laughs).
Q: OK, how about some quickies. You're in Chicago and only have timefor one meal. Where do you go?
Allen: Wow, that's a tough one because there are so many great foodchoices. I'll go with Gibsons (bar and steakhouse) and I'd get abone-in ribeye and have a cocktail with Hugo Rawley, who is one ofthe owners.
Q: Answer the following, When I'm at home I like to cook what?
Allen: Baby back ribs, slow and low, over charcoal for two hours ofbrining, two hours of smoking and two hours in a covered pan with alittle apple juice on the bottom. It's ridiculous, I know.
Q: Best dessert ever?
Allen: I am still very much a sucker for creme brulee, although it isn'treally the season for it. A banana split would be good, too.
Q: I can easily live without eating another blank again.
Allen: Ostrich steak, because they don't have any flavor.
Q: Favorite junk food?
Allen: Lays Sour Cream and Onion potato chips, which is disgustingbecause it's such a processed food, but I can't help it.
Ted time
" Ted Allen will be in Chicago Saturday at GenderPAC's ChicagoCelebrity Cook-Off, featuring Josie Smith-Malave and Dale Levitski.The former "Top Chef" contestants will battle it out in thekitchen, and Ted will declare a winner. The contest will be heldfrom 6 to 9 p.m. at The Chopping Block, 222 Merchandise Mart, No.107, Chicago. $250 individual admission, includes
" The new season of "Iron Chef America" is underway, with Tedreturning as a regularjudge. Catch his last episode of the seasonat 9 p.m. July 27 on Food Network.