“Hello, I’m Rachael Ray,” was how Christopher Kimball introduced himself to the capacity crowd at the National Museum of American History. The audience burst into laughter without actually knowing why they were laughing—they were just excited to see the star of America’s Test Kitchen, the number one cooking show on public television. But soon enough Kimball explained: In Manhattan he was stopped by a doorman who gave him a look of recognition. It took a few seconds, but then it clicked: “I know who you are,” he said. “You’re Alton Brown!”

Not that anyone at last night’s event would ever confuse the television host and founder of the wildly popular Cook’s Illustrated magazine with any other food personality. In fact, each of the attendees paid $45 not just to meet Kimball and science editor Guy Crosby but also to get a signed copy of his company’s latest book, The Science of Good Cooking: Master 50 Simple Concepts to Enjoy a Lifetime of Success in the Kitchen.