This document summarizes the Science and Cooking program at Harvard University which combines science and cooking education. The program inspires students to think about science through hands-on cooking lessons. It brings together chefs and scientists to collaborate on developing new recipes and researching cooking techniques. Students conduct their own cooking experiments and learn to apply scientific concepts. The program has expanded to public lectures and developing curricula for K-12 students to learn science through cooking.

1. Science and Cooking at
Harvard
Naveen Sinha, Otger Campas, Amy Rowat, Joan Abrams, Joshua
Bridger,
Kathryn Hollar, Daniel Rosenberg, Pia Sorensen, Heloise Vilaseca,
Michael Brenner, David Weitz
Thanks to:
Christina Andujar
Jason Doo, Geoff Lukas, Dan Souza
Chop Chop Magazine

2. 1.
HOW DO WE INSPIRE STUDENTS TO THINK
ABOUT SCIENCE IN THEIR EVERYDAY
LIVES?

3. Undergrad High school Grades 5-7

4. Cooking is a universal activity that can
captivate audiences and encourage
experimentation.
Dan Souza Geoff Lukas

5. Recipes can be effective starting points for
demonstrating scientific concepts.
AC Rowat, D Rosenberg, K Hollar, and A Stone (2010)

6. The scientific approach can explain how the
ingredients in a recipe interact.
Joan Abrams

7. Developing new recipes is a an accessible
example of engineering design.
Julie Monrad

8. 1I.
CHEF/SCIENTIST COLLABORATIONS OPEN
NEW EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

9. The Harvard Science and Cooking course
shows the potential of chef/scientist
collaborations.
Prof. David Weitz Prof. Otger Cámpas
Ferran Adria Prof. Amy Rowat

10. Many chefs can be eager to explain their
recipe development process.
Chef José Andrés

11. Chefs can also appreciate learning the
reasons behind why their recipes work.
Chef Bill Yosses Pia Sorensen

12. The professors provided context for the
lectures and demonstrations from the chefs.
Prof. Michael Brenner Daniel Rosenberg

13. Non-scientists learn how to apply
quantitative approaches to cooking.

14. Undergrads learn basic measurement
techniques to apply to food.
Ice cream Hot iced tea Spherification Molten cake

15. Students then apply these techniques to
their own research projects.
What is the optimal ratio of flours for a gluten-free
pasta?
Can you use rotary evaporation to extract the stinky
smell from a durian?
Can use use gelling agents to make ice cubes that
sink?
How can you mathematically model the cooking times
for a chocolate cake?
Can you use transglutaminase to make heat-resistant
ice cream?
Are their vegan substitutes for using gelatin with
transglutaminase?

16. A final project fair gives them experience in
presenting their work to others.
Gashaw Clark ’14 (from left), K. Lanier Walker ’14, and Rebecca
Ruskin ’13 prove that their jellied meat stock is stable enough to
withstand direct flame without melting.
photo by Eliza Grinnel / SEAS

17. The public lectures are filmed freely
available on both iTunes and YouTube.
Chef Grant Achatz,

18. 1II.
CHEF/SCIENTIST COLLABORATIONS
INSPIRE NEW RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

19. Sous vide cooking can enable research into
the effect of protein denaturation on texture.
Dave Arnold, Cooking Issues
How does the tenderness of meat scale with the cooking
time, for a given temperature? – inspired by Nathan
Myhrvold

20. Breville has numerous research projects
related to their kitchen equipment.
30 s 60 s 90 s 120 s 150 s
Natalie Sandman
How can we accelerate the egg whisking process?

21. Cookies illustrate the complex interactions
between ingredients in a recipe.

22. America’s Test Kitchen provided their
facilities and expertise to investigate
ingredient ratios.
Dan Souza Geoff Lukas

23. The standard recipe is crispy brown outside
and soft and chewy inside.

24. With extra flour, the cookie becomes more
like a crumbly biscuit.

25. With extra sugar, the cookie crystallizes and
becomes fragile.

26. With extra butter, the cookies feels greasy
and leaves an oily residue.

27. With extra egg, the cookie becomes floppy,
similar to an omelet.

28. Undergrad High school Grades 5-7

29. Design Challenge:
Create a healthy cookie
• What are the macromolecules in a sugar cookie?
• What are the physical and chemical changes that
occur during the baking process?
• How do the macromolecules contribute to health?
• How can you modify the composition of a cookie to
improve the nutrition, while maintaining the texture?

30. Students study their own cookie “mutants”
during their recipe development.
Joan Abrams

31. Undergrad High school Grades 5-7

32. 1V.
CHEFS AND SCIENTISTS CAN WORK
TOGETHER TO TEACH KIDS TO THINK LIKE
SCIENTISTS IN THE KITCHEN

33. How can we link science lessons with food to
create into memorable experiences?
Anna Wang Ben Wolfe

34. Students learn both science and cooking
skills they can use in their everyday life.
Gabe Bremer / Daniel Rosenburg
Rolando Robledo Bill Yosses

35. Science and Cooking for kids:
SCHEDULE
8:00 to 8:30 pm students arrive
8:30 to 10:00 am science/cooking lesson
10:00 to 10:30 am snack
10:30 to 11:00 am recess
11:00 to 11:30 am math
11:30 am to noon lunch prep
noon to 1:00 pm lunch
1:00 to 2:00 pm physical activity
2:00 to 3:00 pm expert

36. Science and Cooking for Kids:
2012 Curriculum
Week 1 Week 2
Intro Acidity
Microbes Foams
Pickling Emulsions
Flavor Thickeners
Gelling BBQ

37. Science and Cooking for Kids:
2013 Curriculum
Day Learning Outcome
Monday Use ratios to understand how to balance flavors.
Tuesday Apply analogies from phase transitions to explain
culinary transformations.
Wednesday Apply heat diffusion concepts to understand
cooking methods
Thursday Use chemical reactions to create new flavors and
textures in food.
Friday Use soft matter concepts, like gels and emulsions,
to describe Modernist cooking techniques.

38. V.
THE CULINARY WORLD IS FULL OF
POTENTIAL NEW EDUCATION VENTURES

39. World-class chefs + Harvard faculty  Eq. of the
Week
Local chefs + students  Experimental research
Test Kitchen + high school teacher  Engineering
design
Local chefs + Harvard scientists  Lessons for kids
…what’s next?

40. Science and math are not just important for
scientists; cooking shows how these skills apply to
everyday life or other careers.

41. We’d love to discuss more ideas for
combining science and cooking.
seas.harvard.edu/cooking
(in development)
scienceandcooking.seas.harvard.edu
nsinha@seas.harvard.edu

43. Unexpected results, not perfect execution of a
recipe, drives student learning.
Chefs and scientists work together to show these
“failures” as a valuable source of knowledge.

44. Culinary technologist Dave Arnold frequently
collaborates with author Harold McGee.
Dave Arnold Harold McGee

45. Chef Wylie Dufresne consults with food
scientist Ted Russin during recipe
development.
Chef Wylie
Ted Russin
Dufresne