Science in the Culinary World

For ages 9-90

The aim of this course is to give hands-on experience to participants of the latest trends in the culinary world. Starting with the basics, we will take you through a journey into the modern trends in the area. 

The methodology will include theory for about 15 minutes and then a demonstration of some of the techniques on video so that you can start working in your kitchens at home. A parent and a child from one household can join the course as a team (2 adults from a household are also welcome to join, or a single child, or a single adult. Single children should ideally be 13 years or older). 

This course will cover how multiple senses are involved in our perception of food. how molecules cause taste, the physics of cooking, various methods and knife skills. Through experimenting with making different types of popcorn, going through the process of making Shrikhand and other dishes, you will start understanding the different elements and the science underlying cooking. Scientific concepts of temperature and heat transfer, density and specific gravity, viscosity and surface tension are some of the scientific aspects that will become evident. We will also look at the functionality of various ingredients (in different dishes), do a sensory evaluation through a ‘triangle test’ and look at the role of gels, foams and emulsions. Participants will work with fruits like pineapple and watermelon, vegetables and ingredients like chocolate and cinnamon. We will also look at 2 ways of baking a cake.

The experience will be unique as the journey will give you a flavour of what goes into making food the way it is made and the extraordinary impact science has had on understanding not just the how of a recipe but also the why of a recipe.  So hop on and learn to make those finger licking dishes and learn to give a great experience using the latest techniques and ingredients

Learn more about our expert course facilitator, Dr. Prabhakar Sastri, here.

 Watch the instructor speak about his background, how he got into this field and the course here.