Student Reviews
"It was just the right amount of challenging and fun!"
"It was a truly amazing course! I'm raving about it to all my friends, wish they could take it with me, and am SO looking forward to the courses with Chef Silver in the fall!"
"Fantastic presentation of an incredible depth and breadth of relevant, super interesting material."
"Extensive professor knowledge. Interesting Q&A. I learned things that are relevant to my life and planetary health."
"I really liked how Chef Michael has such a deep understanding of the content. He was able to answer any question you could imagine."
"Overall, my favorite part was gaining confidence and inspiration to try new things."
"The class gave me a lot of ideas that I want to experiment with at home (i.e., grinding my own wheat, trying Moo Gloo, making cultured butter). I really enjoy complex recipes and this class helped me understand the science behind the food. This will allow me to further refine my technique and even try new things.”
Class Overview
Gain a deeper insight into what’s going on when you cook and bake! Whether you are a home cook or a professional, you can become a much better cook by learning the science of food and cooking. You'll fall in love with cooking, as well as the beauty of the amazing world we live in!
Many techniques still taught in culinary schools are based on tradition rather than science. In this class, students learn about the fascinating field of food science through a combination of fun and fascinating lectures and demos with lots of tasting. While this is not a hand-on cooking class, there is a capstone projects students will do at home and then present to the other students in the last class (this assignment is optional but encouraged).
Elevate your knowledge about nutrition, how food works, sustainability issues, and the chemistry of cooking and baking. Learn how to make better choices about cooking methods and techniques to produce better finished products with less stress and more consistent results.
Many fundamental concepts in cooking and baking are taught, including all of the areas below. All of these topics will be taught in a way that is accessible to anyone, regardless of their science background.
This course is approved for 30 continuing education hours by the American Culinary Federation (ACF).
Topics include:
- Food molecules and how they work (water, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates)
- Cooking methods to use and why to use them
- Nutrition and how to evaluate nutritional claims and headlines
- Heat and chemical reactions in cooking and baking
- Colors in food, flavors, aromas, and gastrophysics (all about how we taste things)
- Colloids, pectins, gums, and solutions and solubility
- Gluten and other interesting substances
- PH, acids, and bases
- Fermentation
- All about salts
- Food safety (pathogens and other icky things)
As time permits, we also cover special topics, including a deeper dive into bread and flour, frozen desserts, chocolate and coffee, and everything you always wanted to know about eggs* (*but were afraid to ask)
Please note: If you are looking for a hands-on cooking class, Chef Michael also teaches classes in cooking and baking (see all Food & Drink classes).
Learning Objectives
- Understand the basics of how foods work, interact, and change through cooking and other culinary techniques
- Learn best techniques for preparing different foods
- Gain more efficient and reliable cooking and baking techniques
- Improve understanding about science through the lens of food
- Learn how your cooking can be simplified and improved using modern techniques and scientific principles
Who Might Enjoy This Class?
- Home cooks and bakers interested in improving their knowledge through lectures and demonstrations
- People interested in learning science through the lens of food, cooking, and baking
- Anyone who wants to learn about nutrition and our food system
- Professional cooks and bakers who would like to produce better food more efficiently
- People interested in certification, or re-certification, by the American Culinary Federation (ACF), and earning continuing education hours
Class Details
Fall 2026
- When : Tuesday, Sep 29 to Dec 08 ; 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
- Location : SC0BE , SC - E- CE Comp Lab - BE1139D , 1701 Broadway Seattle WA 98022
- Fee : $649
