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, focus on understanding the fascinating field of food science through a combination of fun and fascinating lectures and demos. Learn to make better choices about cooking methods and techniques, and how to produce better finished products more easily and consistently.
Elevate your knowledge about nutrition, how food works, sustainability issues, and the chemistry of cooking and baking. Develop modern techniques using scientific principles.
Learn many fundamental concepts and apply them to real-world cooking and baking. Below are some of the areas that will be covered in this class. All of these topics will be taught in a way that is accessible to anyone, regardless of their science background.
Topics include:
- food molecules and how they work (water, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates)
- cooking methods to use and why to use them
- nutrition, nutritional epidemiology (how research is done and what it actually means), and food politics
- basic chemistry and physics (heat, bonds and attraction, chemical reactions, etc.)
- 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
- pathogens and other icky things
- special topics: bread and flour, frozen desserts, chocolate and coffee, and everything you always wanted to know about eggs* (*but were afraid to ask)
All supplies and materials are included.
This course is approved for 30 continuing education hours by the American Culinary Federation (ACF).
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 based on their chemistry and other attributes
- Gain more efficient and reliable cooking and baking techniques
- Improve understanding about science through the lens of food
- Be able to create incredible dishes using modern techniques and scientific principles
Who Might Enjoy This Class?
- Home cooks and bakers interested in improving their skills and knowledge
- 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 more technical understanding from a science perspective
- People interested in certification, or re-certification, by the American Culinary Federation (ACF), and earning continuing education hours
Class Details
Winter 2026
- When : Monday, Jan 05 to Mar 16 ; 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
- Location : SC0BE , SC - BE - Cont Edu - BE1139B , 1701 Broadway Seattle WA 98022
- Fee : $559
