2020 Science and Cooking Lecture Series highlights bold flavors that break boundaries

This year’s Science and Cooking Public Lecture Series is a celebration of border-blurring, culinary crossovers, from Caribbean-influenced French and Italian cuisine to a Thai take on traditional Indian recipes. And with a remote format via Zoom, this 11th iteration of the lecture series gives viewers a front-row seat to watch some of the world’s best chefs showcase unexpected flavors and unique techniques.

New presenters this year include Nina Compton (Compère Lapin, New Orleans), Lois Ellen Frank (Red Mesa Cuisine, Native American Cooking), Garim Arora (Gaa Restaurant, Bangkok, Thailand), Andoni Aduriz and Ramon Perisé (Mugaritz, Spain), as well as returning favorites José Andrés, Harold McGee, Dave Arnold, and Joanne Chang, A.B. ’91.

The lectures pair Harvard professors with celebrated food experts and renowned chefs to showcase the science behind different culinary techniques. The series, organized by Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) is based on the Harvard course “Science and Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to the Science of Soft Matter,” but public lectures do not replicate course content.

• All talks will take place by Zoom; registration is required and you will be emailed with the Zoom link to join
• Each presentation will begin with a 15-minute lecture about the scientific topics from that week’s class by a faculty member from the Harvard course
• The lectures are free and open to the public
• Time: 7 p.m. EST, unless otherwise noted

If you have questions regarding the public lecture series, please contact science_cooking@seas.harvard.edu.

2020 Chef Lecture Dates

Monday, Sept. 7
“A Nose Dive into Kitchen Pyrolysis”
Zoom, 7 p.m EST
Dave Arnold (@CookingIssues), Existing Conditions, author of "Liquid Intelligence," host of "Cooking Issues," founder of the Museum of Food and Drink
Harold McGee (@Harold_McGee), author of "On Food and Cooking," "Curious Cook"
Register for “A Nose Dive into Kitchen Pyrolysis”

Monday, Sept. 14
"The Science of Sugar"
Zoom, 7 p.m EST
Joanne Chang ’91 (@jbchang), Flour Bakery and Café, Myers + Chang, author of “Flour,” “Flour Too,” “Myers + Chang at Home,” and “Baking With Less Sugar”
Register for "The Science of Sugar"

Monday, Sept. 21
"Fermenting Brains. A Journey to Mugaritz Microworld"
Zoom, 3 p.m EST
Andoni Aduriz (@andoniluisaduriz), chef-owner of the two Michelin star restaurant Mugaritz, top 10 of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Ramon Perisé, Director of Fermentation and R&D at Mugaritz, Spain
Register for "Fermenting Brains. A Journey to Mugaritz microworld"

Monday, Sept. 28   
“The Equation for Gnocchi”
Zoom, 7 p.m EST
Nina Compton (@ninacompton), James Beard winning Saint Lucian Chef, Chef/Owner of Compère Lapin and Bywater Bistro in New Orleans
Register for "The Equation for Gnocchi"

Monday, Oct. 12                              
“Culinary Ash in Contemporary Native American Cuisine”
Zoom, 7 p.m EST
Lois Ellen Frank (@lois_ellen_frank), New Mexico-based chef, author, Native food historian, Red Mesa cuisine, “Native American with a modern twist.”
Register for “Culinary Ash in Contemporary Native American Cuisine”

Monday, Oct. 19
“Honorary Book Celebration Lecture”
Zoom, 3 p.m EST
Jose Andrés (@chefjoseandres), Think Food Group, minibar, Jaleo
Register for "Honorary Book Celebration Lecture"

Monday, Oct. 26
“Viscosity, Pastry, and Chocolate”
Zoom, 2 p.m EST
Marike van Beurden (@marikevanbeurden) Pastry Chef and Master Chocolatier, Dutch Chocolate Master 2013, 2nd World Chocolate Master 2013
Register for “Viscosity, Pastry, and Chocolate”

Monday, Nov. 2
“The Science of Ice Cream”
Zoom, 7 p.m EST
Maya Warren (@maya.warren), Ice Cream Scientist, International Ice Cream/Frozen Aerated Dessert Consultant
Register for "The Science of Ice Cream"

Monday, Nov. 9
"The Science of Indian Culinary Traditions"
Zoom, 8 p.m EST
Garima Aroa (@arorgarima), first Indian woman to win a Michelin Star, Asia’s Best Female Chef 2019 by World’s 50 best, Restaurant Gaa, Bangkok, Thailand
Register for "The Science of Indian Culinary Traditions"

The Harvard College Course

The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the Alícia Foundation developed the General Education science course, “Science and Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to the Science of Soft Matter,” which debuted in the fall of 2010. The course uses food and cooking to explicate fundamental principles in applied physics and engineering. (Watch a video about the course.)

While limited to currently enrolled Harvard undergraduates, the class, which brings together eminent Harvard researchers and world-class chefs, is available to others on-campus through the Harvard Extension School and online through the HarvardX platform (details below).

Instructors

• Michael Brenner, Michael F. Cronin Professor of Applied Mathematics and Applied Physics and Professor of Physics; Harvard College Professor
• Pia Sörensen, Senior Preceptor in Chemical Engineering and Applied Materials
• David Weitz, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics and Applied Physics

Lab Design/Implementation

• Pere Castells, Unitat UB-Bullipèdia

Lecture Coordinator

• Patricia Jurado Gonzalez

Science and Cooking on HarvardX

In HarvardX’s “Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science,” top chefs and Harvard researchers explore how everyday cooking and haute cuisine techniques illuminate scientific principles in physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. Both part 1 and part 2 of the online course are currently open for enrollment.

STEAMeD Teacher Workshops 

STEAMeD adapts exercises from the popular Science and Cooking course and Young Chefs to fit Massachusetts state science standards. It is a rare opportunity for highly motivated teachers to bring these exercises into their classrooms.  Teachers, community program instructors, and after school program leaders are invited to register. More information is available on the STEAMeD website, where future workshops will also be announced