Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science (chemistry)
- Free to audit
- Paid certificate
- Course certificate
- Beginner
Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science (chemistry) pairs chefs with Harvard scientists. Each week a chef reveals the thinking behind a signature dish, often filmed in their own restaurant, and the Harvard team explains the science behind the recipe: how molecules influence flavour, moles and pH, the role of heat and temperature in cooking, and diffusion as seen in spherification, the technique pioneered by Ferran Adria. The kitchen becomes your laboratory: following the recipe of the week, taking precise measurements and making careful observations is how you learn to think like both a cook and a scientist, and Harvard points out that this is a science course where you can eat your experiments.
Harvard rates the course introductory with a time commitment of 2 to 3 hours per week; no overall length is stated on the page. It is self-paced and free to audit on edX, with a verified certificate available for $249.
What you’ll learn
- Explain the scientific concepts behind everyday and haute cuisine techniques
- Apply principles of physics, engineering and chemistry to cooking
- Run and record experiments in your own kitchen
- Relate molecules, pH and heat to flavour and texture
Who it’s for
Home cooks and food lovers who want to understand what is happening in the pan; no science background needed.
Source: Harvard Online (opens in a new tab) · Verified · Report a change
More free Harvard courses
Every Harvard course we have verified, with cost and certificate terms compared.
NutritionAll free nutrition courses
Free and free-to-audit nutrition courses from every provider, ranked.