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Rated 3 out of 5 by Anne Onimuss from Science portion not integrated well The cooking lessons are informative, but the science portion isn't well-integrated. I wish the written materials for the science portion had summary take-aways, not just citations to the literature.

Date published: 2023-04-03

Rated 5 out of 5 by Danielle25 from Great demonstrations and explanations I really enjoyed this lecture series. The chef made a recipe, explaining his rationals on a practical level, then the food scientist explained what was happening on a more detailed molecular level. The former allowed for practical application and the latter provided knowledge for further experimenting and playing around with recipes.

Date published: 2023-02-11

Rated 5 out of 5 by MichaelThePhysicst from Fascinating course for chefs and scientists I've bought a lot of "Great Courses" since I retired (got to keep the mind alive). I review one only if I consider it exceptional or if it has what I consider flaws other potential purchasers might want to know about. "Cooking Better with Science" definitely falls into the first group; it's one of the very few courses I consider "Great." My husband is a master chef, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, where both presenters work. I can barely boil and egg Although I was a theoretical physicist I know nothing about the application of physical chemistry to the real world of the kitchen. We both found the course fascinating, informative, and generative of ideas and discussions. Its twelve lectures cover four dishes (3 lectures each): a pizza, a roasted chicken dinner, paella mixta, and three egg dishes. In the first of the three lectures, Chef Sean Kahlenberg prepares the dish, explaining along the way what he is doing and why. I found these demonstration/lectures fascinating! In the second and third lectures, culinary scientist Ted Russin discusses chemistry that is relevant to the dish Kahlenberg just prepared. He focuses only on key aspects of the (very complicated) food chemistry, ones that would be useful to a non-professional who wants to prepare and experiment with the dish being discussed. While his lectures occasionally become a bit jargon heavy (something that is far less a problem on subsequent viewings), they are clear enough that their main points were accessible and interesting to both of us. In many cases, Russin shows very simple laboratory demonstrations of the food chemistry he's just explained. (For example, he shows why controlling the pH of egg white or egg yoke can alter the texture and hence sensory experience when these are used in recipes---and how you can control the pH in your kitchen, without being a culinary scientist.) OUr only complaint about this course is that it was WAY too short. We both wish it had consisted of 46 or 48 lectures rather than 12. Should this duo release additional courses in this series, we'll be the first to purchase them!

Date published: 2023-01-26

Rated 3 out of 5 by aces from Master Chefs don't cook like this at home. Chef Marco Pierre White doesn't cook his roasted chicken like that at home. Chef Gordon Ramsay doesn't prepare his scrambled eggs at home like that. This is really a course for commercial food preparation and theoretical food science. That's ok. Prerequisites: College chemistry; experience and education in culinary arts and science.

Date published: 2023-01-06

Rated 5 out of 5 by taggerung from Never knew eggs were so complicated I love watching a chef cook, and I love deep dives into specific topics, so this was great. The science was explained in a way that a layperson can get it, and seeing the techniques in action with the chef and then the science behind WHY we cook things in a certain way made for entertainment and learning in one.

Date published: 2022-12-28

Rated 3 out of 5 by JAYP225 from More science than I expected The course is interesting, but there is more to the science side than I expected. I have only watched the first 4 lessons and I really did not need 3 lessons on making pizza, 2 would have been fine. The way they do things in a restaurant are interesting, but I don't have much way to copy them in my home kitchen. I would like to see how to do a similar process in the home kitchen. I will try some of the cooking recipes just to improve my skills, but probably only one time. The roast chicken looks labor intensive as are the mashed potatoes. I don't have a ricer in my kitchen and don't see much need to buy one.

Date published: 2022-12-26

Rated 4 out of 5 by Kirky from Very interesting I was disappointed it was only twelve lectures, but the content was pretty advanced and left my mind wandering when getting into the chemical changes in the cooking process of the food.

Date published: 2022-12-26

Rated 2 out of 5 by Dick I from Not so greait Not enough coverage of basic science and too much technical jargon and high end science for basic home chiefs

Date published: 2022-12-23

Overview

Enter the secret world of great culinarians with two experts, Sean Kahlenberg, Assistant Professor of Culinary Arts at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York, and his close friend and co-teacher, Ted Russin, Acting Dean of the CIA’s School of Culinary Science and Nutrition. In Cooking Better with Science, let their joint expertise initiate and guide you through the world of leveraging science to cook with greater finesse as you tackle simple and adaptable recipes that anyone can master.

About

Sean Kahlenberg

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Home cooking is a very unique thing that has gone away a bit. There’s a sort of freedom when you cook for yourself; a certain joy to it.

ALMA MATER

The Culinary Institute of America

INSTITUTION

The Culinary Institute of America

Sean Kahlenberg is an Assistant Professor of Culinary Arts at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Hyde Park, New York, where he also earned his AOS in Culinary Arts. Additionally, he is a Certified Hospitality Educator. At the CIA, he teaches classes and oversees the campus’s innovation kitchen, and he is the executive chef of the school’s farm-to-table restaurant, American Bounty.

By This Expert

Cooking Basics: What Everyone Should Know

Ted Russin

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Pizza appears to be very simple. But the reality is, that simple, convenient food is extremely complex. There are many things happening at the same time in a pizza.

ALMA MATER

McGill University

INSTITUTION

The Culinary Institute of America

Ted Russin is the Acting Dean of the School of Culinary Science and Nutrition at the CIA. He holds an MS in Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry from McGill University. For the CIA, he teaches courses on topics such as ingredient functionality and culinary research and development. He has also been a research scientist and chemist for companies in the food industry.

By This Expert

Trailer

01: Making the Perfect Pizza

Simple and fresh, this Neapolitan pizza will have your family and friends asking when you are cooking again. Follow expert Chef Sean Kahlenberg, of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York, as he deftly demonstrates the art of pizza Napoletana, constructed of homemade dough, fresh mozzarella, basil, and an unpretentious tomato sauce. Surprisingly easy, you can now enjoy this staple of Italian cuisine at home.

25 min

02: The Science of Gluten

Pizza may seem simple, but the science behind it is remarkably complex. Professor Ted Russin, Acting Dean of the CIA’s School of Culinary Science and Nutrition, explains it, from how proteins react to their environment at the molecular level through to the chewy, crunchy perfection of a well-made dough.

31 min

03: The Science of Yeast

We begin with a return to our pizza dough and a review of gluten and texture analysis. As we learn more about the impact of mix times and refrigeration on texture and flavor, we begin to understand the complex and critical role of anaerobic fermentation in creating delicious pizza.

30 min

04: Making a Roasted Chicken Dinner

Have you ever wondered why restaurant roasted chicken is so consistently juicy and evenly cooked? Your expert chef shares several tricks of the trade to help you achieve the perfect roasted chicken dinner. From tying, prepping, and serving your bird, to delectable sides and a savory brown roux-based gravy, follow along from our kitchen to yours.

34 min

05: The Science of Meat

The proteins in meat are complex and critical to understanding the process of turning a living chicken into a delicious, roasted main course. Back in the lab, explore the relationship between proteins, muscle fiber, enzymes, time, temperature, and meat. Dive in as culinary science and nutrition expert Dean Russin explains the science of meat.

27 min

06: The Science of Browning

How do oxygen, nitrogen, gluten, and glucose interact to create your perfectly baked pizza crust or golden-brown chicken dinner? In every way. Examine the complex cascade of reactions that takes butter, flour, time, and heat to create a delectable roux, or the nitrogen compounds and sugars that react in a hot oven to turn chicken skin golden-brown and make pizza crust aromatic and flavorful.

31 min

07: Making Paella Mixta

Watch as Chef Kahlenberg crafts a traditional Spanish dish, paella mixta. Follow as he creates the base, a sofrito of diced onions and peppers slow cooked in the oven, and then a rice pie filled with chicken, shrimp, chorizo sausage, and vegetables. With meat and vegetables in every extraordinary bite, this dish is soon to be a family favorite.

25 min

08: The Science of Starch

One of the most essential molecules in food structure is starch, making rice cookery an ideal venue for exploring this building block of so many foods. Singular in starch density, rice remains diverse in a multitude of other aspects. Discover in our nutrition lab why the same short-grain rice used in paella can also create a creamy risotto when stirred.

27 min

09: The Science of Vegetables

Carrots are 88% water, and so is whole milk: one crunches and the other pours. Return to the lab with nutritional scientist Dean Russin to consider the unique structure of plant cells, from what allows them to hold so much water in a solid to what happens to those structures when cooked for our paella mixta.

32 min

10: Making Three Classic Egg Dishes

Eggs are among the most versatile and valuable foods in both the home and commercial kitchen—Everyone can make at least one basic egg dish. Hone your skills with an introduction to three more complex egg dishes: tortilla española, cheese soufflé, and salmon benedict with a creamy béarnaise sauce.

31 min

11: The Science of Eggs: Tortilla Española

Time is of the essence. Let Dean Russin’s laboratory experiments expand your understanding of the egg. Did you know that the age of an egg affects its pH? Incredibly, see how pH can determine both texture and viscosity and work with potatoes and oil to form the “bravaz eggs” of the traditional tortilla española.

30 min

12: The Science of Eggs: Béarnaise and Soufflé

Texturally, béarnaise and a soufflé could not be more different. One is a creamy sauce; the other is firm but light, filled with tiny, structured pockets of air that hold it aloft. Incredibly, they are both made of eggs. Learn what they have in common and the principles that govern their creation.

34 min