Cooking is far more than just following a recipe – it is an art. Cooking requires a fine sense of how the combination of ingredients defines the final taste and textures. Yet, part of the process can be recast in terms of physical mechanisms that once we understand them will allow us to control precisely the result.

Why does an egg set? Why does meat remain particularly tender at certain temperatures? And how do top chefs manage to cook dishes to perfection time and time again? This talk takes you on an exciting journey of discovery between the kitchen and the world of science. Using the ‘perfect egg’ as an example, this journey will take us to the physics of heat transfer in food, statistical physics and thermodynamics, all in a comprehensive manner.

Discover how science answers everyday questions and why insights from physics and chemistry lead to better results in the kitchen. This entertaining talk with demonstrations is for anyone who enjoys cooking, discovering new things and getting to know the world of culinary delights from a different perspective.

Other events by the Institute of Geophysics at Scientifica:
Booth: Earth’s sciences in the kitchen
Saturday 29. August, 2026, Zentrum
Sunday, 30. August, 2026, Zentrum