Exploring the fascinating science behind cooking

You’re a professor of soft matter physics. What does that mean in practical terms?
Soft matter physics is a fairly new field of physics. It’s sometimes called the physics of everyday life, because it really deals with many systems that are part of our lives. In physics, you learn about hard solids like metals and liquids like water. But most of the things that we have around us, particularly in the kitchen, are not exactly that. They’re kind of in between: they are soft matter. A lot of the food that we eat is soft matter. Take mayonnaise, for example: It's really fascinating to see how by mixing oil and eggs, which are liquids, you end up with something that behaves so differently. This mixture transforms into a material, mayo, that seems to hold its shape, doesn’t flow like a liquid, but is not quite a solid either: it’s an example of soft matter. And it gets even more interesting when you think about whipped cream. You take cream, which is a liquid, and then you add air bubbles, which are a gas, and you end up with something that doesn’t flow anymore and exhibits solid-like properties. Soft matter is the physics behind all these fascinating phenomena that we see a lot in cooking.

I see that “Cook the Science” is about physical phenomena.
Yes, it’s all about exploring the fascinating science behind cooking. We’ll be working with some well-known chefs and food producers to make this happen. Each event will focus on a specific science topic, such as thermodynamics or elasticity. We’ll be looking at these topics with some scientific explanations and a cooking show, where the chefs will be sharing their tricks, tips and recipes. We'll also be looking at the science behind the recipes and understanding why they work. What's the thinking behind this?

Can you tell us who the chefs are going to be?
We're really excited to present our first series lineup, which we think the audience will love. We kick off in October with Rebecca Clopath, a young chef who runs this great little restaurant in the Graubünden mountains. She's well known for using her Ring Fire grill to cook outside in her hut. In November, we'll be welcoming Jens Jung, the owner of Zürich's popular John Baker and Jung's bakeries. And in December, Markus Stöckle will join us. He's the owner of restaurant Rosi in Zürich and is often considered one of the most innovative chefs in Switzerland.

How did you persuade them to take part in your show?
We got in touch with them with the help of our partners at Tastelab, Sue Tobler and Remo Gisi. They're ETH alumni and set up this spin-off company, which combines food and science. They're a big part of the food scene here in Zurich. We're thrilled to have the chance to work with such a great lineup of talent.

What are you hoping to achieve with "Cook the Science"?
I think this is a great way to get people interested in this field of science that not many people know about. At the same time, cooking is a great way to explain pretty complex scientific ideas in ways that resonate with the public, making them easier to understand and think about.

Who do you envision as the audience for this event?
"Cook the Science" is open to everyone and there's no charge. We'd love to welcome students, food lovers and science lovers, as well as anyone else who's interested in learning more about science. All you have to do is register for free on the website. We're excited to welcome cooking and science enthusiasts to have fun and learn about both science and cooking.

There's still one thing we're wondering about: Are you personally a good cook?
[laughs] I would say that my cooking has definitely improved as I’ve learned more about the science behind it. For example, I like to add a touch of mustard to my salad dressing. Why? It's not just about the taste, it's also about the texture. Mustard helps you mix vinegar and oil. But to be honest, I really enjoy cooking and especially refining recipes. One of my favourites is lasagne. By the way, do you know why lasagne tastes better the next day? That's amazing.