4.6
stars
696 ratings

King Lau Chow

88,466 already enrolled

Offered By

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The Science of Gastronomy

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

About this Course

23,565 recent views

This course introduces several basic scientific principles underpinning the methodology of cooking, food preparation, and the enjoyment of food. All topics covered have a strong basis in biology, chemistry, and physics application. Among others, they include the consumption of cooked food, the physiological and evolutionary implications of the senses, geographic and cultural influences on food, and the rationale behind food preparation. We will also discuss issues such as coupling of senses to improve sense stimulation; altering flavor by chemical means, and modification of the coloration to improve the appearance of dishes. Following the video demonstrations of the scientific principles of cooking, you will learn to recognize the key ingredients and their combinations for preparing good healthy food. You will also be asked to try out and practice specific cooking principles through the weekly assignments; analyze your data and make comparisons of your experiences with others.
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
-	appreciate the scientific basis of various recipes.
-	develop your own recipes by integrating some of the scientific principles into new dishes.
-	recognize the influence of the material world on human perception from the different senses.
-	appreciate the art of integrating science into cooking and dining.

Important Note: This course is not designed for people with special dietary needs such as vegetarian, diabetic, and gluten-free diets. If you feel uncomfortable with any part of the assignments or activities of this course, you can substitute some of the ingredients or ask friends and family members to help with the tasting of your assignments. Alternatively, you may skip that specific assignment if you have fulfilled all other qualifying requirements to pass the course.

Course Overview video: https://www.coursera.org/lecture/gastronomy/course-overview-43gyz

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Beginner Level

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

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Skills you will gain

Nutrition
Chemistry
Food Science
Cooking

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Beginner Level

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

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Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.66/5 (145 Ratings)

King Lau Chow

Professor

Division of Life Science

89,380 Learners

2 Courses

Offered by

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(9,505 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Orientation | Module 1: Energy Transfer

1 hour to complete

12 videos (Total 56 min), 2 readings

12 videos

Course Overview1m1.0: Introduction8m1.1: Energy Transfer - Topic Outline35s1.2: What is energy?5m1.3: How energy can be transferred through conduction?7m1.4: Demonstration - Comparing heat capacity3m1.5: Demonstration - Comparing heat conductance4m1.6: How do we cook by convection?10m1.7: Demonstration - Increasing boiling point with salt1m1.8: Demonstration - Cooking medium and convection2m1.9: Can radiation and phase transition be used in cooking?8m1.10: Energy Transfer - Topic Summary1m

2 readings

Grading Scheme10mImportant Note on Special Dietary Needs10m

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Module 2: Hunger and Satiety

3 hours to complete

14 videos (Total 81 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

14 videos

2.0: Hunger and Satiety - Topic Outline1m2.1: Why do we need food?5m2.2: How do I know that I am full or not?9m2.3: How do I know that the food is good?9m2.4: Demonstration – Can you see the differences?3m2.5: Demonstration - Sound and texture - How does the experiment work?1m2.5: Demonstration - Sound and texture - Let's hear other people's views1m2.6: I love chocolate but I don’t want to keep eating it, why?8mAssignment 1 - Instruction Video3mAssignment 1 - Result Sharing5m2.7: What factors can affect my choice of food?17mAssignment 2 - Instruction Video3mAssignment 2 - Result Sharing7m2.8: Hunger and Satiety - Topic Summary2m

3 readings

2.5: Demonstration - Sound and texture - Now is your turn10mAssignment 1 - Instruction10mAssignment 2 - Instruction10m

2 practice exercises

Assignment 1 – Submission30mAssignment 2 – Submission30m

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Module 3: The Sense of Taste

3 hours to complete

13 videos (Total 79 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes

13 videos

3.0: The Sense of Taste - Topic Outline40s3.1: It tastes good!11m3.2: There are more than four basic tastes9m3.3: Can we taste the “temperature”?14mAssignment 3 – Instruction Video2mAssignment 3 – Result Sharing2m3.4: There are infinite possibilities with tastes13m3.5: Demonstration – Sweetness suppresses bitterness4mAssignment 4 – Instruction Video2mAssignment 4 – Result Sharing3m3.6: Why the ice-cream doesn’t taste as sweet when it is served after chocolate?10m3.7: Demonstration – The cocoa tastes less bitter!2m3.8: The Sense of Taste - Topic Summary1m

2 readings

Assignment 3 – Instruction10mAssignment 4 – Instruction10m

2 practice exercises

Assignment 3 – Submission30mAssignment 4 – Submission30m

Week4

Week 4

2 hours to complete

Module 4: The Sense of Smell

2 hours to complete

12 videos (Total 74 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

12 videos

4.0: The Sense of Smell - Topic Outline27s4.1: What are we smelling?9m4.2: Demonstration – Factors affecting diffusion rate4m4.3: How do I smell coffee?10m4.4: Why do orange and lemon smell different?9m4.5: Why can’t I taste the “strawberry”?11m4.6: Demonstration – How does aroma affect our taste?4mAssignment 5 – Instruction Video2mAssignment 5 – Result Sharing1m4.7: Smelling good makes it tastes better!14m4.8: Demonstration – It is all about congruency!3m4.9: The Sense of Smell - Topic Summary1m

1 reading

Assignment 5 – Instruction10m

1 practice exercise

Assignment 5 – Submission30m

Week5

Week 5

1 hour to complete

Module 5: The Sense of Sight

1 hour to complete

9 videos (Total 51 min), 1 reading

9 videos

5.0: The Sense of Sight - Topic Outline34s5.1: Coloring food with a different taste6m5.2: It is good to see red!13m5.3: Why the pepper doesn’t look good?11m5.4: Making it looks good, and it tastes good!9m5.5: Demonstration - Can color affect our taste perception? - How does the experiment work?2m5.5 Demonstration - Can color affect our taste perception? - Let's hear other people's views1m5.6: Demonstration – The darker the color, the better it tastes?4m5.7: The Sense of Sight - Topic Summary1m

1 reading

5.5: Demonstration - Can color affect our taste perception? - Now is your turn10m

Week6

Week 6

3 hours to complete

Module 6: The Sense of Touch

3 hours to complete

12 videos (Total 71 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes

12 videos

6.0: The Sense of Touch - Topic Outline35s6.1: How do we feel the texture in our mouth?13m6.2: We can also feel pain and have self-awareness in our mouth!6m6.3: Demonstration – Seeing with our mouth! Measurement4m6.4: Demonstration – Seeing with our mouth! Feeling the shape9m6.5: The more complicated the texture, the more we enjoy the food, why?10mAssignment 6 – Instruction Video1mAssignment 6 – Result Sharing3m6.6: How can we control the texture of food?11mAssignment 7 – Instruction Video2mAssignment 7 – Result Sharing6m6.7: The Sense of Touch - Topic Summary1m

2 readings

Assignment 6 – Instruction10mAssignment 7 – Instruction10m

2 practice exercises

Assignment 6 – Submission30mAssignment 7 – Submission30m

Week7

Week 7

3 hours to complete

Module 7: Fruits and Vegetables | Final Exam

3 hours to complete

12 videos (Total 77 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes

12 videos

7.0: Fruits and Vegetables - Topic Outline29s7.1: What gives the rigid texture to plants?9m7.2: How can we manipulate the texture of plants?12m7.3: What gives green color to plants?12m7.4: Why some plants are not green in color?7m7.5: Demonstration – Manipulating the color of red cabbage3m7.6: Why does the apple turn brown?7m7.7: Demonstration – What is the best way to prevent browning?5m7.8: What are the prominent tastes in fruits and vegetables?8mAssignment 8 – Instruction Video2mAssignment 8 – Result Sharing4m7.9: Fruits and Vegetables - Topic Summary1m

2 readings

Assignment 8 – Instruction10mReview this course10m

2 practice exercises

Assignment 8 – Submission30mFinal Exam20m

Reviews

4.6

176 reviews

5 stars
75.10%
4 stars
17.73%
3 stars
4.43%
2 stars
1.43%
1 star
1.28%

TOP REVIEWS FROM THE SCIENCE OF GASTRONOMY

by TMApr 5, 2019

If you enjoy cooking and also enjoy chemistry, this course is ideal. It taught me many techniques in the kitchen and why the food changes during the cooking process.

by ANFeb 23, 2019

there should be a digital certificate in PDF for those who can not pay because everybody does a lot of effort and time to finish this course

by ADJun 28, 2020

More demonstrations and more quizzes would have been better. But overall a very good course. I would love to attend version 2. :)

by SRMar 30, 2022

If you are interested in food science, then this course is for you. The course was highly interesting and informative. Thanks for the course. Truly grateful.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

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What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

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The Science of Gastronomy

The Science of Gastronomy

About this Course

Skills you will gain