A new series striking UCLA next month will explore the oft-controversial collision of science and cooking, as the university launches “Science & Food,” with the tagline “Promoting knowledge of food through science, and science through food.” Hmm, must have been written by someone on the science side or something. In any case, the four open events scheduled are bringing some seriously kick-ass chefs to town. First up on April 2 is Noma’s notorious viking-prince, Rene Redzepi, who will lead a session called “The Exploration of Deliciousness” with Lars Williams of Nordic Food Lab, as well as UCLA’s own Amy Rowat of The Dept. of Integrative Biology and Physiology, who will help to mediate all the discussions. Who else is planned as a future speaker?
Later that month, on April 25, Nathan Myhrvold, author of Modernist Cuisine, will discuss “Meat in Modernist Cuisine,” while on May 24, none other than David Chang and Lucky Peach’s Peter Meehan will explore food microbiology in a session called “Microbes in My Ramen?” Finally, on June 9, some of our local and national heroes step up to the lectern with “The Science of Sweetness,” with lectures by Sherry Yard, Jimmy Shaw, and White House chef Bill Yosses.
So far, there’s no word on whether the West Coast will get a taste of Noma or Momofuku at these events, which so far sound limited to lectures, though quite fascinating ones indeed. Apparently, this is part of Rowat’s ongoing class on food and science, with the lectures being made open to the public by popular demand. More details are currently online, while you can make reservations to see if Redzepi melts in the California sun like a snowman starting next Tuesday when reservations for limited seating are released on the events’ website.
