The Science of Dinner

“The Science of Dinner is an indispensable guide to the techniques and decisions that separate good cooks from great ones.” —J. Kenji López-Alt, James Beard award–winning chef and bestselling author of The Food Lab

YouTube creator Helen Rennie’s in-depth guide to seasoning and texture—accompanied by 60 recipes—so you can confidently answer the question, Is it done?

For years, cooking school instructor and popular YouTube creator Helen Rennie has helped thousands of home cooks solve the problems that stand between them and a great dinner. Drawing on her extensive experience, research, restaurant training, and engineering background, her informative debut cookbook distills two decades of work into a single volume that answers questions that recipes rarely address, such as “why does my chicken stick to the pan?” and “why is my fish always dry?”

The Science of Dinner is an in-depth guide to seasoning, browning, and doneness and offers 60 recipes for both everyday meals and special occasions. Helen organizes her deep (and often obsessive) knowledge into two pillars of great cooking: flavor and texture. Part One focuses on the methods that make food taste great. It explores the building blocks of flavor, including a primer on balancing the five tastes (the secret: you probably need more salt). You’ll also discover why browning matters; how to choose the right cookware; why stainless steel and cast iron skillets heat differently; and how to craft versatile stocks and restaurant-quality pan sauces. Part Two spotlights ingredient-specific texture and explains how you can tell when vegetables, eggs, fish, meat, and poultry are properly cooked, tender, and safe to eat.

Helen’s recipes do not rely on rules and formulas; instead she empowers you to observe, evaluate, and adapt. With step-by-step photographs, easy-to-read charts, and hundreds of a-ha! moments grounded in culinary science, The Science of Dinner helps you understand not only what to do in the kitchen but why it works—so you can cook with confidence.

• “Helen Rennie doesn’t just teach recipes—she teaches how cooking works. The Science of Dinner is an indispensable guide to the techniques and decisions that separate good cooks from great ones.”
  J. Kenji López-Alt, James Beard award–winning chef and bestselling author of The Food Lab
• “The Science of Dinner is bursting with culinary wisdom and smart techniques. It’s a must-have for anyone seeking to learn more in the kitchen—including seasoned pros like me. (I picked up several new ideas in the first 50 pages alone!)”
  Daniel Gritzer, Serious Eats editorial director
• “From slicing the first onion to scrubbing the last pan, Helen will get you through dinner and back again. Her warmth, passion, and practical smarts will leave you feeling inspired and READY FOR IT.”
  Adam Ragusea, YouTube culinary creator
• “The Science of Dinner explores not just what happens in the kitchen but also why it happens, which will fundamentally change how you think about cooking.”
  Kate Yoshida, YouTube culinary creator
• “Helen is a real-life Elizabeth Zott. Her recipes are fantastic, and she explains with such clarity how to take your cooking from good to great. She shines a light on the little things most people overlook, like why you should keep those darkened baking trays for the best roasted vegetables of your life.”
  Swetha Sivakumar, Serious Eats food science expert
• “Helen brings all the charm and clarity that her half-million-plus YouTube subscribers have come to adore to the art and science of cooking. Bonus: The browning glaze alone is worth the price of the book.”
  Becky Selengut, author of How to Taste
• “Anyone who spends time with this book, regardless of skill level, will walk away a smarter, sharper, and yes, maybe even nerdier, cook. What pulled me in was the way Helen suffused the “science” of cooking with an infectious warmth and enthusiasm that made me excited about cooking all over again.”
  Polina Chesnakova, author of Chesnok