Tucked away on the kitchen countertop sits a bubbling, living goop in a jar. Each day, a mixture of flour and water feeds the beige concoction, commencing a ritualistic dance that summons wild yeast and bacteria from the air. This transformation turns simple ingredients into a tangy, fermenting marvel embraced by professional bakers and home chefs alike to create rustic bread loaves.
Cooking is deeply rooted in science. Replacing eggs in baking with aquafaba from cooked legumes or using baking soda to increase the pH of onions for faster caramelization are just a couple examples of how a deeper understanding of physical and chemical principles can transform the cooking process.
In his laboratory at Stanford University, chef-turned-scientist Vayu Hill-Maini loves to experiment with the science of food. He draws on his experiences in the kitchen and scientific training in biochemistry and microbiology to address challenges facing the food system. Specifically, his team uses filamentous fungi—molds and mushrooms—as a platform to address these goals and transform food waste into tasty meals. He believes that mastering food preservation, waste minimization, and alternative ingredients can lead to more sustainable culinary practices, reducing the environmental impact of the modern food system. For Hill-Maini, one man’s trash is another man’s dinner.
From Chef to Scientist, Food is a Common Ground
For many, the kitchen is a sacred space, a warm haven where the scents of simmering spices and baked bread mingle with laughter, familiar faces, and memories. “Food is deeply meaningful and deeply personal and deeply connected to who I am and how I see the world,” said Hill-Maini, who noted the influence of his global upbringing. Born in Stockholm to a Cuban and Norwegian father and a mother who is of Indian descent from Kenya, food became his bridge to connecting with these diverse cultures.
At the age of 18, Hill-Maini moved to the US to pursue a career as a chef. After a few years working in a sandwich shop in New York City, Hill-Maini returned to school, enrolling at Carleton College. He recalled how difficult it was to connect with the overly theoretical material taught in the introductory biology, chemistry, and physics classes; he craved more hands-on learning that would allow him to tap into his creative side. During the summer after his freshman year, he visited the Fundación Alícia, started by Ferran Adrià, a three-star Michelin chef and pioneer in molecular gastronomy, a scientific approach to cooking that explores the chemical and physical properties of food to create innovative dishes.
“It was a space that really embraced science as a way to create new food innovations,” said Hill-Maini.
He returned to university with a fresh perspective on his studies, recognizing that science served as a lens through which he could understand and connect with his passion; organic chemistry provided a foundation for understanding smell and sensation while biology was a vehicle for exploring the human experience and nutrition. His budding interests were met with support from mentors who encouraged him to continue his studies, which led him to pursue a PhD in biochemistry at Harvard University.
“I never really dreamt or considered it, until these experiences led me there,” said Hill-Maini.
There, he studied how gut bacteria break down food and drugs and explored how the emergence of cooking in human evolution may have shifted the structure and function of the gut microbiome. His graduate studies led him to a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), where he worked with bioengineer Jay Keasling to develop synthetic biology tools for manipulating microbial metabolism.
As he continued to immerse himself in the realms of biochemistry and microbiology, Hill-Maini saw an opportunity to combine his passions for science and cooking, envisioning innovative solutions to the pressing challenges facing the food system.
By Danielle Gerhard, PhD
Article can be accessed on: The Scientist