The Culinary and Food Science: Its’ Integration via Kitchen Science Module (Cooking) to fascinate students towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

Abstract

Cooking is not only to satisfy hunger and to produce palatable food. Behind the arts of cooking, there is food related sciences involved that is often overlooked. Food science elements can be explored through fermentation of bread, coagulation of eggs during preparation of mayonnaise and Maillard reaction during the grilling process of steak. There are many other cooking processes that involve the elements of science. Thus, this study explores the integration of cooking and food science elements via Kitchen Science Module to fascinate Secondary School students towards the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme. A qualitative research through observation has been employed to achieve the objective of the study. Kitchen Science Module has been used as the major tool in examining the fascination level of students towards the STEM programme. A direct exposure of knowledge kitchen science plus direct involvement with the cooking processes would fascinate and motivate secondary school students to pursue their future study in related fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics specifically.