Why does lemon wake up a pan sauce? Why does salt make chocolate taste more chocolatey? Why does deeply browned chicken taste so much better than pale chicken?

In this hands-on class, we taste first, then cook. You’ll compare ingredients side by side, make small changes, and notice what happens.

We’ll start with sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami, then bring in aroma, texture, temperature, and heat. You’ll see how a pinch of salt, a squeeze of acid, a little more browning, or a fresh herb can change the whole dish.

Then we put it to work in the kitchen. We’ll char corn, build a bright salad, get good color on chicken, make a pan sauce, and bake a brown butter fruit cake. You’ll taste as you go and learn what to look for when something needs adjusting.