For professor of chemistry and physics Richard Zare, the goal for CHEM 29N: Chemistry in the Kitchen is not to make students into great cooks or chemistry majors. Instead, he hopes students “take this course and never look at food quite the same again,” Zare said. 

CHEM 29N is an introductory seminar offered every winter quarter. After developing a foundation in the periodic table, students learn about the different chemical reactions in the food they eat. According to the course description, “A high-school chemistry background is assumed; bring to class a good appetite and a healthy curiosity.”

Zare taught chemistry for many years until he was offered the opportunity to teach anything he wanted. He decided that he wanted to explore more on the chemistry of food and proposed the course Chemistry in the Kitchen. 

“I wanted people to not only understand the intimate relationship with food and chemistry, but to cook — and eat what they cook — to have the best appreciation of food,” Zare said.

When Zare approached the department with the idea, he was initially shot down because food is prohibited in chemistry labs. Zare agreed with the department but proposed an alternative idea: to convert the staff room on the second floor of the Sapp Center for Science Teaching and Learning Center to a kitchen.

CHEM 29N has been taught since 2020 and has been popular ever since, with about 300 students applying to the class annually, according to Zare. Initially, Zare could only admit 12 students per section, so he expanded the course to five sections.

Ivan Jimbangan ’25, a course development advisor (CDA) for the course, discovered the course as a freshman. “I saw a photo of [Zare] and the students in the lab, and they all seemed like they were having a lot of fun, and I decided to apply,” Jimbangan said.

Having been a CDA for three years ever since taking the course in his sophomore year, Jimbangan hopes the class continues as long as it can. 

“This class is really special and draws in people who have never done chemistry.” Jimbangan said. 

Students this year found the class exciting. The class features a diverse cohort of students, some who have participated in Science Olympiad competitions, some with families who own restaurants and some who have never cooked or studied chemistry. 

“I previously found the sciences boring. But taking this class with cooking made me enjoy chemistry a lot more,” said Amy Cao ’28.

Haein Shim ’28 found this class after many students in the upperclassmen and transfer community suggested it. “I used to wash dishes in high school, and I was selling food on the streets. I knew nothing about chemistry, but I would love to learn,” Shim said.

Shim experienced a taste of what chemistry is like at Stanford. “It gives me the confidence to think ‘maybe I can do this too.’” she said.

Alicia Peng ’28 heard about the course from a tour guide before even coming to Stanford. 

Peng was grateful for the experiences the class has offered her, she said. “The professor offers us wonderful opportunities like for us to have dinner at his home and inviting guest lecturers,” Peng said. 

Many students appreciated the heavy integration of chemistry in the class. 

Joseph Ho ’28 felt the class allowed him to apply the chemistry he was learning in CHEM 33: Structure and Reactivity of Carbon-Based Molecules, he told The Daily.

CHEM 29N has brought many students from multiple disciplines and backgrounds to collaboratively work to investigate the chemistry in the food students eat. 

“Some people eat to live, others live to eat. I accept all,” Zare said.