Staying Cool When the Fat Hits the Fire (Published 2014) (2024)

When I’m with a chef, I always ask for the secret to good cooking.

Once we get past the long speeches about the importance of passion, I usually hear a version of what Adam Evans, the chef at the Optimist in Atlanta, told me recently.

“Cooking is thermodynamics,” he said. “It’s all about transferring heat. If you can transfer heat, you can cook.”

Easier said than done, Chef. Heat burns things. A fast boil can kill a sauce and drive a vegetable to a limp death. Get too timid, and hamburger goes gray and sauces never thicken. That makes dinner late and lousy.

There are deep, scientific reasons behind the magic that happens when heat is applied properly. It transforms the flavor and textures of beans and vegetables. It toasts and roasts and caramelizes sugars into dark and nutty deliciousness.