Cooking up creativity: AHS Food Science Club

2–4 minutes

New AHS club combines cooking, science, and creativity and discusses their plan for the year ahead

Staff Writer

The beginning of the school year entails many things. New friends, new teachers, and new classes, to name a few. But perhaps the most exciting part of it all are the events and activities that kick-off the year, giving students an opportunity to explore their passions. We have already seen many new clubs begin to foster a sense of community and aspiration within themselves. One such organization has been the Food Science Club, which is a new student group that aims to take a scientific approach to the culinary arts.

Hetanshi Vakharia (12), the president of the new club, said, “I love food because it brings so many people together. It’s so rewarding and therapeutic to see how my baking makes others happy.” Her passion for food science began when she started consuming food content such as Bon Appetit and Tasty during the pandemic, which encouraged her to start developing her own recipes. She started to learn about the science behind baking and cooking as she observed techniques for specific dishes. “Popping boba is one of my favorite examples of food science. If you combine sodium alginate and calcium lactate, it creates that spherical shape.”

She even took an entrepreneurial approach to her passion by applying what she learned. “I had all this knowledge at my fingertips and had the power to just make things,” Vakharia said. “After two years of perfecting my cookie recipes, I started selling them.” She made over $800 by selling her cookies to friends and family.

The club treasurer, Ikjot Kaur Bali (10), expressed what sparked her interest in becoming involved in the club as an officer. “I have an aunt who’s a baker and I feel like food and baking in general has been such an important part of my family. It really brings us together,” Kaur said. She commented on her specific goals for the club, “At American, people are mostly interested in STEM fields, so I want to create a club where people can try something new. I want it to be a really nice environment, one where members can have fun.”

She also provided her insight about specific events. “I’m really interested in holding food competitions. Members can come with a group of their friends and bake something, like in Food Network.” For a more scientific approach, Kaur hopes to hold events discussing the chemistry behind popular foods. “We could even explain why a cookie bakes the way it does or the science of making boba.”

Sabzar Kaur (11), a member of the club, is excited to learn how to independently curate recipes that suit her vegetarian diet. “Food science is an art. I want to learn how to make more eggless recipes and use my love for food to gain more exposure to chemistry.” She is also looking forward to seeing the growth of the club in the years to come.

The Food Science club has a place for everyone and takes a unique approach to teaching students about cooking and baking. “Baking can be so personalized,” Vakharia explained. “People are so reliant on external recipes and by joining the club, I really want members to realize that they can make anything as long as they know the building blocks.”