--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to figure out how long to cook…" description: "\"I wanted to figure out how long to cook things. I did some experiments and then wrote a program using Mathematica to model how heat is transferred thro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/nathan-myhrvold-3298_cooks_i-wanted-to-figure-out-how-long-to-cook_2286360.jpg" --- # I wanted to figure out how long to cook things. I did some… ![“I wanted to figure out how long to cook things. I did some experiments and then wrote a program using Mathematica to model how heat is transferred through food.” quote by Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/nathan-myhrvold-3298_cooks_i-wanted-to-figure-out-how-long-to-cook_2286360.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/nathan-myhrvold-3298_cooks_i-wanted-to-figure-out-how-long-to-cook_2286360.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/nathan-myhrvold-3298_cooks_i-wanted-to-figure-out-how-long-to-cook_2286360.jpg) > “I wanted to figure out how long to cook things. I did some experiments and then wrote a program using Mathematica to model how heat is transferred through food.” [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He used experimentation and Mathematica to model heat transfer in cooking, showing a systematic, data‑driven approach to culinary timing. **In simple terms:** He modeled cooking heat with a program. Key Takeaway Apply scientific modeling to improve cooking. Themes science culinary modeling experimentation technology Mood analytical curious Type educational practical When to use this quote - recipe development - food safety - kitchen efficiency Key Concepts heat transfer simulation algorithmic cooking Questions to Reflect On - How can data improve everyday cooking? - What variables are most critical in heat modeling? A Different Perspective Modeling requires accurate data and assumptions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiments/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Heat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heat/) ## Related quotes > [Nowadays we can do computer experiments using Mathematica, and even solve a system of 42 equations. This offers another route to knowledge, rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-forbes-nash/nowadays-we-can-do-computer-experiments-using-mathematica-and-even/) [John Forbes Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-forbes-nash/) > [Around 1967 Dan Bobrow wrote a program to do algebra problems based on symbols rather than numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-minsky/around-1967-dan-bobrow-wrote-a-program-to-do-algebra-problems-based/) [Marvin Minsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-minsky/) > [I think it goes back to my high school days. In computer class, the first assignment was to write a program to print the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-think-it-goes-back-to-my-high-school-days-in-computer-class-the/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [When you say 'I wrote a program that crashed Windows,' people just stare at you blankly and say 'Hey, I got those with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/when-you-say-i-wrote-a-program-that-crashed-windows-people-just-stare/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [I love to feed people, and I like to cook food they want to eat and food that will be good for them. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-glick/i-love-to-feed-people-and-i-like-to-cook-food-they-want-to-eat-and/) [Ruth Glick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-glick/) > [There is nothing nicer than a kitchen really made for a cook. Things that are designed to be used always have an innate beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/there-is-nothing-nicer-than-a-kitchen-really-made-for-a-cook-things/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [Cooking is what makes us human. For example, Chimpanzees spend eight to ten hours trying to feed themselves, they are occupied by it, eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gold/cooking-is-what-makes-us-human-for-example-chimpanzees-spend-eight-to/) [Jonathan Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gold/) > [I can cook about two things. I can boil hot water for the only pasta I can make. 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I can boil hot water for the only pasta I can make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-can-cook-about-two-things-i-can-boil-hot-water-for-the-only-pasta-i/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [I can cook a few things. I always save the same recipes to impress my friends, and I always do two or three things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-can-cook-a-few-things-i-always-save-the-same-recipes-to-impress-my/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [I like to cook things very slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-day-lewis/i-like-to-cook-things-very-slowly/) [Daniel Day-Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-day-lewis/) > [The physics of water is central to cooking, because food is mostly water. All steak that you cook is actually boiled on the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/the-physics-of-water-is-central-to-cooking-because-food-is-mostly/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Food, like anything else, lives in the physical world and obeys the laws of physics. When you whisk together some oil and a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/food-like-anything-else-lives-in-the-physical-world-and-obeys-the/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) ## More by Nathan Myhrvold > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [In market research I did at Microsoft Corp. in the early 1990s, I estimated that the 'Wall Street Journal' took in about 75 cents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/in-market-research-i-did-at-microsoft-corp-in-the-early-1990s-i/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Our reactor actually burns nuclear waste as fuel. So not only is it safe and powerful, it solves an important issue: It actually reduces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/our-reactor-actually-burns-nuclear-waste-as-fuel-so-not-only-is-it/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Food, like anything else, lives in the physical world and obeys the laws of physics. 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"Can you make things that don't have potatoes in them? We had an Irish cook once when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/lord-you-re-irish-said-will-can-you-make-things-that-don-t-have/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [What's given, in fact, always depends on the person or thing it's given to. A minor incident in the street brings the cook to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/what-s-given-in-fact-always-depends-on-the-person-or-thing-it-s-given/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [I'll cook the water...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-ll-cook-the-water/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [A combination of the qualities of the scholar, the master cook, the painter, the gastronomer, the sportsman and the pantologist, assisted by the skill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ellwanger/a-combination-of-the-qualities-of-the-scholar-the-master-cook-the/) [George Ellwanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ellwanger/) > [Larousse is an invaluable tool for any cook. I've used this great resource all throughout my cooking career, and of course I look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keller/larousse-is-an-invaluable-tool-for-any-cook-i-ve-used-this-great/) [Thomas Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keller/) > [There's a side to reality TV that is part education, as well. I've seen that since doing "MasterChef Junior," in terms of the effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-ramsay/there-s-a-side-to-reality-tv-that-is-part-education-as-well-i-ve-seen/) [Gordon Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-ramsay/) > [Frying gives cooks numerous ways of concealing what appeared the day before and in a pinch facilitates sudden demands, for it takes little more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anthelme-brillat-savarin/frying-gives-cooks-numerous-ways-of-concealing-what-appeared-the-day/) [Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anthelme-brillat-savarin/) > [I grew up in Harlem. My grandmother was one of the best cooks around, but the first thing she did on Sunday mornings when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/i-grew-up-in-harlem-my-grandmother-was-one-of-the-best-cooks-around/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) > [“The more the merrier. Too many cooks spoil the broth of destruction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-roberts/the-more-the-merrier-too-many-cooks-spoil-the-broth-of-destruction/) [Gareth Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-roberts/) > [When I cook him dinner and I burn it black, he better say hmmm, I like it like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shania-twain/when-i-cook-him-dinner-and-i-burn-it-black-he-better-say-hmmm-i-like/) [Shania Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shania-twain/) > [Regrettably, people today don't watch many programs that actually teach people how to cook, so I agreed to do a competitive show that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-ben-israel/regrettably-people-today-don-t-watch-many-programs-that-actually/) [Ron Ben-Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-ben-israel/) > [Sam loved to listen to music and make his own songs, to wear soft velvets, to play in the castle kitchen beside the cooks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sam-loved-to-listen-to-music-and-make-his-own-songs-to-wear-soft/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 1,391 Cooks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wanted to figure out how long to cook things. 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