STEM Meets Culinary: A Delicious Learning Experience in Chester

Imagine exploring Chester’s vibrant food scene—not just through flavours, but through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In a ground-breaking partnership, Synergy STEM Partners and Chester on a Plate have created immersive experiences that seamlessly blend culinary delights with hands-on STEM learning—right in the heart of Chester.

A Fusion of Food and Science

Chester on a Plate brings the city's best food tours and tasting events, while Synergy STEM Partners brings their passion for unlocking the wonder of science in everyday life. Together, they offer a unique experience where chefs and STEM educators serve up knowledge alongside flavour. Synergy STEM Partners

What You Can Expect

1. STEM X Chef Masterclasses

• Format: Live cooking demonstrations infused with STEM insights.

• Learn about: Chemical reactions, pH balance, temperature control, and food engineering.

• Participant takeaway: A hands-on dish, guided instruction, and a certificate to remember the experience.

• Ideal for: Teens (14+), families, food enthusiasts, educators, and adult learners.

• Length: 90 minutes to 2 hours, hosted at partner venues such as Porta, Chef’s Table, and Covino in Chester.

2. Hands-On STEM X Cooking Challenges

• Engagement: Team-based food science tasks in a safe, supervised setting.

• Activities: Calculating cost per portion, testing acidity, measuring heat changes, and designing dishes using math and aesthetics.

• All materials included and risk-assessed for a seamless, educational experience.

3. STEM & Flavour Food Tours

• Format: Walking tours with tastings that unlock scientific insights into fermentation, flavour pairing, preservation, and nutrition.

• Extras: Chef interviews, mini-experiments, and a special wine chemistry add-on for adults.

• Fun for all ages—perfect for curious families, food-lovers, and educators alike.

4. STEM × Culinary Walking Tours: “The Science of Food”

• Designed for: KS3–KS5 students, families, teachers, and the public.

• Structure: A 2-hour guided tour with 3–5 stops at cafés, delis, and restaurants.

• Learning outcomes: Understand cooking science, fermentation, emulsification, preservation, heat transfer, and nutrition, while discovering STEM careers and local food culture.

5. STEM & Local Food Heritage Trails

• Ideal for: Upper KS2–KS4 students, families, and history buffs.

• Accelerate learning with: Story-led trails around Roman water systems, Tudor cooking, Victorian food preservation, and logistic innovations.

• Interactive experiences: “STEM detective” challenges, digital engagement, and passport stamps—connecting food heritage with history and engineering.

6. Sustainability & Food Tech Workshops

• Target audience: KS3–KS5 students, STEM/Eco clubs, families.

• Focus areas: Food waste reduction, bioplastics, hydroponics, and AI in agriculture.

• Structure: 90-minute sessions with collaborative group projects to build innovation and sustainability awareness.

7. STEM & Food Enterprise Days

• For: KS4–KS5 enterprise groups.

• Activities: Business pitching, recipe costing, STEM career presentations, and Dragons’ Den-style challenges.

• Learn entrepreneurial and mathematical skills while bridging STEM and business acumen.

8. CPD & Corporate Team-Building

• Educator CPD: Place-based STEM teaching tools and curriculum relevance.

• Corporate packages: Team-building via STEM and culinary challenges, tastings, and sustainable solution brainstorming.

• Benefits include: Enhanced STEM confidence, collaborative skills, and meaningful employer engagement.

Why It Matters

This partnership brings together the best of both worlds: Chester’s culinary charm and STEM’s curious inquiry. The result is an enriching, multisensory learning experience that:

• Makes STEM accessible and memorable through real-world applications.

• Inspires diverse audiences, students, teachers, families, enterprises, and professionals alike.

• Offers flexible formats tailored to different age groups and interests.

• Embeds curiosity, creativity, and learning into shared, hands-on events.

Ready to Book?

Whether you're a teacher planning an engaging school outing, a family seeking a fun and enriching weekend, or a business looking for impactful team-building ideas, this collaboration delivers. Visit the STEM Meets Culinary page to:

• Explore upcoming dates and events.

• Book experiences such as STEM X Chef Masterclasses or food heritage trails.

• Enquire about bespoke workshops, school programmes, or corporate packages—including STEM & Culinary Walking Tours, Enterprise Days, Sustainability Workshops, and more. Synergy STEM Partners

Fill out the contact form (on our website), and our team will reach out within 2–3 working days to bring your event to the table.