Cooking, Chemistry, and Coaching: The Surprising Connection

Not the prettiest loaves of bread, but they were delicious!

What could cooking, chemistry, and coaching possibly have in common?

At first glance, they may seem like entirely separate worlds — one belongs in the kitchen, one in the lab, and one in personal development. But take a closer look, and you’ll see they all share a powerful thread: transformation.

The Science of Food

Let’s start with cooking — the science of food.

Cooking (and baking) is one of the most creative and communal acts we can engage in. Food is connection. It brings people together, fuels our bodies, and often tastes better when made with care and love. Though not everyone enjoys cooking, learning some basic skills is often a key stepping stone to independence. Eventually, every one of us figures out how to transform a set of ingredients into a nourishing meal.

Sometimes we look at a recipe and think, “How is this ever going to come together?” But with a little faith, maybe a few creative substitutions (because no one wants to go back to the store for one thing), we end up creating something delicious and uniquely our own.

That process — gathering, trusting, creating — is powerful. And it’s only the beginning.

The Science of Matter

Next, we zoom into the microscopic world of chemistry — the science of matter.

Everything we touch, see, and eat is made up of elements from the periodic table. From amino acids to skyscrapers, life as we know it starts with atoms. Chemistry is the original foundation for transformation: combine certain elements under the right conditions, and something new — sometimes extraordinary — is born.

Take bread, for example. Mix flour, sugar, salt, water, and yeast, and you're not just making dough — you're triggering chemical reactions that result in a completely new product. Or consider sodium and chlorine: both toxic in their natural forms, but when properly combined, they become table salt — one of the most essential ingredients in cooking.

Chemistry reminds us that transformation is not only possible — it’s inevitable when the right building blocks come together in the right way.

The Science of Thought

So, how does coaching fit in?

For me, coaching is the science of thought transformation. It may not involve a stovetop or a beaker, but the process is just as dynamic — and just as foundational.

Through coaching, we unlock what’s already within us. We learn how to trust our inner voice, quiet our inner critic, and build toward the version of ourselves we most want to become. Like cooking and chemistry, coaching starts with raw materials: thoughts, beliefs, ideas. Sometimes they’re jumbled. Sometimes we don’t know what to do with them. That’s when coaching steps in with the tools and conditions to help us transform.

Many of us already know which thoughts support us and which hold us back — and yet we still feel stuck. We have ingredients but no recipe. We have elements but no experiment. Coaching helps us put those pieces together. With the right support, we discover how to mix, shape, and refine our ideas into something aligned, fulfilling, and uniquely ours.

Cooking Is Coaching

Cooking, after all, is both an art and a science. Cooking is chemistry. Coaching is chemistry. So, yes — cooking is also coaching.

Why? Because just as there’s potential energy in every atom and every recipe, there’s powerful potential in every thought. Coaching helps us sift through the clutter, find the right combinations, and trust the process of transformation — just like we would when cooking something new.

You may not get it perfect the first time. You may tweak the recipe, adjust the heat, try a different method. But in all cases, you learn, evolve, and eventually create something beautiful — something that feeds the soul.

Embrace the Process

Whether you're learning to cook, studying chemistry, or stepping into your highest self through coaching, the journey is always one of exploration, transformation, and growth. Each begins with a thought — a desire, an idea, a spark. And each results in something greater than the sum of its parts.

So the next time you find yourself at a crossroads, whether in the kitchen or in life, remember: You already have the ingredients. You already have the elements. You are capable of transformation. You are one recipe (or experiment!) away from something extraordinary.