Master of the Edible Molecule, a cocktail and food competition benefiting the Aspen Science Center and ProStart, is today from 4 to 7 p.m. at Jimmy’s. The event invites adults to experience an educational demonstration in the guise of a fast-paced game show featuring local personalities. Five teams, each led by a professional who works outside the food-and-beverage industry, compete in rounds that explore scientific principles prevalent in cooking. Along the way, teams may bid on advantages to create winning dishes, as judged by a panel of area restaurateurs.

The first challenge centers on the science of mixology. Each team captain will prepare a cocktail; the audience may help them out by purchasing the help of a bartender or bidding on additional ingredients.

Twelve Aspen ProStart students — including five members of the culinary team that placed second in the state at the 2015 ProStart Invitational — get in on the first food round, emulsification. Charged with preparing a salad, teams may “rent” help (via audience bid) from the students, each equipped with knives, cutting boards and tools required to present a finished plate.

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Subsequent rounds spotlight the art of molecular gastronomy — making “caviar” spheres from liquids and churning ice cream with liquid nitrogen — with help from a group chefs. Technology specialist and former restaurant owner Vince Lahey will serve as commentator, explaining scientific terms to the audience and auctioning off team privileges.

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