George Vekinis, a physicist turned food writer, revealed the exact science behind how to cook the perfect steak. Velkinis has published numerous books on the science behind food and urged people to pre-microwave steak and never season it with salt. He told the Instant Genius podcast the step-by-step process of cooking the ideal steak, which he said was medium-rare. "Salt has this osmotic ability to drag out as much water as possible from the meat, making it tough and inedible. My first advice would be never to put salt on the meat. Secondly, it’s always a good idea to heat the meat first in a microwave," Vekinis told the Instant Genius podcast. He urged people to microwave steak for 1 or 2 minutes, “depending on the thickness, then you fry it, as short a time as possible, a minute maximum." Velkinis explained that you should fry it on both sides, letting “the temperature inside the meat reach at least 55-60 degrees." He didn’t discourage adding “a little bit of olive oil” but stressed that it is down to the “personal preference” of the cook. Velkinis’ methods are at odds with celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsey & Jamie Oliver, both of whom generously season their steak with salt prior. His book, Physics in the Kitchen, released in 2023, explains the science behind food and cooking.