while working as chief technology officer at microsoft, myhrvold took leave to earn his culinary diploma from école de cuisine la varenne in france. myhrvold's early culinary training was as an observer and unpaid apprentice at "rover's", one of seattle's leading restaurants, with chef thierry rautureau. myhrvold is the principal author of a culinary text entitled "modernist cuisine: the art and science of cooking," released in march 2011, on the application of scientific research principles and new techniques and technology to cooking. that book, which earned a james beard foundation award for "cookbook of the year" in 2012, was followed by the books "modernist cuisine at home", "the photography of modernist cuisine", and "modernist bread: the art and science", all self-published by myhrvold and with him as lead author. myhrvold was part of a team that won first place at the world barbecue championships in memphis. he has appeared as a guest judge on "top chef".