I agree entirely. I feel like this myth of "baking is science, cooking is art" got started and I don't really understand it.
100% reproducible results for both is definitely "science".
The processes that happen to make the flavors and textures and results you're looking for - absolutely "science".
Some very finicky food types require a lot more precision than others, so some (very small percentage of) recipes you absolutely do have to follow very strict recipes and procedures.
But the majority of stuff - baking or "cooking" - you can wing a lot and get great results. You just might not get exactly the results you thought you'd get.
In my experience in a house that doesn't have strict climate control (no humidity control, windows often open, inexact temperature control), intuition on yeast-based dough is actually really important. Two days in a row the same exact simple bread dough recipe can behave very differently due to factors like ambient temperature and humidity.
The trick is getting from a recipe cook to an intuitive cook. For me, I feel like that leap came primarily from a single book (and years of prior absorbed "Good Eats" knowledge):
I also developed intuition after methodically working through a Ruhlman book (Ruhlman's 20, in my case). Just wanted to add it seems to be his style, focusing on imparting intuition rather than recipe mastery. For anyone wanting to become a more intuitive cook, one of his books will carry you very very far.
100% reproducible results for both is definitely "science".
The processes that happen to make the flavors and textures and results you're looking for - absolutely "science".
Some very finicky food types require a lot more precision than others, so some (very small percentage of) recipes you absolutely do have to follow very strict recipes and procedures.
But the majority of stuff - baking or "cooking" - you can wing a lot and get great results. You just might not get exactly the results you thought you'd get.
In my experience in a house that doesn't have strict climate control (no humidity control, windows often open, inexact temperature control), intuition on yeast-based dough is actually really important. Two days in a row the same exact simple bread dough recipe can behave very differently due to factors like ambient temperature and humidity.
The trick is getting from a recipe cook to an intuitive cook. For me, I feel like that leap came primarily from a single book (and years of prior absorbed "Good Eats" knowledge):
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3931154-ratio Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking by Michael Ruhlman
Highly recommended read.