eli5: What is the difference between cooking food and burning it, at a chemistry level?

Question

In both cases you’re heating up food to change it in some form, but cooking changes it in a good way that maintains (or enhances) its flavor and nutritional value, while burning destroys the food.

In: 3

Answer 1

An analogy in my mind is the difference between partially disassembling a an intricate rubber band ball and thoroughly taking scissors to it.