Robert L. Wolke (/wɔːlk/;[1] April 2, 1928 – August 29, 2021) was an American chemist and professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh.

[2][3] He was a food columnist for The Washington Post and wrote multiple books to explain everyday phenomena in non-technical terms: Wolke won awards such as the American Chemical Society's 2005 James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public,[6] the International Association of Culinary Professionals' Bert Greene Award, and the James Beard Foundation's award for the best newspaper column.

Wolke died on August 29, 2021, of complications from Alzheimer's disease.

He was 93.