It's very interesting that the same questions arise again and again.
I stick generally to ideas, not opinions, and here is what was answered (and added in the Questions/Answers part of the site https://sites.google.com/site/travauxdehervethis/
Usually one would ask “why did you enter the profession you are in?”, however in your case I believe a more suitable question would be: As a physical chemist why did you develop a particular interest in the field you have coined ‘molecular gastronomy’?
There are indeed many reasons together.
First I love chemistry, physics and mathematics since the age of 6 years old. Then, I am also cooking since I am a child.
However, when I was a child, I was doing chemistry and physics during a large part of my free time, visiting once a week the Palais de la Découverte (science museum in Paris), so that at 12 years old, I was even invited to lecture on liquid nitrogen.
Of course, this passion for chemistry led me to enter the best "Grande Ecole" (top university) for chemistry in France (Ecole supérieure de physique et de chimie de Paris), and I should probably be an organic chemist today, but the 16th of March 1980, because of a failed cheese soufflé, I realized that there was something interesting to do, using my personal lab at home (I have indeed a wonderful lab in my house, with UV spectrometry, microscopy, etc.), i.e. collecting and testing what I am calling today "culinary precisions". This work transformed in Molecular Gastronomy when I met Nicholas Kurti and when we both, together, realized in 1988 that a particular science was needed.
As the term ‘molecular gastronomy’ has become better known over the years do you feel that people’s understanding of what molecular gastronomy is (as a field of study and development) has improved? And do you find that it is often confused with molecular cooking?
It depends on countries and on people. Yes, there is a lot of confusion between Molecular Gastronomy, molecular cooking or cookery, and such chimeras as "culinary science" or "scientific cooking". Generally, the confusion are based on the fact that people don't know what gastronomy is, what science is, and even in scientific circles, there is a confusion between science and technology, or engineering.
But I have time in life to fight all these confusions. And anyway, molecular cooking will be soon replaced by "note by note cooking", a name for which the possibility of confusion with molecular gastronomy is reduced.
How would you define molecular gastronomy versus molecular cooking?
Very simple: just hear the words! Cooking is cooking, molecular or not. And cooking means producing food. Gastronomy is knowledge. And knowledge is not food, it's knowledege.
Now the definitions :
science: most practitioners of science would be happy to accept the idea that science is the activity of looking for the mechanisms of phenomena, or trying to picture how things work, using a particular method called the “experimental method”, or “hypothetico-deductive method”, or simply the scientific method.
This methods has the following steps : (1) observing a phenomenon ; (2) characterizing quantitatively the phenomenon (and producing a lot of data) ; (3) synthesizing the data in laws ; (4) proposing theories, i.e. lists of mechanisms explaining the laws ; (5) making predictions from theories ; (6) testing experimentally the theoretical predictions, in the hope that they will be refuted, so that the theory can be improved ; (7) and go on forever with steps (2)-(6).
It can be seen from this description that science will never be “in the kitchen”, as science produces knowledge (mechanisms of phenomena), and not dishes! Hence the question: what can science and cooking have in common?
cooking : cooking was always, is, and will remain the activity of preparing dishes ; it can be a crafty activity, or an art, but dishes will be produced for human consumption.
technique: the word comes from the Greek word techne, doing. The technical activities produce results… such as dishes.
technology: this word is (or should be) clear, as its etymology is from techne, and logos, study. Technology is the activity of improving technique, with or without the results of sciences. Here, the importance of words is again great, as it would be a mistake to write that technology is an activity that uses science (instead of “the result of sciences”). Indeed, science is a separate activity, and, coming back to the first definition, only the results of sciences can be used by technologists.
applied sciences: they are as impossible as « square circles », and I am not the first who says that applied sciences cannot exist. During all his life, the biologist Louis Pasteur, well known both for scientific advances and for applications of science, fought against this expression of “applied sciences”. The idea is mainly that if they were science, then they would not be applied, and if it is meant here the application of results of sciences (rather than science itself, as we just saw that it was impossible), then they would not be sciences any longer… but technology.
chemistry: the meaning of the word « chemistry » changed in time, as for all the previous words that we considered, but here, we probably still need to go on with changes. First, is chemistry a science or technology? Considering the history of sciences, it appears that all sciences were at various degrees linked with technology in ancient times, but that slowly the separation appeared. Hence, it would be a progress that chemistry would be considered as science only, and more precisely as the science that studies the mechanisms of atom rearrangements, in molecules or in other structures made with atoms.
gastronomy: here again, there is much confusion, as many people think that gastronomy is cooking for rich, or with costly ingredients. Indeed, the word “gastronomy” was introduced in French in 1801 by the poet Joseph Berchoux8, but it was popularized by Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a lawyer who made a wonderful masterpiece in literature, defining « gastronomy » as the reasoned knowledge concerning all aspects of food. For example, Brillat-Savarin explained that the history of cooking, for example, is gastronomy, and more precisely gastronomic history; studying the geographic distribution of culinary skills would be gastronomy, also; and literature, economy… or science can be within the frame of gastronomy. Let us finish this short discussion by saying again that gastronomy is knowledge, and that for the sake of proper thinking, we should avoid using expressions such as “gastronomic restaurant”.
art: here again, the meaning of “art” changed extensively with time, and I am not able to summarize in a few words what needed a whole book (Cooking, a quintessential art, California University Press). However, today, art is more or less an activity of creating emotions, with relationship with “beauty”. In cooking, “beautiful” means “good to eat”… but this is really too short a description for such a complicated matter. Let us only say that the aim of art is not of looking for the mechanisms of phenomena using the scientific method. The aims of science and art are different, as well as the methods… and the productions.
molecular gastronomy: it should be said vigorously that molecular gastronomy is a scientific discipline (see “science”), and that chefs do not practice (generally) molecular gastronomy!
molecular cookery: yes, molecular cookery, also called molecular cuisine, or science-based cooking, is cooking, and not science. The “definition” would be “cooking with new tools, ingredients, methods”, but “new” should be defined as “not present in classic books such as the Guide culinaire or even in La cuisine du marché by Paul Bocuse.
Of course, also, it would be silly to consider that molecular cooking (or cookery) is a question of using molecules for cooking, as all food is made of molecules… but some journalists and chefs did not take time to consider that “molecular cooking” is a composed expression, proposed only to make the distinction with molecular gastronomy. And as molecular cooking is cooking, it means producing dishes.
What are the most common misconceptions about food preparation and cooking by chefs?
I don't know.
The question is too broad.
For me as a chef, over the past few years I have seen a fast pace of technological and scientific development in many kitchens. What’s most important is the awareness by chefs towards enhancing food using these developments. What do you feel has been your most significant contribution towards the development of cooking methods used in restaurant kitchens today?
I don't care about my past contributions, and I am considering only the next ones. Note by note cooking will be soon there!
You have spent time working alongside chefs, most notably Monsieur Gagnaire, to develop the concepts you study and translate their potential application in restaurant dishes. As a physical chemist looking at a restaurant kitchen, where do you see the main developments will be in the future? For example; in the equipment used? In the way chefs work? In the recipes developed?
Note by note cooking!
And following on from the last question, what areas of the kitchen and the way they work do you think need to be developed?
Note by note cooking!
Do you believe that the discoveries made in the field of molecular gastronomy, if applied into restaurant kitchens can improve not only the food produced but also the consistency and quality of the work in the kitchen?
Yes, and this is one of the reasons why I am working so hard. I don't want money, but only the pleasure to have been able to transform the culinary practice. But it's done, indeed! Please be aware that in all French schools, children 6 years old make one cubic meter of whipped egg white from only one egg, using the educational tool that I introduced in 2002 under the name "Ateliers expérimentaux du goût" (also in Switzlerland, Finland, Denmark, Germany, UK...)
mercredi 2 mars 2011
samedi 5 février 2011
The 2011 Course on Molecular Gastronomy...
... is now on the Internet site of AgroParisTech at http://podcast.agroparistech.fr/users/gastronomiemoleculaire/ and it si so long (two days) that it is divided in small parts.
Yes, it is all in French!
sorry, celebrate Chemistry
mercredi 2 février 2011
Some useful definitions
The right definitions :
1. Molecular Gastronomy : the science (mostly chemistry and physics) that explores the mechanisms of culinary transformations, producing knowledge (see also my article in the Encyclopedia Britannica) ; this is "philosophy of nature", or natural science ; it does not produce food!
2. Molecular Cooking, or Molecular Cuisine : a way of cooking that uses "new" tools, ingredients and methods. It was a way to propose a modernization of the culinary techniques
3. Culinary Constructivism : building dishes so that a particular effect is reached. It's again cooking
4. Note by Note cooking : it means "cooking with compounds" (and in the right idea of this, the compounds, or ingredients, should be "pure", ie of only one kind, such as sucrose, water, glucose, ethanol, tartaric acid, citric acid, etc.)
Hope that helps!
1. Molecular Gastronomy : the science (mostly chemistry and physics) that explores the mechanisms of culinary transformations, producing knowledge (see also my article in the Encyclopedia Britannica) ; this is "philosophy of nature", or natural science ; it does not produce food!
2. Molecular Cooking, or Molecular Cuisine : a way of cooking that uses "new" tools, ingredients and methods. It was a way to propose a modernization of the culinary techniques
3. Culinary Constructivism : building dishes so that a particular effect is reached. It's again cooking
4. Note by Note cooking : it means "cooking with compounds" (and in the right idea of this, the compounds, or ingredients, should be "pure", ie of only one kind, such as sucrose, water, glucose, ethanol, tartaric acid, citric acid, etc.)
Hope that helps!
jeudi 7 octobre 2010
Ph.D
This morning, I received an email from an interesting guy writing among smart ideas ;:
"thankfully (!!!) I’m at the final stage of my Ph.D studies"
Poor correspondent!!!!! Indeed, he should be sad, because this is probably the best part of his life!
Remember that one is happy when each step is pleasant ; if you think that you are sad not being at the final destination of your trip, you are sad most of the time. But if you think that each step is fun, then you have fun all the time... Plus the bonus of reaching the final destination in the end.
"thankfully (!!!) I’m at the final stage of my Ph.D studies"
Poor correspondent!!!!! Indeed, he should be sad, because this is probably the best part of his life!
Remember that one is happy when each step is pleasant ; if you think that you are sad not being at the final destination of your trip, you are sad most of the time. But if you think that each step is fun, then you have fun all the time... Plus the bonus of reaching the final destination in the end.
mercredi 15 septembre 2010
For the sixth time
Dear Friends,
I am happy to announce the Sixth Contest Science, Art and Cooking :
________________________________________________________________________________________
Let's use oses
We all know the taste of sucrose, but what about maltose, isomalt, glucose, fructose, rebaudioside A, extracted from stevia?
The participants will:
-create a dish of their choice for which a jury will appreciate the various sweet tastes (yes, there are many sweet tastes)
- use the density of oses for creating cocktails with layers, and no alcohol.
This contest is open to all: students of culinary schools or scientific institutions, experts, etc.
It's free. For application (latest date 30 September 2010) or for information, please contact margauxnys@sciencesetgatronomie.com
Odile Renaudin
Directrice des Rencontres Sciences, Art & Cuisine
http://www.sciencesetgastronomie.com
I am happy to announce the Sixth Contest Science, Art and Cooking :
________________________________________________________________________________________
Let's use oses
We all know the taste of sucrose, but what about maltose, isomalt, glucose, fructose, rebaudioside A, extracted from stevia?
The participants will:
-create a dish of their choice for which a jury will appreciate the various sweet tastes (yes, there are many sweet tastes)
- use the density of oses for creating cocktails with layers, and no alcohol.
This contest is open to all: students of culinary schools or scientific institutions, experts, etc.
It's free. For application (latest date 30 September 2010) or for information, please contact margauxnys@sciencesetgatronomie.com
Odile Renaudin
Directrice des Rencontres Sciences, Art & Cuisine
http://www.sciencesetgastronomie.com
dimanche 12 septembre 2010
Again, sorry
Sorry indeed because my new book on "culinary precisions" is now published, but not in English, only in French.
This is made from my collections on culinary tips, sayings, old wives tales, methodes... The 25,000 items were ordered and theorized for the 2009 Course on Molecular Gastronomy.
Perhaps an American publisher will find it useful to translate the document?
mardi 24 août 2010
Interview by a Brasilian magazine
Dear Friends,
Below, the answers to questions asked by a Brasilian magazine. Please, do not hesitate to discuss my answers.
1. What has motivated you to become a molecular gastronomy researcher?
Indeed, since I was 6 years old, I wanted to be a chemist. With passion, I was doing chemistry and physics in my home, having slowly created there a wonderful lab that I still have.
At that time, I also cooked, and it is not surprising that the two activities mixed, even if I would like today to contribute also to some research on the chemistry of natural products, as I feel that this field is very important both scientifically and technologically.
The 16th of March 1980, I became involved in what would be called later (in 1988) Molecular Gastronomy because of a cheese soufflé : the recipes advised to add the yolks two by two... and the tests showed that it had no influence. But the 23rd of March 1980, I decided to collect the French "culinary precisions" (i.e. culinary old wive tales, proverbs, tips, methods, proverbs...). I now have more than 25 000, only for French cuisine!
2. How has the gastronomy molecular study contributed to the future?
Since the formal creation of Molecular Gastronomy, in 1988, we set up a frame for future research, and identified a special field that was regularly forgotten, i.e. the physical and chemical investigation of the mechanisms of phenomena occuring during cooking. As a branch of science, Molecular Gastronomy will have no end, because the scientific process goes in more and more details.
But Molecular Gastronomy is also important both from a technological point of view, and from an educational point of view.
Technologically, it was very important that we proposed the use in the kitchen of new hardware, new tools, new ingredients and new methods : this is Molecular Cooking (also sometimes called Molecular Cooking, or Molecular Cookery, now also Technoemotional cuisine).
This is a first step. Now, I am trying to introduce "culinary constructivism", and Note by Note cooking.
Educationnally, we introduced new reasoned activities in school, colleges and universities. Molecular Gastronomy courses are important because they are appealing for students of all ages. They understand the usefulness of science, and better perceived the relationship between science, technology, technique, art.
3. The scientific study on the procedures used in the kitchen demystify cooking itself, putting down the concept which consists in the belief that some people have the ability to cook and others don´t?
Yes, this is an important act of faith to recognize that one can make better technical work understanding what one do ! In the 80's, when we began our work, there was secrecy in culinary circles... but indeed there is no such thing for science. We investigate what is hidden, and distribute the information as much as possible.
Indeed, among culinary precisions, many are strange, and this leads to a new study of why our ancestors transmitted wrong information. This needs sociology, history, anthropology... but this study is very exciting. This was the topic of the Course on Molecular Gastronomy 2010, in January 2010 (a book is published next week from the Course).
And also, when you recognize that cooking is (1) creating a social link (between the cook and the guests, but also between the guests), (2) involving art ("good" means "beautiful to eat", as explained extensively in my book Cooking, a quintessenciaal art), (3) technique, you understand that you need to learn the three components to be successful in the kitchen. I hate the aphorism by Brillat-Savarin saying that you can become a cook, but you need to be born as a "rotisseur" (roaster) : my idea is that everybody can learn... as long as she or he learns and work hard!
4. In molecular gastronomy, does the kitchen´s main character continue to be the chef or, now, is the chemical-physician (who commands the process), or the success will depend on their team work? How does this partnership between chefs and scientists work?
This question shows that you make a confusion between Molecular Gastronomy (science) and Molecular Cooking (cooking).
Molecular Gastronomy is achieved only in laboratories, only by scientists. On the other hand, Molecular Cooking is achieved only in kitchen, and only by chefs ! Remember that you need art for Cooking, and in particular for Molecular Cooking.
Indeed, the introduction of Molecular Cooking creating a new position, of "culinary technologists", or "culinary engineers", i.e. people that can understand the fresh results of science in order to make technology transfers, so that they can help chefs (artists) to put this knowledge in action in their kitchen.
In this regard, there is no relationship between science and art, between molecular gastronomy and chefs. One need an intermediate. Even in my "play" with my intimate friend Pierre Gagnaire, when I am proposing a new idea (there is one invention per month for now ten years), I am not working as a scientist, but rather as a technologists. Of course, being a scientist, I should not do that, but I feel that it is important, at this point of time, how important the results of science can be. And also, I do it for Pierre!
5. How you define the joint between gastronomy and science?
Contrary to a wrong idea, gastonomy is not cooking! And in particular, it is not high cuisine.
Gastronomy is defined as the reasoned knowledge of man's nourishment. It is a knowledge!
In this regard, expressions such as "gastronomic restaurants" are mistakes.
Within the area of gastronomy (knowledge), you find history (historical gastronomy), sociology (sociological gastronomy), litterature (gastronomical litterature)... and science : Molecular Gastronomy.
6. What are the best chefs and restaurants in molecular gastronomy segment?
I hate the idea of "best". Take a comparison with music. Even if some days I am preferring Bach to Mozart, some other days I prefer Mozart, or Debussy. Indeed, preferences are not transitive : you have the right to prefer raspberries to strawberries, strawberries to blackcurrants, but blackcurrant to raspberries: finally, you cannot say which one you prefer.
Then, what would be the criteria of "best" ? Indeed I say very firmly that the ranking done by the English magazine Restaurants is an awful thing, from all point of views. And this year ranking is worst than other years.
I prefer telling you that there are some very interesting people in the world, doing (not molecular gastronomy) molecular cooking, such as my friend Pierre Gagnaire, but also many others : you know their names, Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal, Denis Martin, René Redzepi, Alex Atala, Sang-Hoon Degeimbre...
On my internet site, I wrote :
"As I hate ranking, because it is unfair and intellectually silly, I make here a proposal, with invitation for you to contribute.
1. ranking is silly as art is concerned, as one can only say "I love", or "I don't like".
2. ranking is silly, as 2+2=4 is not a question of democracy
3. ranking is silly as choices can be "intransitive" : you can prefer raspberries to strawberries, strawberries to blackcurrant, and blackcurrant to raspberries
4. and so many other reasons that can be very surprised to see that smart people do it!
This is why, as restaurants are concerned, I propose to make a simple list (with names of people voting for it, so that it's clear). Note that I was in more places than that, but that I give only the name of good places
I begin :
Pierre Gagnaire : he is my friend, first, so that you cannot trust me, but you can trust me when I say that he a real great artist.
Pascal Barbot : wonderful, modest, many ideas, always using a condiment, but not restricted to it
Michel Bras : I like this guy, and this artistic precision; I was not there recently, alas
Paul Bocuse : I was there many years ago, so that I cannot say anything
François Pasteau, l'Epi Dupin : always very interesting, so cheap... that it is always full. Make your reservation well in advance.
Alex Atala : a wonderful guy, with a lot of sensibility
Grant Achatz : a lot to say, very interesting... and this pushes me to go in another direction for describing meals, ie. giving more details, as this list above is clearly useless
More to come.
And will you contribute? Please leave your comments.
"
7. In your work, you bring the molecular gastronomy to the real world, making the reader feel comfortable and capable to understand it. Why do you treat the subject that way, while some of the chefs treat it like if it were something inaccessible, depriving others of this knowledge?
I am sorry to be still at the Century of Enlightment. I feel that the work of philosophers like Voltaire, Diderot, and others is not fishished, and I want (yes, this is naively utopic) a better world for my children. Science, in particular, and Knowledge in general, are wonderful because they are our better chance against intolerance. Sharing knowledge is a way to promote friendship, collaboration, advancement, ideas, pleasure, peace...
When people work together, they don't fight. When people love their wonderful job, they are happy.
And, moreover, we have in view some Great Men and Women of the past, whose trail has to be followed. Think of wonderful individuals such as Lavoisier, father of modern chemistry, Louis Pasteur, Michael Faraday, Denis Diderot, and so many others !
In the end, about clarity, I made to myself a "law" to follow the idea from the physicist François Arago : "La clarté est la politesse de ceux qui s''expriment en public" (Clarity is the politeness of all those who speak in front of an audience). I don't care that my audience is considering me as smart, or knowledgeable; I want to give them the results of scientific studies.
8. Do you think the Universities should include the molecular gastronomy (and, therefore, the kitchen´s chemical-physical principles) in the chef´s academic?
Yes, thousand time yes! And this is currently under development in many countries of the world.
In France and in Canada, the culinary curriculum changed some years ago.
But this move is not only for chefs, but also for students of science!
9. Does the introduction to the chemical-physical studies, at the Universities, mean an evolution to the gastronomy studies?
I don't know. Wait (actively) and see. But I am pushing in this direction very strongly.
10. How is a chef recognized when he/she knows the molecular gastronomy principles? Can these principles be applied according to the regional characteristics of each gastronomy or should it be reserved to the vanguard gastronomy?
This question is difficult. Some chefs, as Pierre Gagnaire, are very modern, at the cutting edge of Molecular Gastronomy knowledge, but they don't "show" molecular cuisine skills. Pierre, in particular, is an artist, and he is doing Pierre's cuisine. The results of science and technology are only tools for him. There will never be any smokes, or explosions, etc. in his restaurants; rather he wants the guest to share an idea of Beauty (this is my own interpretation, of course).
For others, the appearance of modernity is more important. There are many different cases.
But remember that Molecular Cooking means using modern techniques only. Then you can make a molecular cassoulet, for example, without the guests seeing any difference !
Indeed, some inventions of mine that I like are those that anybody can do very cheaply at home, such as the Chocolat Chantilly, the Kientzheim Sauce, or the Egg at 67°C, the Wind Crystals, etc. Even children can make them, and they don't ask for any particular hardware or ingredient.
11. What do you have to say to the news chefs that are starting their studies in molecular gastronomy?
Never hesitate to ask questions. Try, work, have fun, and don't forget that the main point of cooking is giving pleasure to your guests ! Yes, cooking, it's love, art and technique.
Below, the answers to questions asked by a Brasilian magazine. Please, do not hesitate to discuss my answers.
1. What has motivated you to become a molecular gastronomy researcher?
Indeed, since I was 6 years old, I wanted to be a chemist. With passion, I was doing chemistry and physics in my home, having slowly created there a wonderful lab that I still have.
At that time, I also cooked, and it is not surprising that the two activities mixed, even if I would like today to contribute also to some research on the chemistry of natural products, as I feel that this field is very important both scientifically and technologically.
The 16th of March 1980, I became involved in what would be called later (in 1988) Molecular Gastronomy because of a cheese soufflé : the recipes advised to add the yolks two by two... and the tests showed that it had no influence. But the 23rd of March 1980, I decided to collect the French "culinary precisions" (i.e. culinary old wive tales, proverbs, tips, methods, proverbs...). I now have more than 25 000, only for French cuisine!
2. How has the gastronomy molecular study contributed to the future?
Since the formal creation of Molecular Gastronomy, in 1988, we set up a frame for future research, and identified a special field that was regularly forgotten, i.e. the physical and chemical investigation of the mechanisms of phenomena occuring during cooking. As a branch of science, Molecular Gastronomy will have no end, because the scientific process goes in more and more details.
But Molecular Gastronomy is also important both from a technological point of view, and from an educational point of view.
Technologically, it was very important that we proposed the use in the kitchen of new hardware, new tools, new ingredients and new methods : this is Molecular Cooking (also sometimes called Molecular Cooking, or Molecular Cookery, now also Technoemotional cuisine).
This is a first step. Now, I am trying to introduce "culinary constructivism", and Note by Note cooking.
Educationnally, we introduced new reasoned activities in school, colleges and universities. Molecular Gastronomy courses are important because they are appealing for students of all ages. They understand the usefulness of science, and better perceived the relationship between science, technology, technique, art.
3. The scientific study on the procedures used in the kitchen demystify cooking itself, putting down the concept which consists in the belief that some people have the ability to cook and others don´t?
Yes, this is an important act of faith to recognize that one can make better technical work understanding what one do ! In the 80's, when we began our work, there was secrecy in culinary circles... but indeed there is no such thing for science. We investigate what is hidden, and distribute the information as much as possible.
Indeed, among culinary precisions, many are strange, and this leads to a new study of why our ancestors transmitted wrong information. This needs sociology, history, anthropology... but this study is very exciting. This was the topic of the Course on Molecular Gastronomy 2010, in January 2010 (a book is published next week from the Course).
And also, when you recognize that cooking is (1) creating a social link (between the cook and the guests, but also between the guests), (2) involving art ("good" means "beautiful to eat", as explained extensively in my book Cooking, a quintessenciaal art), (3) technique, you understand that you need to learn the three components to be successful in the kitchen. I hate the aphorism by Brillat-Savarin saying that you can become a cook, but you need to be born as a "rotisseur" (roaster) : my idea is that everybody can learn... as long as she or he learns and work hard!
4. In molecular gastronomy, does the kitchen´s main character continue to be the chef or, now, is the chemical-physician (who commands the process), or the success will depend on their team work? How does this partnership between chefs and scientists work?
This question shows that you make a confusion between Molecular Gastronomy (science) and Molecular Cooking (cooking).
Molecular Gastronomy is achieved only in laboratories, only by scientists. On the other hand, Molecular Cooking is achieved only in kitchen, and only by chefs ! Remember that you need art for Cooking, and in particular for Molecular Cooking.
Indeed, the introduction of Molecular Cooking creating a new position, of "culinary technologists", or "culinary engineers", i.e. people that can understand the fresh results of science in order to make technology transfers, so that they can help chefs (artists) to put this knowledge in action in their kitchen.
In this regard, there is no relationship between science and art, between molecular gastronomy and chefs. One need an intermediate. Even in my "play" with my intimate friend Pierre Gagnaire, when I am proposing a new idea (there is one invention per month for now ten years), I am not working as a scientist, but rather as a technologists. Of course, being a scientist, I should not do that, but I feel that it is important, at this point of time, how important the results of science can be. And also, I do it for Pierre!
5. How you define the joint between gastronomy and science?
Contrary to a wrong idea, gastonomy is not cooking! And in particular, it is not high cuisine.
Gastronomy is defined as the reasoned knowledge of man's nourishment. It is a knowledge!
In this regard, expressions such as "gastronomic restaurants" are mistakes.
Within the area of gastronomy (knowledge), you find history (historical gastronomy), sociology (sociological gastronomy), litterature (gastronomical litterature)... and science : Molecular Gastronomy.
6. What are the best chefs and restaurants in molecular gastronomy segment?
I hate the idea of "best". Take a comparison with music. Even if some days I am preferring Bach to Mozart, some other days I prefer Mozart, or Debussy. Indeed, preferences are not transitive : you have the right to prefer raspberries to strawberries, strawberries to blackcurrants, but blackcurrant to raspberries: finally, you cannot say which one you prefer.
Then, what would be the criteria of "best" ? Indeed I say very firmly that the ranking done by the English magazine Restaurants is an awful thing, from all point of views. And this year ranking is worst than other years.
I prefer telling you that there are some very interesting people in the world, doing (not molecular gastronomy) molecular cooking, such as my friend Pierre Gagnaire, but also many others : you know their names, Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal, Denis Martin, René Redzepi, Alex Atala, Sang-Hoon Degeimbre...
On my internet site, I wrote :
"As I hate ranking, because it is unfair and intellectually silly, I make here a proposal, with invitation for you to contribute.
1. ranking is silly as art is concerned, as one can only say "I love", or "I don't like".
2. ranking is silly, as 2+2=4 is not a question of democracy
3. ranking is silly as choices can be "intransitive" : you can prefer raspberries to strawberries, strawberries to blackcurrant, and blackcurrant to raspberries
4. and so many other reasons that can be very surprised to see that smart people do it!
This is why, as restaurants are concerned, I propose to make a simple list (with names of people voting for it, so that it's clear). Note that I was in more places than that, but that I give only the name of good places
I begin :
Pierre Gagnaire : he is my friend, first, so that you cannot trust me, but you can trust me when I say that he a real great artist.
Pascal Barbot : wonderful, modest, many ideas, always using a condiment, but not restricted to it
Michel Bras : I like this guy, and this artistic precision; I was not there recently, alas
Paul Bocuse : I was there many years ago, so that I cannot say anything
François Pasteau, l'Epi Dupin : always very interesting, so cheap... that it is always full. Make your reservation well in advance.
Alex Atala : a wonderful guy, with a lot of sensibility
Grant Achatz : a lot to say, very interesting... and this pushes me to go in another direction for describing meals, ie. giving more details, as this list above is clearly useless
More to come.
And will you contribute? Please leave your comments.
"
7. In your work, you bring the molecular gastronomy to the real world, making the reader feel comfortable and capable to understand it. Why do you treat the subject that way, while some of the chefs treat it like if it were something inaccessible, depriving others of this knowledge?
I am sorry to be still at the Century of Enlightment. I feel that the work of philosophers like Voltaire, Diderot, and others is not fishished, and I want (yes, this is naively utopic) a better world for my children. Science, in particular, and Knowledge in general, are wonderful because they are our better chance against intolerance. Sharing knowledge is a way to promote friendship, collaboration, advancement, ideas, pleasure, peace...
When people work together, they don't fight. When people love their wonderful job, they are happy.
And, moreover, we have in view some Great Men and Women of the past, whose trail has to be followed. Think of wonderful individuals such as Lavoisier, father of modern chemistry, Louis Pasteur, Michael Faraday, Denis Diderot, and so many others !
In the end, about clarity, I made to myself a "law" to follow the idea from the physicist François Arago : "La clarté est la politesse de ceux qui s''expriment en public" (Clarity is the politeness of all those who speak in front of an audience). I don't care that my audience is considering me as smart, or knowledgeable; I want to give them the results of scientific studies.
8. Do you think the Universities should include the molecular gastronomy (and, therefore, the kitchen´s chemical-physical principles) in the chef´s academic?
Yes, thousand time yes! And this is currently under development in many countries of the world.
In France and in Canada, the culinary curriculum changed some years ago.
But this move is not only for chefs, but also for students of science!
9. Does the introduction to the chemical-physical studies, at the Universities, mean an evolution to the gastronomy studies?
I don't know. Wait (actively) and see. But I am pushing in this direction very strongly.
10. How is a chef recognized when he/she knows the molecular gastronomy principles? Can these principles be applied according to the regional characteristics of each gastronomy or should it be reserved to the vanguard gastronomy?
This question is difficult. Some chefs, as Pierre Gagnaire, are very modern, at the cutting edge of Molecular Gastronomy knowledge, but they don't "show" molecular cuisine skills. Pierre, in particular, is an artist, and he is doing Pierre's cuisine. The results of science and technology are only tools for him. There will never be any smokes, or explosions, etc. in his restaurants; rather he wants the guest to share an idea of Beauty (this is my own interpretation, of course).
For others, the appearance of modernity is more important. There are many different cases.
But remember that Molecular Cooking means using modern techniques only. Then you can make a molecular cassoulet, for example, without the guests seeing any difference !
Indeed, some inventions of mine that I like are those that anybody can do very cheaply at home, such as the Chocolat Chantilly, the Kientzheim Sauce, or the Egg at 67°C, the Wind Crystals, etc. Even children can make them, and they don't ask for any particular hardware or ingredient.
11. What do you have to say to the news chefs that are starting their studies in molecular gastronomy?
Never hesitate to ask questions. Try, work, have fun, and don't forget that the main point of cooking is giving pleasure to your guests ! Yes, cooking, it's love, art and technique.
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)