Molecular gastronomy

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Molecular gastronomy is the application of science to culinary practice and more generally gastronomical phenomena.

The term was coined by the French scientist Hervé This and by the Hungarian physicist Nicholas Kurti. Both had investigated food preparation scientifically: Nicholas Kurti had given a presentation in 1969 at the Royal Institution called "The physicist in the kitchen"), and This had been testing culinary old wives's tales since March 1980.

The idea of using techniques developed in chemistry to study food was not a new one: it has a history back to the 18th century [1]. This and Kurti decided that a new, specific discipline should be created within that of food science, and looked for a name. The initial proposal by This was "Molecular Gastronomy", but Kurti, being a physicist, insisted on adding "and physical". This is why the discipline was at first called "Molecular and Physical Gastronomy" (also the title of This's Ph.D.).

When Kurti died, This dropped the "and physical" to arrive at "Molecular Gastronomy", but Kurti's name was given to the continuing series of workshops that Kurti and This had directed every two years in Erice, at the Majorana Centre for Scientific Culture.

The fundamental objectives of molecular gastronomy were defined by This in his Ph.D. thesis as:

Investigating culinary and gastronomical proverbs, sayings, old wives tales
Exploring existing recipes
Introducing new tools, ingredients and methods into the kitchen
Inventing new dishes
Using molecular gastronomy to help the general public understand the contribution of science to society

1 Definitions
2 Proponents
3 External links
4 References

[edit] Definitions

The application of scientific principles to the understanding and improvement of domestic and gastronomic food preparation. (Peter Barham)
The art and science of choosing, preparing and eating good food. (Thorvald Pedersen)
The scientific study of deliciousness. (Harold McGee)

[edit] Proponents

Perhaps the best known chefs to use the results of molecular gastronomy are Pierre Gagnaire (Paris, London, Tokyo) and Ferran Adrià, at the world-renowned el Bulli in Rosas, Spain. Numerous chefs worldwide have begun using molecular gastronomy results in their cuisine, including Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck (Berkshire, England), Homaro Cantu at Moto (Chicago), Wylie Dufresne at wd-50 (NYC), Grant Achatz at Alinea (Chicago), José Andrés's Minibar (inside the Café Atlantico, Washington DC), Jeff Ramsey's Tapas Molecular Bar (Mandarin Oriental Hotel Tokyo), Kevin Sousa's Alchemy at Bigelow Grille (Pittsburgh), and Richard Blais at Barton G. (Miami), and Hector Santiago at Pura Vida (Atlanta).