Pass the Ketchup Foam? I Don’t Think So.

I agree with what you are saying and have practiced the “old ways” from day one. However, I do believe that with every new Chef coming up in the ranks, new ideas will come. maybe come to full bloom, who knows. I know that if we want to continue to be different, we must accept change.

As an R&D Chef now, I am in constent battles with food scientists and marketing research to chase trends. My understanding of the classic is what I try to push as a culinarian, I am not dealing with culinarians that understand and respect where we come from or how we got here it is up to us to keep grounded and try to educate as much as possible. The Chef's stepping into tech. should be commended, copied? that is up to you as long as you know in your heart that is is going to be the best you can produce and the people who get to consume it appreciate it as much as you did preparing it and the instent gradification is there explore. But do not step out of bounds and chase the me too. Great article and discussion, THANKS! for the reading material.

Yes, what we do in the kitchen is as much an art form as ballet, in its way. A ballet dancer must master the five positions and then forget them, dance without thinking about them. Do you dwell on knife skills in the throes of preparing a dish, or simply rely on them? And those without a knowledge of the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.

Chef Recher; well said, both the original article and your repost to chef Pool. I do beleive that as culinarians we should be grounded in the teachings of Escoffier's "la Guide Culinaire" and Montagne's "Larousse Gastronomic". Whether we use them or not is irrelevant, knowing the reasons is the base of cooking.

Tim - Very thought-provoking; thanks for contributing this. Whether one agrees or not, I think the important point is to first master the essential skills, then become so familiar with the ingredients as to wring every last bit of flavor and texture from them first, before moving toward trends such as molecular. There's just as much a place for the new tools of the trade as there was for the mandoline or natural gas, for that matter. But as always, a solid foundation is necessary first. Misuse of the latest gadgets, tools and trends does nothing but demean those who use them with care and restraint.

Great discussion all, but I take offense at the squirrel putdown. I'd still punch you out for the last piece of squirrel!*wink*

Terry--thank you very much for articulating your thoughts so clearly. I am in complete agreement with you and am glad to see that most of us believe that you must first master the fundamentals before pushing the envelope. Without those truly special and gifted Chefs, cuisine would not advance. One thing I remeber is that when Alinea first opened, he had a classic artichoke dish on the menu and even mentioned the Escoffier recipe number straight out of Le Guide! Grant spend years mastering the right way to cook with Thomas Keller who strives to do everything perfectly, not just the "new". Thank you very much for your comments. Your students are very lucky indeed and I'll bet the enter professional kitchens with a brighter future for the emphasis on the basics

Reading this article I cant help but hear my colleague echoing those same words to me. I would like you all to know that I completely agree, and I will be passing this article on to my students. And I am sure that there would be a lot of people that would consider molecular to be a gimmick, including myself. But are there really no positive things that come from the current trend of science driven food? I hope to answer that question for you today. I have only eaten at a Molecular restaurant once in my life (Alinea, Chicago). I went in loving the artistry involved, but I will admit, I had serious reservations about the actual flavour. Will the food meet the level of the presentation? Will all the work that went into this be really worth it in the end? As I had already been researching this restaurant with their recently released cookbook. The answer was YES!!! I found it to be very flavour full and yes... matching the level of presentation, and yes, worth the work involved ($1200 later though... well spent in my eyes). However, I am willing to bet that there are a great number of young chefs (if we can call them that) that think they have got it like Alinea, but they don't, because of all the reasons that this article stated... they don't have sound fundamentals. Which is why I agree with you. However, I would like you to consider a few things though. Firstly I have been cooking for about 15 years now only in fine dining restaurants one 3 star michelin. All of which were classical French or Italian at the time I was there. I am not one of these young cooks that doesn't have the fundamentals. And I do not allow my students to even ask me questions related to molecular. So are we not then creating better and more knowledgeable cooks but taking cooks with classical skills and now giving them new skills on top of that? Secondly, I believe that treating a molecular meal as a rare experience is very important. I don't want ketchup air with my fries everyday. Maybe once to try, that's it. But still, I am expanding my horizons. Thirdly, if you did look at the c.v. of the 2 top chefs in the world today (both Molecular now), like the article was referencing, you would see that both Ferran Adria (no. 1 in the world) and Heston Blumenthol (no. 2 in the world) both had Michelin Stars when practicing classical cuisine. They have their fundamentals. They just take their manipulations a, or several steps, further using new techniques and ingredients. So now are we not having better teachers with them at the helm? Which brings me to my fourth point; ingredients, techniques and equipment. Why is using Lecithin, Agar agar and Xanthan gum taboo when using Corn starch, Gelatine leaves, Sodium Nitrate (salt peter) and wine acceptable? (wine and other alcohols are fermented fruits and vegetables as Xanthan gum is fermented glucose). Why is using an antigriddle (-40 degree flattop), liquid nitrogen and a thermal circulator taboo when using a regular flattop and a pot of boiling water to poach acceptable? Someone had to invent a pot to poach in. Some blacksmith must have been buddies with a guildsman. I believe not only should we as chefs forge relationships with farmers as is the slow food movement now, but also should forge relationships with our equipment manufacturers. These new relationships will now produce better equipment in the future, for any of us no matter what our skill set is, to hone our craft. Lastly, using these new pieces of equipment to achieve molecular flavours, textures and presentation may be the case now. Keep in mind that at one time the taboo was the whisk which also improved the flavour, texture and presentation of egg whites quite substantially over a fork. Some brave souls had to come out of the closet with their whisk in hand. Whether we agree with it or not we need to applaud these brave souls for their forward thinking. Because without them, we ALL would still be punching and killing one another around the campfire for that last piece of squirrel. I believe that there are a great number of chefs out there that afraid of the future. I believe that there are a great number of chefs out there that are afraid or unaware of the past. As long as you have the experience of cooking for many years in classical cuisine, and then as long as you have splinter of a creative bone in your body I say let the chips fall where they may and lets evolve. My final question that I will let you answer is which would you rather hold... the fork or the whisk? Terry Port

Thank you for all your comments. Just a few points I wanted to address. There are tremendous chefs using these new technologies and doing amazing things that really make the food better. That's the point I was trying to make. Chefs at WD50, Alinea, Fat Duck, and El Bulli were and are great chefs with years of experience in the basics before the ever moved on to these new ideas. Moleculear Gastronomy will have a place in our kitchens, when and only when they make the food better. A test tube of liquid nitrogen doesn't make someone a better chef or even a better cook. As to the comments about my first paragraph, I totally agree a chef must have passion for cooking for others. At the end of the day, that's what we do but we can't use that as an excuse for taking shortcuts that hurt our craft and those that refuse to compromise. I would bet that Daniel Boulud and Hubert Keller don't take any shortcuts making their burgers! I certainly believe they have a heart for cooking. Thanks again for all your feedback. That's ther only way to see the other point of view.

I enjoyed the article, yes there were a couple of contradictory statements but the essence of what he is saying is in my view correct and timely. I posted it in my kitchen for the young and old cooks to read.

I agree that technology has its place. To use it in the kitchen just because it is the "in" thing is wrong; however, if the chef incorporates it into his kitchen in a useful, meaningful way, more power to you. Just as long as the chef remembers his basic skills, because he may still need them when the technology fails. Now, as for cooking with written recipes, I would have to say yes when beginning and no when you have mastery. If your technique is flawless(a skill we all strive for), then you will have consistency in your cooking. All restaurants have varying ingredients with the same dishes. I for one, don't know of any chef with whom I have worked, that cooks from written recipes when you are slammin' and jammin' on the line.

above and beyond anything else, chefs have the responsibility to serve dishes comprised of wholesome ingredients. a very famous chef who i worked with and respect always insisted on doing things by hand. he'd say "my grandmother didn't have a robotcoup..." by the same token, i'm sure his dear grandmother didn't have indoor plumbing and people of her generation died of diseases that only through advances in technology have been erradicated. therefore, there is something to be said about technology and i beleive we should apply the advances to our lives, including what and how we eat. the current popularity of el bulli, wd-50, fat duck, et al. and rise of "molecular gastronomy" only show that diners want something new and different. however, this type cuisine is experiential dining and not soul-satisfying in that diners don't eat to satisfy a primal need: hunger. and, much like abstract art, this type cuisine is esoteric and interpretive (at best) and should be left to a few who are well-versed in its applications and methods. so, build upon and perfect what you already know instead of doing a half-assed immitation of a fad.

I agree with Roald in his first paragraph 100%, I was think the same thing while I was Reading it.

This post is a contradictory, and frankly, simply silly. It starts by knocking chefs who say they cook from the heart as being unorganized or lacking traditional abilities, but is quickly followed by the writer saying that he does indeed cook from the heart with love. Equipment and tools like liquid nitrogen, smoking guns, etc. can definitely have a place in a kitchen right along side with the saute pan and knife. New tools, used properly, can either add significantly to the diner's experience and/or save the chef time and money better spent on other tasks. I would expect that the writer has never, and would never use a microwave oven, or an electric stand mixer, or a combi-oven, or an ice cream maker. All of these were at some point new technologies. It's really up to culinary educators to embrace these technologies and make sure that future chefs understand their uses and places in the kitchen, along with classic techniques. I'll agree that there are some folks using new technology and techniques simply for the sake of doing so. But there are others, more emerging every day, who see the value and are able to incorporate them into an enjoyable and beneficial experience. As for maltodextrin - every time you add flour or corn starch as a thickener, you are guilty of adding modifying ingredients. If flour were instead called "milled wheat endosperm" instead, I'm sure there would be an issue with it. Again, it's a matter of education and understanding.

You are so right. "if it aint broke...dont fix it"

I will second that AMEN!

Keeping it simple still works for the finest restaurants. Why do you think comfort foods NEVER go out of style?

AMEN!!! Could not have said it beter myself.