Project Proposal

Project Proposal

Steven Howell

      I.         Title of Project:

Molecular Gastronomy: Edible Chemistry

     II.         Statement of Purpose:

Is molecular gastronomy a viable and useful field for the average home cook?

The techniques that are labeled as molecular gastronomy are not only possible for non-professional chefs, but can enhance home cooking. I will investigate and attempt to prove that there are three main perceived barriers that can be overcome for home cooks to use molecular gastronomy: financial feasibility, necessary understanding of scientific concepts, and difficulty of culinary preparations.

   III.         Background:

I have taken seven years of cooking classes over the summer, taught by an instructor that received a degree from culinary school. This past summer I participated in two MasterChef Classes at Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale to hone my skills. About a year ago, I obtained a copy of Modernist Cuisine, a set of books on molecular gastronomy that are sought after by chefs around the world. The main author, Nathan Myhrvold, a former Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft now runs a company called Intellectual Ventures that published the books. These books provide a revolutionary perspective on cooking and how science is applicable, and will greatly direct my research both as a guide and a reference. I absolutely love to cook and these books inspired me to look deeper into molecular gastronomy. At this point, I have learned how to use Sodium Alginate and Calcium Chloride to create gel spheres, Agar Agar to create heat stable gels, Lecithin granules in the creation of foams and emulsions, and Xanthan gum as a thickener. I have also already delved into the world of cooking techniques such as Sous Vide, which uses a temperature-controlled bath to cook food, ensuring perfection. I have many tools at my disposal and will continue to research in this field. 

   IV.         Prior Research:

The Modernist revolution that has occurred in the food industry is a relatively new movement. In Modernist Cuisine: History and Fundamentals, this fact is pointed out very plainly, “It wasn’t until nearly a century after the Impressionists held their first salon that even a glimmer of revolution occurred within cuisine,” (52). By most expert accounts, this movement only began in the mid 1980’s, a very young paradigm shift compared to any other standard of art, which have moved and changed for hundreds of years. The blending of science and food was undiscovered until recently, which is what makes this movement so exciting. The New Professional Chef, a textbook published in 1996 by the Culinary Institute of America, only spends about half a page on gelatin, about the same on foams, and does not even touch cooking topics such as Sous Vide or spherification. Published less than twenty years ago, there is not a single discussion of use of modern technology (of the time) in the book. Most of the equipment used in modern cuisine is not new technology, but rather older technologies that are being repurposed for culinary science. This is a relatively unknown subject, and while some of the applications are just now becoming concrete, the chemical and biological mechanisms behind many of the reactions are unknown. For this reason, this is a cutting edge topic and just in its infancy. “[Modernist Cuisine] illustrate[s] how even culinary traditions stretching back hundreds (or in some cases, thousands) of years can be revisited with a Modernist palate and sensibility—to delicious and thought-provoking effect,” (Plated Dish Recipes).

    V.         Significance:

In the modern world, we have gone beyond simply wanting food that tastes good, and transitioned to the point where food is not only an art, but also an experience. Molecular gastronomy takes the concept of food and transcends the idea of nutrition to the point of elevating it to a point of making every plate a piece of art. But this art is edible. Cuisine not only relates to the nutrition of people, but also to quality of life. The rising field of molecular gastronomy is looking to completely change the culinary industry, but how will this affect everyday chefs? Cutting edge technologies and movements are ineffectual if they cannot be used or experienced by the average citizen. Bringing molecular gastronomy to home cooks has the potential of bringing up the quality of life of many people. Because this idea of using molecular gastronomy at home has been essentially ignored except on the fringes of the movement, this project will help highlight the possibilities of the future of not only restaurants, but also the food of our homes.

   VI.         Description:

The experimentation in my project will include comparison of traditional and modern techniques of cooking both through my own experimentation as well as with the assistance of experiments founded in books and in my partnership with Posh. In addition, I intend to have at least one, and hopefully more, dinners including teachers and administrators as taste testers. I will create meals that will involve eating and rating dishes prepared using molecular techniques as well as traditional techniques. This direct comparison will allow me to look at the perceived differences not only in flavor, but also in presentation.

 VII.         Methodology:

I have contacted and reached an agreement with Joshua Hebert, Chef and Owner of Posh Scottsdale, a restaurant renowned through Phoenix for it’s molecular gastronomy as well as its improvisational cuisine. Chef Hebert will aid me in my investigation through insight of his experience and knowledge as a chef as well as a molecular gastronomist. I will have the opportunity to work with Chef Hebert in his kitchen, which will help me in my own investigation in the home. I will perform comparison tests between similar flavor compositions using traditional and molecular techniques for preparation and presentation. I will also look to see how readily available gastronomy techniques are to regular home chefs, and whether they are actually practical for the everyday cook. Most of my research will be done in my own kitchen through bench tests of my own as well as drawing upon others I will use for a larger sample size of flavor comparisons.

VIII.         Problems:

One of the prohibitive factors in my project is access to equipment and ingredients, especially because many of the machines are very specialized and expensive. While some ingredients are readily available online, such as the Carageenans and other low cost gelling agents. Equipment is another story, machines such as centrifuges that may be used for density separation or an antigriddle that uses liquid nitrogen to flash freeze liquids may be harder to find and obtain access to. My connection with the Chef at Posh will provide some relief from the lack of equipment. Other problems include the inability to gain a large sample size for any of my smaller comparisons. I will try to vary my test subjects by using people I know and rotating for different experiments I perform; however, there is only so much I can do to increase my field of testing.

   IX.         Bibliography:

1.     History and Fundamentals; Myhrvold, N., Young, C., Bilet, M.; Modernist Cuisine; March 14, 2011.

2.     Techniques and Equipment; Myhrvold, N., Young, C., Bilet, M.; Modernist Cuisine; March 14, 2011.

3.     Animals and Plants; Myhrvold, N., Young, C., Bilet, M.; Modernist Cuisine; March 14, 2011.

4.     Ingredients and Preparations; Myhrvold, N., Young, C., Bilet, M.; Modernist Cuisine; March 14, 2011.

5.     Plated Dish Recipes; Myhrvold, N., Young, C., Bilet, M.; Modernist Cuisine; March 14, 2011.

6.     Barham, Molecular Gastronomy: A New Emerging Scientific Discipline. American Chemical Society. [Online] 2010. http://www.chem.wisc.edu/courses/Spring10/gelman/Molecular%20gastronomy.pdf 

7.     Rombauer, I., Becker, M., Becker, E. The Joy of Cooking, 10^th ed.; 2006. 

8.     The New Professional Chef; Donovan, M Ed. John Wiley & Sons. 1996.

9.     Science and Cooking Public Lectures; Weitz, D. Andrés, J. Harvard University. [Online] 2008-2010.

10.  morimoto. Morimoto, M. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. 2007