What is molecular cuisine ?

The term "molecular cuisine" did not exist until the early 21st century. In 1988, Hungarian physicist Nicholas curti and French chemist hervé Tees worked on material for a series of scientific seminars on the physical and chemical aspects of cooking. And we came to the conclusion that we need a precise term that conveys what they were doing.So there was the "molecular and physical gastronomy", the study of culinary transformations and the sensory phenomena associated with eating. After the death of Nicholas curti in 1998, hervé Tees shortened the name, leaving the familiar "Molecular gastronomy".

Within the framework of the project, scientists and chefs studied chemical reactions in the process of cooking, thermal conductivity and convection of products, taste (stability and preservation, relationship), texture of ingredients, interaction of food and liquids. For example, the project refuted the rule that salt should be added when cooking green vegetables or that roasting meat seals the pores, preventing the evaporation of moisture.

In the late 90s-early 2000s, the term "molecular gastronomy" spread not only to scientific research, but also began to denote the culinary style, which worked most of the advanced chefs of the time. Using scientific discoveries, innovative equipment and industrial hydrocolloids, they changed the shape and content of the usual dishes. Many chefs did not take the name "molecular cuisine" and defined their styles as:
Avant-garde cuisine
Culinary constructivism
Experimental kitchen
New kitchen
Techno-emotional cuisine
However, a single name that would summarize all the styles, and did not exist, so the term "molecular cuisine" was used as a General (especially in the journalistic environment)

By the way, chefs who are usually associated with molecular cuisine: Heston Blumenthal, Ferrand Adria, Jose Andres, Grant Eshats, Juan Marie Arzak do not position themselves as "molecular chefs", trying to isolate themselves from this term.
And before the release of the book Modernist Cuisine by its author Nathan Myhrvold talked about how he hopes that his culinary style will not be defined as molecular gastronomy.

More about molecular cuisine can tell techniques:

Using a cream siphon (with carbon dioxide or NO2) to create foams and espum
Liquid nitrogen (freezing, effective feed)
Anti-griddle
Low-temperature preparation (sous vide Technology)
Dehydrogenation
Centrifugation
Gelation with the participation of modern hydrocolloids
Creating foams using lecithin
Spherification
The bonding of meat with Transglutaminase
New techniques for feeding
The combination of ingredients according to the method of flavor vapor.

Of course, everyone will be able to make gel or snow from olive oil.
But only the knowledge of methods, technologies and, most importantly, a sense of taste will make you a first - class chef.

Preface to the English edition of the book hervé Tisa " Molecular Gastronomy»

"The original title I gave to this book is' Pots and tubes ' (Casseroles et éprouvettes: saucepans and test tubes.)
Quite different categories of equipment that you will not find in the neighborhood-neither in the kitchen nor in the laboratory. So at least it was before the discovery of a new scientific discipline called molecular gastronomy. I will say a few words about the origin of the term.

In 1988, Nicholas Kurti (a physicist at Oxford University) and I prepared the material for the first series of scientific seminars on the physical and chemical aspects of cooking, and we came to the conclusion that we needed an exact term to convey what we were doing. We are reminded of the classic definition of gastronomy of Brili - Savarina, voiced in his book the Psychology of taste(1825)

"Gastronomy is a science that combines knowledge about human nutrition. Its goal is to provide the best selection of products for his life. This goal is achieved through adherence to certain principles by all who produce, process and prepare food.
Gastronomy is part of:
Natural history(obsolete. natural science) - classifies food products
Physics-examines the composition and quality of these products
Chemistry-exposes them to various analyses.
Cooking - serving dishes and creating delicious combinations
Economy-search for ways to buy cheaper, sell more expensive, produce popular products
And finally, political economy, because it creates a source of income and the possibility of exchange between whole Nations.»

From this point of view, the cooked egg has the same attitude to gastronomy as a beautifully decorated dish, for example, Brilli - Savarena, cooked in honor of the mother - Oreiller de la Belle Aurore, which is a pillow of puff pastry, stuffed with meat 7 wild animals, with foie Gras and truffles. In both cases, “intellectual knowledge” is required and it must be recognized that understanding the principles of egg preparation is much more useful for people. If all you have is an egg, you'll know better how to cook it.

So, we found the first part for our project. But what kind of gastronomy will it be? At that time, the term “molecular” (molecular biology, molecular embryology, etc.) was very popular, and it was needed to limit the scope of our research. I suggested the name “molecular gastronomy”, but Nicholas objected that the term “molecular” would be mistaken for proximity to chemistry and added “molecular and physical gastronomy”. We started using the second option, but it was too awkward. And since the analysis of the structure and behavior of molecules involved physical science, after Nicholas's death in 1998, I decided to use a shortened form for seminars. Thus was born molecular gastronomy.

Why not "molecular gastronomy"? Because it is a profession, art, but not science. Do not confuse molecular gastronomy with cooking technology.Moreover, it covers a much wider range of issues. For example, why do wines with a high content of tannin acquire an unpleasant taste when accompanied by a salad with a sour-containing dressing? It has nothing to do with cooking or the kitchen.

What does molecular gastronomy have to do with? And what is different from the well-known science of food? The answer to this question is to look at the historical perspective, but in General, food science studies the composition and structure of foods, while molecular gastronomy – culinary transformations and sensory phenomena associated with eating.»