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All the News That's Fit to Eat - Sept. 10, 2008

YumSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:15:20 -0700

Oodles of noodles: Ramen is having its moment in the spotlight. - The Oregonian
Are the presidential candidates what they eat? - Boston Globe
French Laundry's Thomas Keller on culinary opportunities. - Los Angeles Times
The secret to cooking Asian lies in the right kitchen tools. - Chicago Tribune
Several compelling reasons to prepare squid at home. - San Francisco Chronicle
Meet Abe Schoener, California's most experimental winemaker. - New York Times
Is it possible to succeed with molecular gastronomy at home? - Washington Post
Try these no-bake, warm-weather recipes before it's too late. - Houston Chronicle
Everything you need to know about roasting red peppers yourself. - Tampa Bay Times

Yummy Link: Spherification 101

partysugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 07:22:45 -0800

If you are interested in learning more about molecular gastronomy - cooking with scientific processes - check out Spanish chef Jose Andres' explanation of spherification. It's the process of reshaping liquids into edible spheres that burst when you bite into them. - Star Chefs

Does The Next Iron Chef Feel Too Much Like Top Chef?

YumSugar — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 11:15:09 -0700

To my surprise, I was riveted by last night's episode of The Next Iron Chef. In week two, the first challenge focused on simplicity - creating a single bite of food - while the other involved innovation in the form of so-called molecular gastronomy. This science-inspired form of cooking, practiced by Wylie Dufresne of WD-50, involves strange equipment and chemical ingredients such as xanthan gum. The challenge was so bizarre it was fascinating, and the chefs performed well in very unfamiliar territory.

The more I watch The Next Iron Chef, though, I'm struck by how similar the format is to Top Chef - from the frantic kitchen scenes with a big red digital timer to the familiar feel of the judges' table. But I still like Iron Chef, even if it feels like a slight ripoff. How about you?

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Definition: Xanthan Gum

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:30:38 -0700

Xanthan Gum
A stabilizer that is produced from fermented corn sugar. It's used as a thickener for things such as salad dressings or dairy products and is a key ingredient in molecular gastronomy (think of all of the foams you're seeing on menus).

Xanthan gum is also often used as a substitute for wheat gluten in order to add volume to bread and other gluten-free baked goods.

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Momofuku's David Chang Talks Sabbaticals and San Francisco

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:00:48 -0800

We've always been huge fans of New York chef and restaurateur David Chang: He was Sugar's pick for Best Restaurant Chef of 2008. By fusing innovative flavor combinations and haute kitchen techniques with casual dining, the Momofuku overlord revolutionized the restaurant scene in America.

What's most refreshing about Chang, however, are his irreverent demeanor and unapologetic opinions. Even though I'd interviewed him before, when I heard Chang and his co-author, New York Times writer Peter Meehan, were in town promoting their new bible, the Momofuku Cookbook, I couldn't resist chatting with them. His two cents on culinary trends, TV, and Top Chef Masters, after the jump.

Star Chefdom: Does It Affect a Restaurant Kitchen?

YumSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:33:28 -0700

Should a diner expect to find a renowned chef in the kitchen the night he pays a visit to an acclaimed restaurant? That's the question molecular gastronomy superstar Grant Achatz poses in his latest guest post for the Atlantic. Achatz, the mastermind behind Chicago restaurant Alinea, addresses the concern, reassuring diners that they shouldn't be too disappointed when the chef isn't in the kitchen the night they dine. He argues that a star chef's absence from a kitchen can actually be beneficial for the chef, his staff, and even the restaurant's guests. The chef has an obligation to tend to other aspects that will make the business successful, and the ever-present obligation of the kitchen will only hinder creativity. Because the second-in-line chef de cuisine feels excited at the prospect of leading a kitchen, he may execute at a higher level than the chef. Achatz writes:

All these activities pull the chef away from the kitchen and therefore the food, but ideally make the restaurant, the brand, and hopefully the overall guest experience better. The diners gain access, the business is financially rewarded, and the employees benefit from freedom and resources not typical in an average restaurant.

While I agree with these points, I believe that this condition only applies in avant-garde dining, where the kitchen staff are exceptionally trained. What do you think: are you disappointed when a celebrity chef isn't in the kitchen of his own restaurant? If so, can you sense a difference in taste?

Top Chef Masters: Episode 2

partysugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:40:03 -0700

Although there's been speculation about the winner of Top Chef Masters, the second episode was full of its own excitement. Competitors from Top Chef season 2 were judges for a vending machine quickfire and the contestants, who included Elizabeth Falkner and Wylie Dufresne, had to create a tropical island themed meal fit for the creators of Lost. Did you watch? Let's discuss when you read more.

Do you think the term "molecular gastronomy" sounds sexy?
How fabulous is Elizabeth Falkner? She's my hometown girl and I can't help but love her!
Wasn't it refreshing to see the season 2 competitors as judges?
Kelly Choi: has she grown on you or does she seem like Padma's cheap imitation? And why does she not eat anything?
Whose food looked the best to you?
How do you feel about the judges? I still miss Tom, Padma, and Gail.
Were the masters meaner when they judged previous seasons of Top Chef?
I don't know how I feel about the star system. Do you think it's fair? It seems like whoever wins the quickfire is a shoo-in to win the whole thing.
Overall, what did you think of the second episode?

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Meet Top Chef Hopeful Richard Blais

YumSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:28:31 -0700

We've introduced you to the next set of Top Chef hopefuls, however we've been lucky enough to get to know a few of them better. You already met Andrew, and today we'd like to present Richard.

Richard Blais is already known in the industry as being innovative and adventurous. He's got a penchant for molecular gastronomy, but he's got the résumé to go with it. He's worked along side Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, and Ferran Adria, plus he's helmed several restaurants including One Midtown Kitchen in Atlanta. And if he looks strangely familiar to you, it might be that he recently battled Mario Batali on Iron Chef America.

So, what should we expect from him? And why would someone with such a fantastic résumé even bother with Top Chef? To find out what he had to say, read more.

YumSugar: What drew you to Top Chef, why'd you decide to audition?
Richard: It came about, well they found me. I got a phone call and went on the audition. I really wasn't thinking too much about it. I'd seen the show of course, but my initial reaction was, well I don't really know too much about the show. My ego got in the way for a split second, but then I talked to myself about what an immense personal challenge it is and decided to do it.

YS: How did Top Chef compare to Iron Chef?
R: It's a totally different competition. It's a different thing. Iron Chef is kinda restaurant versus restaurant, if that makes any sense. Whereas Top Chef is like a gladiator being stripped of his armor. You're kind of raw and by yourself . . . that sounds sad, I made that sound sad, but it's not. It's just much more of an individual competition.

YS: Was the Top Chef experience what you were expecting?
R: I was nervous going in. It was very tough, tougher than I thought it would be. I was not prepared for the social pressure. The cooking was okay, a stove is a stove, food is food, I've seen it before. But hey, go live in this house with 15 other people. . . . I pride myself on being socially awkward.

YS: Were you surprised to see another faux hawk? [Note: Cheftestant Jennifer also sports a similar hairdo.]
R: Yeah. We both have fair skin, light colored hair, and are really good cooks. It was definitely an odd thing for both of us. I wondered if I got in because I had a cool haircut, but then saw hers. To be quite honest I think mine's a little bit better than Jen's, but don't tell her that! I've seen the photos, it's a little bit poufed up in some of them. I'm wondering if there wasn't a little bit of PhotoShop going on.

YS: What were some of the ingredients you brought with you on Top Chef?
R: Raz el Hanout - a North African spice - some cool equipment - a little electric smoker, immersion circulator, portable cooker - coffee oil, lecithin, xanthan gum, crazy molecular gastronomy stuff that's not that crazy.

YS: You seem to like the more scientific/gastronomy techniques. Want to tell us more about that?
R: Scientific? [laughs] I failed chemistry twice. . . . Science is a part of food, art is a part of food, culture is a part of food. One of the great things about cooking is that I don't feel like I have a job. I just do what i do.

If you can find a way through science to make you food better, then you should do it. Whether it's technology or technique. My genre gets portrayed as cold and it's not. If you can use the microwave to make your meal better then you should do it it, but if you zap food with a laser gun just to zap food with a laser gun, then it doesn't make any sense.

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Ferran Adrià: El Bulli Staff Is Well-Fed

YumSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:00:46 -0700

Ever wonder what the staff at the world's most renowned restaurant eats? If you're certain that El Bulli's family meals are studies in foie gras and osetra caviar, think again.

According to Gourmet, molecular gastronomy master Ferran Adrià prefers to serve his staff classic dishes. These might include anything from chicken mole to Waldorf salad with chocolate ice cream for dessert.

This doesn't mean that the food futurist takes kitchen meals lightly. “I concern myself with what the staff eats first of all,” he says. In fact, one chef's sole responsibility is to cook the staff meals, and every staff menu through the restaurant's 2009 season has already been planned!

“I guarantee that El Bulli feeds its people like no other restaurant,” says Adrià. “How else would we convey to a young chef one of the most important principles of our métier: that he must look out for himself in order to look out for others?”

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All the News That's Fit to Eat - April 9, 2008

YumSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:13:31 -0700

Watch out world, Moscow's gone molecular (gastronomy that is). - Wall Street Journal
Celebrate Spring with a menu that shows off all the season has to offer. - San Francisco Chronicle
As students' palates grow more sophisticated, colleges are making their dining halls more gourmet. - New York Times

Meet Patti Moreno, the Garden Girl. I especially like her tip about growing your own mint. - CasaSugar
Meet John Manfreda, the man who's trying to change the wine label. - Los Angeles Times
What's that? You're complaining about the noise level in restaurants? - Washington Post
Discover 15 ways to stretch your grocery dollar. - Dallas Morning News