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Molecular gastronomy in Paris: Hervé This, etc.

Druckenbrodt

By Druckenbrodt
in France: Dining

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Druckenbrodt

Druckenbrodt

Posted
Posted

Someone the other day was telling me about a 'culinary scientist' called Herve Thys. Apparently Pierre Herme used to consult him for a while (but not anymore) plus other patissiers and chefs. He sounds really fascinating. I tried googling him but didn't come up with much. Any of you France based chef types know more of him?

He's in the Heston Blumenthal mode (but pre HB I gather) of researching the scientific basis of why some things work and others don't, as well as coming up with brilliant new ideas e.g. recommends to patissiers ways of preparing mille feuilles so they don't go soggy etc.

Are there other food scientists in France? Is this a big thing over here?

jackal10

jackal10

Posted
Posted (edited)

You might be thinking of

Hervé THIS

-----------------------------------------

Physico-chimiste INRA

(Attaché à la Direction scientifique "Nutrition humaine et sécurité des

aliments")

Groupe INRA de gastronomie moléculaire, Laboratoire de chimie des interactions moléculaires (prof. Jean-Marie Lehn)

COLLEGE DE FRANCE

11, place Marcelin Berthelot

75005 Paris

tel : + 33 (0)6 86 49 89 01 ou + 33 (0)1 44 27 13 10 fax : +33(0)1 44 27 13 56

Email : hthis@paris.inra.fr ou herve.this@college-de-france.fr

http://www.college-de-france.fr/chaires/ch...erche_herve.htm

--------------------------------------------

Chaque mois, une idée de science et une recette qui l'utilise, par Pierre Gagnaire, à l'adresse :

http://www.pierre-gagnaire.com/francais/cdmodernite.htm

Herve organises the Molecular Gastronomy meetings at Erice, and also gives courses an seminars in Molecular Gastronomy in Paris.

Edited by Bux (log)
Louisa Chu

Louisa Chu

Posted
Posted (edited)

I just posted about Herve This here and on my site - link below. I attend his meetings in Paris whenever I can - not often enough. He's THE godfather of molecular gastronomy. And yes, food science is a big thing in France/Europe - with many other food scientists - check the Inicon site.

Edited by LKL Chu (log)
Movable Feast
rgruby

rgruby

Posted
Posted
also check out the last Q&A with McGee - it was brought up there too - also, Herve This has a published book I read (in Italian) that is very fascinating - I am sure it is also in english

good luck

Ore

I don't think any of This's books have been published in English yet. I asked about that here a couple of months or so ago to no response. I wonder how much they add to the kitchen science literature in English now that the new edition of McGee is out.

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby

Druckenbrodt

Druckenbrodt

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Thank you everyone for the really informative replies - he really sounds amazing. I can't believe no-one's heard of him in the UK. (Or perhaps they have.) I guess if he hasn't worked with British chefs... And I suppose we're new to the food science thing.

I find this all really fascinating. No doubt am the last person on the planet to hear about it...

Bux

Bux

Posted
Posted

This, as they say, is bigger than just France--I'm speaking of this issue and Hervé This--and we've moved some posts over to Louisa's thead in the General forum. The Next Culinary Arts Movement. That's where we'll be discussing this and This.

Robert Buxbaum

WorldTable

Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

My mailbox is full. You may contact me via worldtable.com.

paulbrussel

paulbrussel

Posted
Posted

"I don't think any of This's books have been published in English yet. I asked about that here a couple of months or so ago to no response. I wonder how much they add to the kitchen science literature in English now that the new edition of McGee is out."

There is a Dutch-Belgian, very interesting quarterly culinary magazine, called "Culinaire Saisonnier" (http://www.saisonnier.net/).

Since "Printemps 2002" there is a French version of this magazine.

In the Dutch version, articles from Hervé This are published in every issue.

Since they are busy starting an English version in the USA, the articles of Hervé This may then be available in English as well.

By the way, Hervé This was granted recently the "Grand Prix de la Science de l'Alimentation", the most prestigious scientific award on food.

  • 1 month later...
John Talbott

John Talbott

Posted
Posted
"I don't think any of This's books have been published in English yet.

January’s Gourmet has an article about Herve This. It indicates that his first book in English” Casseroles and Eprouvettes: Pots, Pans and Test Tubes” will be published this fall by Columbia Univ press.

John Talbott

blog John Talbott's Paris

alexw

alexw

Posted
Posted
  I can't believe no-one's heard of him in the UK.  (Or perhaps they have.)

As far as I am aware, Heston Blumenthal consults Herve a fair amount and they are both part of a government funded group looking into developments in food. This is only a rumour though as I have not spoken to HB about this myself.

He hasn't published much for the layman as far as I am aware but I am sure he will have published many scientific journals that don't exactly line your average bookstore shelves.

after all these years in a kitchen, I would have thought it would become 'just a job'

but not so, spending my time playing not working

www.e-senses.co.uk

fresh_a

fresh_a

Posted
Posted

Actually, all of his books have been written for a large reading public. Just in French.Here

Anti-alcoholics are unfortunates in the grip of water, that terrible poison, so corrosive that out of all substances it has been chosen for washing and scouring, and a drop of water added to a clear liquid like Absinthe, muddles it." ALFRED JARRY

blog

fresh_a

fresh_a

Posted
Posted

It's just a link to amazon.fr

Anti-alcoholics are unfortunates in the grip of water, that terrible poison, so corrosive that out of all substances it has been chosen for washing and scouring, and a drop of water added to a clear liquid like Absinthe, muddles it." ALFRED JARRY

blog

Andy Lynes

Andy Lynes

Posted
Posted
  I can't believe no-one's heard of him in the UK.   (Or perhaps they have.)

As far as I am aware, Heston Blumenthal consults Herve a fair amount

Heston mentions Herve several times during his egullet Q&A from 2002:

here and here.

fresh_a

fresh_a

Posted
Posted

Hervé This, the Father of Molecular Gastronomy, works frequently (up until the present time) with Pierre Gagnaire, Heston Blumenthal and last, but not least, Ferran Adria. He is the first, and foremost authority on the science of gastronomy on a scientific level. He has published widely, both for the layman, and the scientific. One need only do a quick google to get tens of thousands of links. He preceeded McGee.

Anti-alcoholics are unfortunates in the grip of water, that terrible poison, so corrosive that out of all substances it has been chosen for washing and scouring, and a drop of water added to a clear liquid like Absinthe, muddles it." ALFRED JARRY

blog

John Talbott

John Talbott

Posted
Posted
It's just a link to amazon.fr

I was about to point out that we should try to use the eGullet link to Amazon.com to help the Society receive a commission, but very few This titles are available there (and in languages other than English) versus Amazon.fr.

John Talbott

blog John Talbott's Paris

Bux

Bux

Posted
Posted
Hervé This, the Father of Molecular Gastronomy, works frequently (up until the present time) with Pierre Gagnaire, Heston Blumenthal and last, but not least, Ferran Adria. He is the first, and foremost authority on the science of gastronomy on a scientific level. He has published widely, both for the layman, and the scientific. One need only do a quick google to get tens of thousands of links. He preceeded McGee.

Is he older than McGee or does his interest in food and publication on the subject predate that of McGee's?

Robert Buxbaum

WorldTable

Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

My mailbox is full. You may contact me via worldtable.com.

Bux

Bux

Posted
Posted
  I can't believe no-one's heard of him in the UK.  (Or perhaps they have.)

. . . a government funded group looking into developments in food.

Inicon thread and link to the government funded group.

Robert Buxbaum

WorldTable

Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

My mailbox is full. You may contact me via worldtable.com.

  • 2 years later...
Morfudd

Morfudd

Posted
Posted

Hi last minute decision to go to Paris this coming weekend - any recommendations on who may be doing the El Bulli, WD50, Fat Duck approach to cooking ? Sadly I am only there for the weekend, and will probably be too late to book...

pierre45

pierre45

Posted
Posted
Hi last minute decision to go to Paris this coming weekend - any recommendations on who may be doing the El Bulli, WD50, Fat Duck approach to cooking ? Sadly I am only there for the weekend, and will probably be too late to book...

Pierre cagnaire.IN my book he is better than any of the ones you mentionned.

At least you enjoy inventive cuisine because of new tastes and new sensations rather than as an intelectual statement and or as abstract art.

Morfudd

Morfudd

Posted
Posted

Thank you - I ate at the upstairs restaurant in Sketch, London some years ago - it was unlikely he was actually cooking but it was under his supervision I think - the meal was good but not breathtaking.....will i do better in Paris if I eat at his restaurant?

Andy Fenn

Andy Fenn

Posted
Posted

The Lecture Room/Library at Sketch and Pierre Gagnaire Paris are a world apart in quality. At any rate, michelin have them 1 star versus 3 star, but the difference is greater than that.

Morfudd

Morfudd

Posted
Posted

thank you i couldn't remember how many stars PG had in Paris...it is difficult to choose though with only two nights and such short notice, as I want to go to so many places!

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