Looking for a chemist

[akwa]

Looking for a chemist to engage in relationship similar to Herve This/Gagnaire.

The game is this, scientist proposes a theory, chef returns with dish that reflects this theory.

Any takers?

[slkinsey]

What kind of theories do you have in mind? Boyle's Law? The theory of relativity? The uncertainty principle? And, more to the point, why would you need a chemist? What about a physicist, biologist or engineer... or maybe a mathematician, psychologist or philosopher? I'd love to see a dish reflecting, say, the principle of complimentarity or, better yet, Schrödinger's cat.

[akwa]

I have been working with einsteins theory of relativity in relation to plated desserts. In particular gaussian coordinates as template for components. In this way one plate can prove that food tastes different depending on who, what, when, where, and how you eat it.

I am not limited to chemist, I would be happy to make a consortium across disciplines. What do you have in mind?

[hannnah]

I'd love to see a dish reflecting, say, the principle of complimentarity or, better yet, Schrödinger's cat.

I'd be extra impressed by a dish reflecting Schrödinger's cat if it managed not to get the chef arrested.

[hathor]

For those of us perplexed by the Shrodingers cat reference.

Is there more to this???

[MHesse]

I may well be a chemistry teacher this September.

Perhaps you could do something with those colorful elements with the unfilled d and f orbitals.

[fimbul]

As for meal a la Shroedinger's cat, I suspect you could cook one up easily enough: serve your guests meals in covered vessels; some number of the dishes contain actual food beneath the cover, some have nought. HOWEVER, until the dish is uncovered, everyone is both served, and, uh, not.

If you survive your guests' wrath long enough to document the results, do let us know.

[fimbul]

You know... as for Philosophically-inspired meals, I *know* I've had at least one that proved god is, indeed, dead.

Or, at least, he's not vetting the dishes set on my table very well.

[slkinsey]

There are so many things, really. You could work with theories of cryptology, hiding various ingredients or concepts to make "cryptofood." You could do dishes based on the uncertainty principle, which says that you cannot simultaneously know both the position and the momentum of a given object. You could do dishes based on the theory of evolution. You could do dishes based on Freud's theories (either the id/ego/superego stuff or all the sex symbolism stuff -- whichever you liked). You could get a group of cooks to construct a dish based on the documentary hypothesis of Biblical scholarship by creating related but individual elements by themselves which were then "redacted" and combined into the finished dish by a third party. The possibilities are literally infinite, if you're into that sort of thing. Although, I have to admit that it all seems a bit like overintellectual sophistry to me.

[Smithy]

This thread reminds me of a song that's played occasionally on Minnesota Public Radio's Morning Show. I think it's just called "The Sodium Chloride Song"...I don't remember all the lyrics, but the bridge goes:

then unsuspecting Chlorine felt a magnetic pull

she looked down, and her outside shell was full

Sodium cried, "What a gas! Be my bride

and I'll change your name from Chlorine to Chloride!"

[hannnah]

For those of us perplexed by the Shrodingers cat reference. 

Is there more to this??? 

Schrodinger's cat - from whatis.com. This is the point at which science intersects philosophy (eg, if a tree falls in the forest with no one there to hear does it make a sound?) and it all gets really weird.

My first impression was that a dish involving both radioactive isotopes and cyanide would certainly get the chef arrested. I think a "quantum meal" with food (or no food) under covers might be interesting. However, it's not something I'd pay to experience.

[Pan]

I vote for this thread as weirdest eGullet thread ever!

[Steve Klc]

I think what akwa might be after is this--one of the things that makes Herve This significant is he recognizes the vital importance of the "food" scientist or true chemist partnering with the elite professional chef or pastry chef--and pursuing projects jointly, as a team. That's a synergy, if you will, and it reinforces the notion that science is integrally linked to cooking--always has been and always will be. The US model to date has been to present the food scientist as the more enlightened cooking authority--think home cook merged with college science text--with little regard for the role the professional chef or professional pastry chef plays in the development process.

So, in one sense, akwa might simply be requesting a professional collaboration--in the manner Herve This collaborates with a Conticini or Gagnaire in France or Blumenthal with Barham in the UK. If I were a chemist, I'd play akwa. Good luck, I'd like to see more of that synergy happen.

[akwa]

yes please

[fifi]

I think what akwa might be after is this--one of the things that makes Herve This significant is he recognizes the vital importance of the "food" scientist or true chemist partnering with the elite professional chef or pastry chef--and pursuing projects jointly, as a team. That's a synergy, if you will, and it reinforces the notion that science is integrally linked to cooking--always has been and always will be. The US model to date has been to present the food scientist as the more enlightened cooking authority--think home cook merged with college science text--with little regard for the role the professional chef or professional pastry chef plays in the development process.

I, for one, being an SSB, really enjoy reading about these collaborations and the fascinating things they achieve. But I also recognize the individual artistry of the individual that cannot be... um... what is the word?... quantized??? quantified??? Anyway, there are some things that are just pure art.

BTW... I have always wanted to be Schrodinger's Cat... Just to be annoying.

[akwa]

It can be beautiful to develop a cuisine d' auteur through constant dialogue across disciplines. In fact, more shared information can help individuals attach to a specific area that may become their desired domain. For me more information means more choice and more ways to be beautiful.

[brogie62]

I am new to eG and do not know who Herve This/Gagnaire are and what the specifics are of their relationship but I have a doctorate in chemistry. What can I do for you?

brogie62

Edited May 27, 2004 by brogie62 (log)

[scott123]

I see too many similarities between quantum physics and religion. The time of my life when I was the most fascinated by Schrodingers Cat and quantum physics happened to coincide with a lot of psychedelic drug use. Now that I'm firmly footed on the ground, the philosophical/metaphysical aspects no longer float my boat. Sure, if you go very small, things start getting uncertain. But I'm sure that eventually physicists will go even smaller and things will go back to being just as certain as they were pre-particle. If you get hit by a mac truck, it doesn't really matter what's occuring on a quantum scale. You'll be dead, that's for certain.

Unless of course, quantum physics could be used to invent something really cool like time travel or teleportation. Then I'd start whistling a different tune. Until then, truck=dead and no rent=eviction. For the time being, I dwell in the absolute.

Edited May 28, 2004 by scott123 (log)

[akwa]

I am new to eG and do not know who Herve This/Gagnaire are and what the specifics are of their relationship but I have a doctorate in chemistry. What can I do for you?

brogie62

I am new to eG and do not know who Herve This/Gagnaire are and what the specifics are of their relationship but I have a doctorate in chemistry. What can I do for you?

brogie62

Herve This is chemist and enthusiastic gastronome who has published three books re science and cuisine. French version Harold McGee.

Pierre Gagnaire is one of the great chefs of the last thirty years. He contacted Herve This to influence last three years of cooking as relationship between molecular research and gastronomic cuisine d' auteur or author's cuisine.

Lets make some time to see in what way we can exchange information to form a useful dialogue.

warm regards

[JerzyMade]

Pierre Gagnaire is one of the great chefs of the last thirty years.  He contacted Herve This to influence last three years of cooking as relationship between molecular research and gastronomic cuisine d' auteur or author's cuisine.

Sounds interesting, but was it any good?

[Brad S]

I thought maybe some would enjoy these readings. It is translated to English from French so it reads a bit funny, but it's good stuff.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...3D%26ie%3DUTF-8

[akwa]