Interview with renowned French physical chemist - Herve This

I remember the first time I saw the Alinea restaurant (3 Michelin stars, Chicago, USA) website, I was astonished. It was my first glimpse of food that had been prepared and presented in a range of ways which I had never seen before and could barely comprehend. It was all so simple and understated yet even as a novice cook at the time I could tell that the complexity of preparing such dishes must be immense. But how was it all done and more importantly how could I do it?

This triggered a desire to learn more about this new, exotic form of cuisine and my research into a field I came to know as “molecular gastronomy”. This journey for knowledge opened up my culinary eyes and introduced me to a whole host of new names and faces I would otherwise have been ignorant of.

Of course top of the list were all the big celebrity chefs and their restaurants, including the Ferran Adria and his legendary (and soon to be closed) El Bulli restaurant in Spain, Heston Blumenthal - The Fat Duck here in England and Grant Achatz - Alinea in Chicago, just to name a few. But I was struck by the fact that in very few cases did the chefs who produced such culinary wonders have a background in chemistry, physics or any of the sciences for that matter, so who were they getting this in-depth scientific knowledge from? Who was doing the scientific research and discovering the new and innovative techniques that form the basis of the dishes these chefs produced?

Before long I had my answers, and was introduced to a whole different set of what should be seen as culinary heroes, including Harold McGee (who wrote “On Food and Cooking” - a chefs bible) and Peter Barham (the professor who worked with Heston Blumenthal when The Fat Duck was still in its infancy) and then I got to the heart of it all, by reading about the two gentlemen who developed the field of Molecular Gastronomy, Nicolas Kurti and Herve This.

Herve This is a French physical chemist who works at the”institute National de La Recherche Agronomique” in Paris. His main area of interest is molecular gastronomy, that is the science of culinary phenomena (more precisely, looking for the mechanisms of phenomena occurring duing culinary transformations). With the Late Nicholas Kurti, he developed the scientific term “Molecular and Physical Gastronomy” in 1988. He has worked with a long list of culinary professionals most notably legendary chef Pierre Gagnaire on developing the practical culinary applications of his research and discoveries.

In short, this man is the Godfather of Molecular Gastronomy!

I bought his only book translated into English at the time “Molecular Gastronomy – Exploring the Science of Flavour” and having read it, I decided to get in touch with Mr This. We have since been in touch over the years and as part of my series of articles for bazaar I asked him for an interview. He may not be a chef, but this man has contributed more than many chefs will ever dream of!

Usually one would ask “why did you enter the profession you are in?”, however in your case I believe a more suitable question would be: As a physical chemist why did you develop a particular interest in the field you have coined ‘molecular gastronomy’? Well I have been cooking since I was a child, so I have always had an interest in food. But I have always loved chemistry, physics and mathematics since the age of 6. When I was a child, I was doing chemistry and physics during a large part of my free time, visiting the Palais de la Découverte (science museum in Paris) once a week. By the age of 12 I was even invited to lecture on liquid nitrogen.

Of course, this passion for chemistry led me to enter the best "Grande Ecole" (top university) for chemistry in France (Ecole supérieure de physique et de chimie de Paris), and I should probably be an organic chemist today, but on the 16th of March 1980, because of a failed cheese soufflé, I realized that there was something interesting to do, using my personal lab at home (I have indeed a wonderful lab in my house, with UV spectrometry, microscopy, etc.), i.e. collecting and testing what I am calling today "culinary precisions". This work transformed into Molecular Gastronomy when I met Nicholas Kurti and when we both realized in 1988 that a particular science was needed.

As the term ‘molecular gastronomy’ has become better known over the years do you feel that people’s understanding of what molecular gastronomy is (as a field of study and development) has improved? And do you find that it is often confused with molecular cooking? It depends on which countries and people you are talking about, but generally, yes there is a lot of confusion between Molecular Gastronomy, Molecular Cooking or cookery, and such chimeras as "culinary science" or "scientific cooking". Generally, the confusion is based on the fact that people don't know what gastronomy is, what science is, and even in scientific circles, there is a confusion between science and technology, or engineering.

But I have time in life to fight all these confusions! And anyway, molecular cooking will be soon replaced by "note by note cooking", a name for which the possibility of confusion with molecular gastronomy is reduced.

How would you define molecular gastronomy versus molecular cooking? Very simple: just hear the words! Cooking is cooking, molecular or not. And cooking means producing food. Gastronomy is knowledge. And knowledge is not food, it's knowledge! Allow me to break it down into logical definitions:

Science: most practitioners of science would be happy to accept the idea that science is the activity of looking for the mechanisms of phenomena, or trying to picture how things work, using a particular method called the “experimental method”, or “hypothetico-deductive method”, or simply the scientific method. Science will never be “in the kitchen”, as science produces knowledge (mechanisms of phenomena), and not dishes! Hence the question: what can science and cooking have in common?

Cooking: was always, is, and will remain the activity of preparing dishes ; it can be a craft or an art, but dishes will be produced for human consumption.

Chemistry: the meaning of the word « chemistry » changed in time, as for all the previous words that we considered, but here, we probably still need to go on with changes. First, is chemistry a science or technology? Considering the history of sciences, it appears that all sciences were at various degrees linked with technology in ancient times, but that slowly the separation appeared. Hence, it would be a progress that chemistry would be considered as science only, and more precisely as the science that studies the mechanisms of atom rearrangements, in molecules or in other structures made with atoms.

Gastronomy: here again, there is much confusion, as many people think that gastronomy is cooking for rich, or with costly ingredients. Indeed, the word “gastronomy” was introduced in French in 1801 by the poet Joseph Berchoux8, but it was popularized by Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a lawyer who made a wonderful masterpiece in literature, defining « gastronomy » as the reasoned knowledge concerning all aspects of food. For example, Brillat-Savarin explained that the history of cooking, for example, is gastronomy, and more precisely gastronomic history; studying the geographic distribution of culinary skills would be gastronomy, also; and literature, economy… or science can be within the frame of gastronomy. Let us finish this short discussion by saying again that gastronomy is knowledge, and that for the sake of proper thinking, we should avoid using expressions such as “gastronomic restaurant”.

Art: here again, the meaning of “art” changed extensively with time, and I am not able to summarize in a few words what needed a whole book (Cooking, a quintessential art, California University Press). However, today, art is more or less an activity of creating emotions, with relationship with “beauty”. In cooking, “beautiful” means “good to eat”… but this is really too short a description for such a complicated matter. Let us only say that the aim of art is not of looking for the mechanisms of phenomena using the scientific method. The aims of science and art are different, as well as the methods… and the productions.

Molecular gastronomy: it should be said vigorously that molecular gastronomy is a scientific discipline (see “science”), and that chefs do not practice (generally) molecular gastronomy!

Molecular cookery: yes, molecular cookery, also called molecular cuisine, or science-based cooking, is cooking, and not science. The “definition” would be “cooking with new tools, ingredients, methods”, but “new” should be defined as “not present in classic books such as the Guide culinaire or even in La cuisine du marché by Paul Bocuse.

Of course, also, it would be silly to consider that molecular cooking (or cookery) is a question of using molecules for cooking, as all food is made of molecules… but some journalists and chefs did not take time to consider that “molecular cooking” is a composed expression, proposed only to make the distinction with molecular gastronomy. And as molecular cooking is cooking, it means producing dishes.

For me as a chef, over the past few years I have seen a fast pace of technological and scientific development in many kitchens. What’s most important is the awareness by chefs towards enhancing food using these developments. What do you feel has been your most significant contribution towards the development of cooking methods used in restaurant kitchens today? I don't care about my past contributions, and I am considering only the next ones. Note by note cooking will be soon there!

You have spent time working alongside chefs, most notably Monsieur Gagnaire, to develop the concepts you study and translate their potential application in restaurant dishes. As a physical chemist looking at a restaurant kitchen, where do you see the main developments will be in the future? For example; in the equipment used? In the way chefs work? In the recipes developed? Note by note cooking!

Do you believe that the discoveries made in the field of molecular gastronomy, if applied into restaurant kitchens can improve not only the food produced but also the consistency and quality of the work in the kitchen? Yes, and this is one of the reasons why I am working so hard. I don't want money, but only the pleasure to have been able to transform the culinary practice. But it's done, indeed! Please be aware that in all French schools, children 6 years old make one cubic meter of whipped egg white from only one egg, using the educational tool that I introduced in 2002 under the name "Ateliers expérimentaux du goût" (also in Switzlerland, Finland, Denmark, Germany, UK...)

This article is also available in Bazaar Magazine Kuwait

Interview with Michelin Star Chef William Drabble

In the heart of London lies the red and white Victorian façade of the St James’s Hotel & Club. Recognised for its quality, glamour and style the hotel’s Seven Park Place restaurant has recently joined a higher league of culinary recognition by having been awarded a Michelin Star in the 2011 guide. However the man behind this culinary achievement is no stranger to the Michelin inspectors.

Head Chef William Drabble (WD) has spent the better part of his life working in some of London’s top restaurants and achieving numerous Michelin stars along the way. By the Age of 26 WD had already taken on the challenge of becoming a head chef and his efforts were rewarded with his first Michelin star just 6 months later. A year on and WD was back in London and now filling the role left by Gordon Ramsey at the Aubergine restaurant, once again he rose to the challenge and ensured that the restaurant gained a Michelin star in 1999. He remained at the Aubergine for 10 years maintaining the highest of standards and winning awards.

Now the recently revamped and restored St James’s Hotel & Club is home to his two latest culinary endeavours; the Michelin starred fine dining restaurant ‘Seven Park Place’ and the more casual ‘William’s Bar and Bistro’. The style of cuisine is described as modern French primarily using British Local seasonal ingredients; which is very much in line with WD’s genuine passion for seasonal cooking and using the finest British produce. The decor throughout the Hotel is glamorous and chic, this carries through to both restaurants where elegance and luxury are exuded.

Talking to WD I could see that he has been through his paces in the kitchen and has accumulated a wealth of experience in his profession. He has faced the pressure, gone through the ups and downs and worked harder than many people ever will, in short he has led a life that all successful chefs of his calibre have to face in their journey to the top.

Why did you become a chef? Well like all young boys from Liverpool my first ambition in life was to become a premier league football player, but one of the influences which led to me becoming a chef was when my whole family moved from Liverpool, to Norfolk. The two places were very different; all of a sudden we were surrounded by farm land for miles, the closest neighbour was a long walk away and shops an even further distance. Living in those surroundings really gave me an appreciation for where the food we eat comes from, how it’s grown and the seasonality. It wasn’t a lifestyle choice to eat seasonally; it was just the natural choice when you live in a rural area. I also have to say my grandmother played a large role in my appreciation for cooking, during the 1920s up to the 1940s she worked in Yorkshire’s great estates as a cook, the way she would describe it all to us was just so intriguing to me.

How I actually ended up working as a chef was as a result of my father speaking to a gentleman called Martin Jermey, who was a lecturer at the college I ended up going to. As I was only 14 at the time Martin had recommended I get some work experience before joining catering school, so I began working in a kitchen unpaid for the next two years to gain the experience I needed to get into catering school.

What was your first big break? One of the first great opportunities I had was after graduating school, I moved to a restaurant that had just opened up in Eastborne (south of England) as a kitchen apprentice. The pace was slow and we were never that busy, however as a result the chefs there genuinely took the time and effort to show me all the food preparation and cooking techniques that would equip me for the future. It was a great practical learning experience that I don’t believe enough young chefs get these days especially in London where the pace is so fast.

Who has been your biggest influence? Over the years you are influenced by so many people and events that it is difficult to narrow it down to one person or situation. I would definitely say that Martin Jermey (my college lecturer) was a big influence in that he got me my first job after school and has been a great guide and sounding board throughout my career, I am still in touch with him till today.

Then there was my first experience of working in London at the Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge with Philip Brittle , followed by a period working at the 3 Michelin starred ‘Chez Nico’ and then working as a Sous Chef with Tom Akins at ‘Pied a Terre’ (2 Michelin star restaurant). Each of these experiences taught me something that I have carried with me; at the Capital it was the inspiration of going to the market every couple of days to buy fresh seasonal produce on which the menu would be based around, at Chez Nico it was seeing how a 3 star restaurant could cater for up to 100 guests at dinner (this is no small achievement for a restaurant of that level), and finally I took inspiration for Tom Akins, who himself has become a very successful chef and deservedly so as he is a great cook.

What is your greatest achievement to date? After leaving Pied a Terre I moved to Grasmere (north of England) as the Head Chef at a country house hotel called ‘Michael’s Nook’. I took up the position in August of that year and by the following January we had been awarded a Michelin Star. The following September I had moved back to London and was the Head Chef of the fashionable Chelsea restaurant ‘Aubergine’, once again by the following January we were awarded a Michelin star.

What was it like first becoming a head chef and then receiving a Michelin star so soon after? When you become head chef, the buck stops with you, it’s you on the plate, you’re father to everyone in the kitchen and the responsibility is tremendous. At the time of gaining the first star at Michael’s Nook I was only 26, the pressure can cause you to make mistakes, act out of character and you’re general lack of experience at that age means you can’t always foresee problems. Once you gain that first star it puts you on the radar, all of a sudden you start being more analytical and critical of every dish on your menu and every element in each dish. But as time goes on you develop your own style and the experience which allows you some reprieve from all the pressure. It’s at this point that you begin to refine your style and take on greater challenges in the kitchen.

What is your signature dish? I don’t particularly have one dish that I would describe as my signature dish, the seasons are always changing and as I have mentioned already; cooking in line with the season is very important to me. However there are particular dishes that when in season I enjoy cooking and guests will always request such as; the ravioli of Langoustine with cabbage and truffle butter sauce, the Marinated scallops with crab and blood orange as well as the Braised stuffed oxtail with celeriac mash, wild mushrooms and bone marrow.

What are your predictions for the future of restaurants and dining? As people are becoming more aware of what is being put on their plate and where it comes from, seasonality, sustainability and environmental issues are becoming more important criteria for chefs when designing their menus. At St James’s Hotel we source as much of our ingredients as possible from small British suppliers like Cornvale where we get our game and Lune Valley lamb, Keltic Sea Fare for scallops, langoustines and Scottish girolles, Channel Fisheries for fish and Southwest Fisheries for shellfish. Having grown up surrounded by farms I really believe it is important to support British farmers and food suppliers.

What are the biggest misconceptions out there about restaurants? I don’t think people generally have a full appreciation for the whole process that goes into the dishes that are served in front of them. In a nutshell; each dish starts on a farm or in the sea, it then takes those farmers and fishermen, to get up in the dark early (mostly rainy) mornings to harvest that produce, which is then prepared for delivery, packaged, taken on a journey and delivered to the restaurant where the ingredients are then painstakingly prepared, cooked and presented by a trained team of professionals both in the kitchen and the restaurant. That is how a dish gets to you. There is a lot of time, care, resources and effort involved.

If you could cook for anyone, who would it be? My Grandmother, as I never got the chance to, she has always been a fundamental reason for why I became a chef and I would have liked to have shared that with her.

This article is also available in Bazaar Magazine Kuwait

Interview with Michelin Star Chef Jocelyn Herland

From the age of 18 Chef Jocelyn Herland (JH)has trained as a chef, spent a year training in the front of house, worked in pastry and built his career in Michelin Star kitchens. In 2007 he became the Head Chef of the Alain Ducasse restaurant at The Dorchester. Within 2 years of opening the restaurant JH and his team have achieved a culinary experience worthy of the coveted 3 Michelin star rating.

I was fortunate enough to get to know Chef Jocelyn while I was working at the Dorchester Hotel. His kitchen is beautifully designed and runs like a well oiled machine. I knew that an interview with him would be a learning experience, and it was.

During our interview he told me how all his experiences have given him an all round understanding of how a restaurant works both in terms of operations and as an experience for the guest. He believes a chef must understand the guest and how they think, they must see the whole picture, the whole experience and only then can they truly please the guest.

I was captivated by his knowledge of culinary history. He began talking about the origins of the modern restaurant and explained how restaurants such as Tour D’Argent (established in 1582) laid the foundations for restaurants today in terms of structure, operations and dynamics. He explained how as chefs have become more popularised in the media, and the focus has turned more to the food and the chef’s style rather than the overall experience. Intern many chefs now have too much self importance and put their own desires and preferences above that of the guest’s pleasure. The Maitre D’hotel position was once the definitive element in a restaurant’s success, this role in the restaurant was charged with creating the dining experience and focused on the details which distinguished the restaurant from its competitors. At this time there was a greater focus on the overall guest experience and the spectacles created in the dining room rather than the actual culinary experience. In today’s world the focus has shifted more and more towards the food served and the chefs working in the kitchen.

According to JH this shift of power is the root of much of the conflict that generally exists between the front of house and chefs.

JH believes that chefs must understand their guest’s and think like them in order to fuse their passion with the guest’s satisfaction. In his opinion too many young chefs do not have an appreciation for this concept. Too many chefs these days that are working for themselves, to develop a CV that looks like a who’s who of the restaurant industry, rather than focusing on learning, contributing to the team and pleasing the guest.

He went on to talk about the importance of greater team work in the kitchen. He believes a team must grow together and share knowledge amongst themselves. Staff turnover in kitchens is generally too high and this impacts the operation. For him the role of a head chef is as a cook, a manager and a teacher, responsible not only for the evolution of the food and restaurant but of the team too. A head chef must earn their staff’s respect by treating them fairly and dedicating time to teaching them. It is also important for the head chef to demonstrate a range of skills that he then teaches his staff.

I sat with Chef Jocelyn in the beautiful setting of his restaurant’s dining room for the following interview..

Why did you decide to become a chef? I grew up in a family who love food. I have always loved cooking as it allows you to share your passion and please people. I started my career in a large brassiere, Le Grand Capucine, we would cook for 900 guests a day, it was a 24/7 operation. This type of operation taught me to work hard and be consistent in my work. I learnt all the practicalities of being a chef which you are not taught in school. It was here that I began to develop an understanding of the real passion for being a chef.

What was your first big break? It was the job at Le Grand Capucine brassiere. Through working with the team there I began to hear about, and have my eyes opened to the world of Gastronomic cuisine. I started to hear about famous chefs many of who have been influenced by Mr. Bocuse (Chef Paul Bocuse). He is one of the first chefs to come out of the kitchen and represent his restaurant and the industry to the world.

Who has been your biggest influence? My first head chef in a gastromonic kitchen, Jean Marie Meulien. I respected his talent as a chef, his ability as a cook and his fairness as a person. I was impressed by his knowledge of the kitchen and the respect he commanded from his team. He gave me opportunities to grow and learn in the kitchen that are not afforded to apprentices in most kitchens.

What is your greatest achievement to date? The greatest achievement in my life is being able to balance my family life with my career. It is very important that a chef has balance in their life if they wish to succeed and have longevity in their career. When it comes to culinary achievements it would have to be when my team and I received our third Michelin Star here at the Dorchester Hotel.

What do you believe are the biggest misconceptions are about being a chef and why? The perception of a chef started out as a job that was for manual labour, it was not respected as a profession. Over time this perception has changed, largely due to figures like Mr. Bucose (Chef Paul Bucose) coming out of the kitchen and being more active in promoting his restaurant and the professionalism that comes with this job, he inspired a whole generation of chefs. The media has done a lot to promote certain chefs to a celebrity status, raising the general awareness about this line of work. The problem is people still are not aware of the difficulty and realities of being a chef. Nowadays you have too many young chefs who get into the industry with stars in their eyes, with an attitude of wanting to become a celebrity chef without understanding the journey they must undergo if they have a chance of reaching the top.

What future challenges and developments do you foresee in the restaurant business? There is a growing conscious awareness by the guest about the sources of food produce. Guests are becoming more aware of issues such as sustainability, responsible farming and fishing as well as the advantages of locally sourced produce. Although the guest is more aware of these issues they have not compromised on their expectations with regards to demanding variety. We are basically spoilt by choice when we shop in the super market or eat at most restaurants as we get so much imported produce in the UK. I have a parable about my grandfather, who as a child received an orange for Christmas from his mother, in his time a simple orange was fascinating as they were so rare. He never actually ate the orange, instead he just watched in amazement as it dried. Now days I eat an orange a day, and I expect it to be in the supermarket when I shop regardless of the season, otherwise i’ll just go to another supermarket that sells them. This creates a major dilemma and challenge for chefs in fine dining restaurants. They must decide on how to provide a variety of top quality ingredients in a dish while trying to adhere to the code of social responsibility.

Who would you like to cook a meal for? My grandmothers, as I never had the chance to. They influenced me in my youth and I would love to share my passion for cooking with them.

What do you cook for your family at home? I like to just open the fridge and put together something tasty that we will all share together as a family and enjoy the moment. I can tell you my son prefers his mothers pasta, I tend to over cook it at home because i’m always doing other stuff around the house and playing with him!

This article is also available in Bazaar Magazine Kuwait