One of the biggest innovations in cooking in the last 20 years has been the introduction of modern chemistry and physics into the kitchen. At first these special techniques and ingredients were almost exclusively found in industrial food processing, but adventurous chefs such as Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal, Grant Achatz and others, began to bring them into world of fine dining and in the process, re-imagined the possibilities of modern food.
“Molecular gastronomy”, sometimes called modernist or deconstructivist cuisine, uses a scientific approach to create a virtually unlimited palette of flavours, textures and forms: gels, foams, spheres, powders, emulsions, and more. For a long time, these techniques were obscure and difficult, often relying on complicated processes or expensive specialized equipment. But there are many simpler techniques that can be done in any home kitchen, with ingredients that are readily available. The result is a fun new toolkit that adds playful and creative possibilities to your culinary repertoire.
This fun, hands-on ‘Everyday Molecular’ class will be interactive and informative, with a few unexpected surprises thrown in. You’ll learn some basic but exciting techniques you’ll be able to recreate in your own kitchens, without the need of any special equipment. You’ll also learn about the role of special ingredients like: carrageenan, maltodextrin, agar, methylcellulose and basic techniques of spherification, gellification, dehydration and more.
Recipes that will be explored include:
Solid Herb Salad
Balsamic Vinegar ‘Caviar’
Savoury (Black Olive) and Sweet (Butterscotch) Powders
Deep Fried Whisky
and more…
Ultimately ‘molecular’ cooking is about the magic of transforming ingredients and having fun in the kitchen — and that’s exactly what we’ll do!
$40 (+HST)
—–
Culinary wunderkind Chef Luke Hayes-Alexander has been cooking professionally since he was 15, much of that time spent making multi-course tasting menus at his critically-acclaimed restaurant, Luke’s Gastronomy in Kingston. Now 23, Luke’s taken his show on the road and can be found innovating in kitchens, pop-ups and events across Toronto and abroad, including his new L.U.S.T supper club project.
