“Evolution in Cooking Arts – Molecular Gastronomy” Seminar co-organised by The Institute For Tourism Studies and Alliance Française de Macao

The International Culinary Academy @ IFT is a new work team that was set up in April 2009. The objectives are to advance the development of the arts of culinary in Macao through various research projects, to enhance communications and exchange in the industry, as well as to coordinate both locals and international culinary and F&B related events for a more diversified tourism development. The Institute For Tourism Studies and Alliance Française de Macao has the great honour in inviting Dr. Hervé This to deliver a talk in “Evolution in Cooking Arts – Molecular Gastronomy” on 23 April at the Institute For Tourism Studies. This is the first big event coordinated by the International Culinary Academy @ IFT. In recent years, molecular gastronomy has become the trend in modern culinary. Many restaurants taking this theme opened gradually in South-East Asian countries such as Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The concepts of molecular gastronomy are to explore traditional cooking methods through a scientific discipline. Such as experimenting the effects of different cooking temperatures and times have on food, or adding in different substances to the food and observe its physical and chemical changes. These results will then be applied to create a brand new cooking method and culinary experiences. The concepts of molecular gastronomy were brought up by Dr. Hervé This as early as in 1980s. Dr. This is a French physical chemist. He works at the “Institute National de la Recherche Agronomique” and his main are of interest is molecular gastronomy. He has got a degree in “Physico-Chime des Materiaus” (Physical Chemistry of Materials) and a PhD in Molecular Gastronomy. He has written several books on the subject which can be understood even by those who have little or no knowledge of chemistry, with two of them translated in English. He also collaborates with the magazine “Pour la Science” in order to present scientific concepts to the general public. He is a corresponding member of the “Académie d’Agriculture de France” and more recently, the scientific director of the foundation “Food Science & Culture”, which he created at the French Academy of Science. Some of his discoveries include the perfect temperature for cooking an egg (around 65°C, the white coagulates, but not the yolk), and the use of an electrical field to improve the smoking of salmon. He also found that beating an egg white after adding a small amount of cold water considerably increases the amount of foam produced, up to one cubic meter for one egg white. Every month he adds one new “invention” in the Arts and Science section of the website of the Michelin three-star chef Pierre Gagnaire. In this 2-hour seminar, Dr. Hervé This will equip participants with the evolution, development, experiment and basic theory of the latest trend in kitchen cooking art – Molecular Gastronomy, through an in-depth talk and basic demonstration. The seminar will be held on 23 April at 1500 – 1700 at the IFT. Interested parties are welcome to apply online on or before 22 April. There is no charge for this seminar. For enquiry, please call 8598 3016 / 8598 3041. For application: http://www.ift.edu.mo/cn/programmes/paces_current_courses.aspx