Questions and answers

 1. What was one of the earliest experiments or discoveries that truly changed your understanding of how cooking works?
The very first experiment that changed my life was the 16th of March 1980. It was about a cheese soufflé, and it was said (written by chefs) to add the yolks two by two. I put the yolks all together and the soufflé was  a failure. The next Sunday, I repeated the soufflé, and I decided to add the yolks one by one, and it worked. So that the next day (24), I stayed at home (I had a lab since I was 6 years old), and I took the decision of collecting culinary tips and to test them experimentally. This was the beginning of everything.
Later there were many important steps, such as when I met Nicholas Kurti and we began collaborating (1986), when we decided to create the scientific discipline that we called "molecular and physical gastronomy", when we organized the first international workshop (1992), but also when I introduced "synthetic cooking/note by note cuisine" (1994), when I invented "chocolate chantilly", when I first uncooked" eggs (1987 probably), when we decided (1999) with Pierre Gagnaire that I would give him one "invention" per month so that he would be the first in the world to get them.
And so many other stories.

2. After decades of pioneering food science, what discovery or project are you most proud of?
I am never proud, because it's  useless. And I am never considering what I did, except analyzing the mistakes that I did, in order to improve. On the other hand, I have MANY questions in front of me. For example, those days, I am very interested by the colour change of carrot stocks and of coffee, which have kind of the same evolution. Or I am very interested by the mysterious effect about hollandaise that fail and can be recovered using water, with a spontaneous emulsion. I am very interested by the browning of meat, as I have the feeling that protein pyrolysis is much more important than said in the past.
Theoretically, I have to "calculate" complexity of dishes, for example, but also I have a general theory of "exchanges" to build. And so on with wonderful questions !

3. Molecular gastronomy has inspired chefs worldwide, how do you feel about its evolution across different cultures?
Indeed, yes, the science named "molecular and physical gastronomy" was very important for the improvement of culinary art and technique, and this is fine. In the past, some chefs feared that it would uniformize culinary arts of various countries, but of course there was no fear to have, as it was demonstrated. But now the most important steps for chefs are :
1. synthetic cooking/note by note cuisine : here again, food cultures will have to "acclimatate" the new technique
2. I dream that cooking to be performed while seated, in a quiet environment, with no heat, no noise, no physical stress, and this should be a result of improving the techniques (and when chefs will be very easy with techniques, their mind will be more available for art)
3. I made a book whose title is "Cooking : it's love, art and technique". The love component of cooking was not studied enough, and we have to do it. I would add that the issue is less the environment (the atmosphere, the lights, the noises, etc., the spectacle) than the food: I always think about the intrinsic part of cooking rather the extrinsic, otherwise it's no longer cooking, but show, and this is another story

4. You’ve worked closely with universities and research institutions, how important is academia’s role in advancing gastronomy?
After publishing the Handbook of Molecular Gastronomy (~ 900 page), which was a success, the publisher asked us to make another book with recipes. This is in progress, but in all chapters (by chefs), we ask them about their collaboration with engineers, scientists... The universities are very important for helping the chefs communities of the various countries, and for decades  I have been trying to create "molecular gastronomy groups" in universities and research institution, to create seminars of molecular gastronomy, so that all chefs of the world would benefit from the advances of science and technology.
5. Sunway Le Cordon Bleu integrates sustainability through a Plant-Based Culinary Arts programme. How do you think molecular gastronomy can contribute to a more sustainable food system?
Indeed imagine that we train someone about science and technology, and that the person goes in the industry (including restaurants). After some time, this person can observe that theoretical information is needed to go further, and he/she should be able to come back to the universities, so taht the academia can work on the question and produce the needed theory. Moreover, I say for decades that the culinary technique is very fruitful in terms of scientific questions that academia can study for its own benefit: making science, looking for new objects of the world, new phenomena, new mechanisms.

6.                   What advice would you give to culinary students or young chefs who wish to explore food science and innovation?

I repeat the cooking is love, art and technique. For sure, one has to learn the technique. But a more important question is to study "art": this means dealing with the "beauty" of food in terms of flavour; for sure, appearance is important, but the most important is in the mouth. How can we make something "good" (= beautiful to eat) ?

And as said the most important question to study is love: how can food say "I love you" to the guests.

Food scienceS (mind the plural) are important because they produce knowledge that the students and chefs can use. Indeed I envision that a new category of professionals can be in the middle, between science and chefs: these "technologists" would have the burden to translate scientific information into practical information or techniques. With Pierre Gagnaire, it's me (a scientist, not a technologist) who takes time for this, as he is my friend, but I should not, because it takes time from my scientific research. But one has to show the way, isn't it?

Coming back to your question, my advice to students and chefs is : think intrinsically, work, focus, don't forget that "we are what we are doing", favour quality, and do what you love with passion.