“Transforming to give pleasure is the heart of the kitchen! “

Do you also sometimes … often … miss your mayonnaise? Have you ever said to yourself that there must be something? A secret ? Of the mustard, vinegar, oil, egg yolk, salt and pepper. And a knack of the hand. But, between the advice of your grandmother and the ones you find online, nothing helps. You keep asking yourself the same question over and over again. Why is my mayonnaise not setting?

You may find the answer at the Cité des sciences et de l’Industrie. Thierry Marx, the two-star chef, and Raphael Haumont, the physico-chemist known for its molecular cuisine, have surrounded themselves with a fine team of scientists from all walks of life to help you understand the why and the how. Time for a “Banquet” not quite like the others.

“If I tell you”banquet“, you will probably think of”great occasion“and probably to”luxury product“. Same if I tell you”Molecular gastronomy“. But that’s not our way of seeing things. What is beautiful about the kitchen is when it succeeds in sublimating everyday products. One egg, one tomato, chocolate. To transform these products to give pleasure, to provide emotions, to create memories “, confides with enthusiasm Raphaël Haumont, the scientific curator of the exhibition.

Not so molecular cuisine

Looking at his career, we understand a little better. “I have always been intrigued by the mechanisms behind the transformation of matter, delivers us the physico-chemist. Watch an egg coagulating or sugar melting and changing color and odor to become caramel. It’s bewitching in itself. But when you put a scientist’s gaze on it, it becomes fascinating. “ This is how Raphaël Haumont came to make cooking his field of research. But to really do well and not miss anything, he quickly sought to partner with a great chef. Thierry Marx responded present.

And both today relate to the term of ” Molecular gastronomy “, a critical look. “It doesn’t make sense. This cuisine is more of an exploratory cuisine. A curious cuisine. Inscribed in its time “, points out the scientific curator of the exhibition Banquet. Because this cuisine wants to rely on scientific knowledge to bring news to our tables. textures, new colors, new tastes. In short, a new pleasure.

“Science tells us that the smell of parsley or the coriander disappears at 45 °. Why then continue to want to make well boiled garnished bouquets? The so-called molecular cuisine is just a set of tools that we want to make available to starred chefs as well as Sunday cooks. To prevent them from making this kind of mistake. To open up new horizons for them. “ The distillation or other extraction techniques … cryoconcentration … 3D design …artificial intelligence… Techniques which must then know how to fade away to leave room for creativity.

The objective is therefore to surprise. No more eternal Christmas logs with its insert of fruits. “Triangular or square, it doesn’t change much. “ No more eternals yoghurts strawberries-raspberries or peaches-apricots. Science can also help the food industry to invent the yogurt of tomorrow with flavors that work. Fig-coffee or orange-cinnamon, for example. “To eat, you need around 2,000 calories a day. These calories, we can put them in bars. But that would be boring to death. And then, we must not forget the social aspect of the meal. The meal is an opportunity to take a break. To disconnect from this fast-paced world to reconnect with loved ones. This is also the idea of ​​”Banquet“.”

A glimpse of the cuisine of the future

“The fun is what must remain at the end. But the cuisine of the future will also have to take an interest in well-being and health issues. Environmental issues ”, adds Raphaël Haumont. Science should be able to provide answers to those who demand calorie-free desserts or lactose-free products. Resolve the issue of how to manage these waste. “Or rather, by-products of the kitchen. Look at them eggshells. How much calcium carbonate thrown in the garbage every day on the planet? So that maybe we could harness this biomaterial. “

Science could perhaps also come to support those who seek to reduce their consumption of protein animal. Vegetarians who are now forced to eat steaks soy without much interest. “Pleasure must remain at the center of everything. And for that, we will have to relearn how a plant protein works and evolves. Research the taste, color, texture, flavors. Desire. “ All while protecting or even increasing the nutritional value of food. “There are the so-called superfoods. Spirulina, for example. It contains 60% protein. It’s great. You still have to know how to turn spirulina into something delicious. “

Once again, it is the transformation of the matter, food processing coming back to the table. The right actions, the right cooking methods. “Spread a dough well or cut a vegetable, it’s important”, underlines Raphaël Haumont. But no, not to push yourself off the collar. “Simply because it’s in all of this that the real taste, the real flavor, is hidden. “

And finally, when at the end of this “Banquet”, you will finally have seen what a emulsion, why it comes to life, then maybe you can even imagine … and succeed for sure … a mayonnaise of leeks orshallots. In any case, you will have fun in the kitchen. A bit like a child who has just been offered new colored pencils!