Pushing the edge

In reference to the two photo threads and chefs who are 'pushing the edge' of gastronomy, so to speak, there was an Iron Chef episode screened here last night with Homaru Cantu of Chicago's Moto Restaurant the star. Now he did edible paper crackers adorned with a digitally produced photo of himself and his sous chefs, a photo that was taken partway through the show. He had laser technology, nitrogen gas, liquid nitrogen, balloons, syringes, pipettes, it was like a science lab - and the judges got to carry out some of the experiments. And he did this foam dish - bright red beetroot juice foam - which did not look gross in the context.
Talking about gross, Iron Chef Morimoto did beetroot juice tie-dyed serviettes and Alton described it as 'someone going amok with a kamikaze sword', or words to that effect.
The most fascinating Iron Chef I've seen to date with Cantu coming out the winner. Although Cantu scored less than Morimoto on originality - I think he should have scored the full points.

Then in the UK there is Heston Blumenthal, who featured in a UK food programme, I wonder if he and Cantu went to the same school. No, because Heston is a self taught chef. He has been described as the King of Molecular Gastronomy, his kitchen resembling a science lab. He's really into flavour exploration as well. I'd love to see more television of this guy. He has a three star Michelin restaurant called The Fat Duck.

Lastly I don't think still photos of foam dishes do them any justice. I had this amazing foamed topped plate of food on Friday - wild mushrooms beneath a wild boar cutlet beneath a blue cheese-filled ravioli beneath a squirt of foam and atop that a slice of truffle. In the restaurant, the dish as a whole looked fantastic and it tasted fantastic. It was my favourite dish. There wasn't much foam at all, but now I think my still photo which captured a moment in time and the dish at a particular angle, is gross.

Wow! Sounds like a great Iron Chef episode. I would think it would have aired here as well, so I must have missed it. I'll look for it on reruns, though.


Mike

[Jenise]

Sue, never have seen Heston's show or eaten in his restaurant, but he is well known among foodies here in the same way that Ferran Adria is. And Motu (or Moto, which is how I thought it was spelled) has been getting some press. I find all that stuff fascinating, and I enjoy interesting plating and high-end, tongue-in-cheeck cooking like that of Thomas Keller, but much of what Blumenthal and Cantu do go too far for me. There's clever, and there's fun, and then there's ridiculous. Foam can be either of the former even though I personally detest the texture (the last time I went to the dentist, they tried to put a flouride foam on my teeth--I heaved it before the two minutes were up), but stuff like edible photographs are definitely in the latter category for me.

I don't care if it's edible, it's not food. I am very easily put off by appearances and the idea of unnatural/chemical foods. Heck, I quit drinking canned soda years ago because of that, what chance is there that I'm going to eat an entire dinner that was created in a lab? Not much.

but stuff like edible photographs are definitely in the latter category for me.

Have you tried edible underwear?

[Jenise]

I'm going to be so sorry I pursued this, but: to wear or to eat?

Yes.

[Jenise]

Here's a Chicago forum post, with photographs, of a 17 course meal at Moto:

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2704

Ugh. What was more self-indulgent, the food or the writing?

That said, the Iron Chef America episode with Cantu was actually interesting, and that's unusual for that show. Nothing Cantu made looked particularly appetizing, but it was interesting in the same way it's interesting to see the Geek Show at the carnival.

edit: http://www.yahoo.com/s/557423

Here's a Chicago forum post, with photographs, of a 17 course meal at Moto:

Raccoon Road Kill.

Sue, never have seen Heston's show or eaten in his restaurant, but he is well known among foodies here in the same way that Ferran Adria is. And Motu (or Moto, which is how I thought it was spelled) has been getting some press.

I've fixed the spelling from Motu to Moto. Was getting confused with the name of a river in NZ.
Heston doesn't have his own show AFAIK. He was just feautured one week on a show.

That said, the Iron Chef America episode with Cantu was actually interesting, and that's unusual for that show.

Fascinating.
But that link you put in your post belongs in another thread.