Marcel Vigneron

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Chef Marcel Vigneron was first introduced to the public eye as the runner-up of season two’s Top Chef. Known on the show for his molecular gastronomy techniques, Vigneron has since then built upon his specialty with his own reality TV show in 2010, Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen, and competing on Iron Chef and later seasons of Top Chef.

Marcel Vigneron

What hooked you on cooking?
I love a good challenge and cooking is one of the only occupations that I can think of that requires you to utilize every single one of your senses while simultaneously challenging you not only physically, but mentally and creatively. It pretty much provides me with everything I would ever want out of a career and you get to perform a good deed for society and provide people with not only nourishment but also experience.
The coolest example of science in your food?
Science is always in our food whether we know it or not but if I had to choose one, I would say I thoroughly enjoy working with eggs! Whether it be by whipping whites to peaks, yolks to sabayon, making a hollandaise or whatever the case may be, eggs allow for so many fascinating scientific processes to take place through emulsification, aeration, coagulation and many more…
The food you find most fascinating?
Rather than say “eggs” again, which would probably be my first choice, I will venture to say that I find olive oil to be quite fascinating. It’s amazing how something when raw can taste so disgusting but through brining and pressing one can yield such an amazingly diverse and healthy product that goes with just about anything…
What scientific concept–food related or otherwise–do you find most fascinating?
Brining and curing have always fascinated me. Originally used as means of preservation, they have now become a staple technique in the kitchen for so many things.
Your best example of a food that is better because of science?
Vinaigrettes!!! A simple combination of oil and vinegar becomes so much more practical when emulsified temporarily or permanently with the addition of xanthan gum.
How do you think science will impact your world of food in the next 5 years?
I think science will make a positive impact on the world of food in the next 5 years through education. Every phenomenon that takes place during cooking and even in agriculture can be explained through science. The more we understand these activities and happenings the more prepared we will be to make conscious decisions regarding the future of our food.
One kitchen tool you could not live without?
ALL I NEED IS 1 KNIFE!!!!
Five things most likely to be found in your fridge?
Yuzu juice, miso paste, tofu, almond milk, fish on ice.
Your all-time favorite ingredient?
Salt because it brings out the flavor in everything.
Favorite cookbook?
Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry.
Your standard breakfast?
Chia seeds hydrated in almond milk with berries and nuts.

Roger Pigozzi

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Roger Pigozzi studied at the Culinary Institute of America and works at UCLA as the corporate chef and assistant director of dining. In addition to feeding hungry Bruins, Pigozzi also developed and incorporated delicious vegan offerings on the menu.

Roger Pigozzi

What hooked you on cooking?
I think it was growing up in a home where my grandparents lived upstairs. My grandmother and mother were both very good cooks, but I really believe my grandmother was a better cook. She made everything from scratch including pasta, soup, baked bread, and always one special loaf for me baked in a coffee can. My mother was a better baker. She baked a chewy hazelnut meringue and whipped cream cake that was unforgettable. When I was still very young my parents owned a tavern known for its home-style cooking. Food was always a very important part of our family, and for as long as my parents could remember, I said I wanted to be a chef.
The coolest example of science in your food?
At Christmas time when we make gingerbread cookies and add the baking soda to the hot corn syrup I still get a kick out of watching it blow up.
The food you find most fascinating?
It’s the tomato; when you cut it open you see mother nature’s natural gelatin which is more stable and tastier than any gelatin we make. We can eat them raw, roasted, or even oven dried, which transforms even a mediocre tomato into an amazing full flavored tomato.
What scientific concept–food related or otherwise–do you find most fascinating?
The essence of food…the process of dehydration and caramelization whether it’s the part of the roast that sticks to the bottom of the pan; a wine reduction; the oven dried tomatoes that I just mentioned; or oven dried ketchup, “ketchup leather”, to be served in warm sandwiches.
Your best example of a food that is better because of science?
Beta-carotene enriched rice.
How do you think science will impact your world of food in the next 5 years?
I think we will see hydroponic gardens attached to restaurants allowing us to serve more locally produced fruits and vegetables.
One kitchen tool you could not live without?
The French/chef’s knife.
Five things most likely to be found in your fridge?
Flourless bread, soy milk, nuts and grains including steel cut oatmeal (it keeps them from going rancid), extra virgin olive oil.
Your all-time favorite ingredient?
Farmers market garlic and shallots.
Favorite cookbook?
The French Laundry by Thomas Keller.
Your standard breakfast?
Steel cut oatmeal eaten cold with frozen organic blueberries, bananas, flaxseed meal, roasted slivered almonds and soy milk followed by a soy latte or espresso. This is my breakfast 95% of the time.

David Kinch

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David Kinch is Chef-Proprietor of Manresa, a restaurant located in Los Gatos, California that has been awarded two Michelin stars for eight consecutive years. Kinch is a winner of the Best Chef in America award from the James Beard Foundation as well as dean of The International Culinary Center. Having studied the culinary arts in France, Spain, German, Japan, and the U.S., he is known for his French, Catalan, and Japanese-influenced California cuisine that has been lauded as simplistic yet creative.

David Kinch

What hooked you on cooking?
I became enamored with the restaurant business which led to being enamored with cooking. My first restaurant jobs were as dishwasher and front of house staff. In those roles, I got close to the kitchen and became fascinated with how the cooks worked. After that, I became interested in the idea of being creative and working with my hands. It was really inspiring to watch people enjoying the fruits of their labor through cooking.
The coolest example of science in your food?
Ice cream because it keeps things frozen on a hot day!
The food you find most fascinating?
I find Japanese food fascinating because of the complex simplicity of it.
What scientific concept–food related or otherwise–do you find most fascinating?
Fermentation
Your best example of a food that is better because of science?
One of my favorite examples is making chicharones by first cooking them sous vide so the collagen (and flavor!) don’t leach out into the water, creating a whole new, interesting and satisfying texture.
How do you think science will impact your world of food in the next 5 years?
Cooks are becoming more understanding of basic science and chemistry principles than ever before. To fundamentally understand basic principles will benefit the industry as a whole in understanding “how things work.”
One kitchen tool you could not live without?
Cake tester – I use it for testing the doneness of meat, fish, and vegetables.
Five things most likely to be found in your fridge?
Chez Pim jam, good butter, Champagne, Japanese pickles and yogurt
Your all-time favorite ingredient?
My favorite ingredient changes all the time. I can be a farm chicken to fennel bulb to an herb.
Your standard breakfast?
Good coffee and usually yogurt and honey. If I’m splurging, it is toast with Manresa’s butter, and Chez Pim jam. If I’m going out, it’s always huevos rancheros.

Vinny Dotolo

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Vinny Dotolo is one half of the culinary duo dubbed as “Kings of Dude Food”. Alongside John Shook, the pair opened Animal, a meat-centric restaurant located in L.A.’s Fairfax Village. Following the success of Animal, the duo have since opened the equally acclaimed Son of a Gun, Trois Mec, and Petit Trois.

Vinny Dotolo

What hooked you on cooking?
Mainly the kitchen culture and obviously the delicious food and the never-ending learning process.
The coolest example of science in your food?
I guess science happens every day in our kitchens. Looking at it from a scientific perspective, I think the transformation and cooking of proteins.
The food you find most fascinating?
Eggs have always kept my mind racing.
What scientific concept–food related or otherwise–do you find most fascinating?
Emulsifications.
Your best example of a food that is better because of science?
Fermented foods.
How do you think science will impact your world of food in the next 5 years?
In general, I think understanding food and how and why things happen in the kitchen. Different techniques seem to be popping up constantly.
One kitchen tool you could not live without?
Vita prep.
Five things most likely to be found in your fridge?
Pickles
Cheese
Lemonade
Jam of some kind
The baby’s food
Your all-time favorite ingredient? Favorite cookbook?
Lemons are my favorite ingredient, they brighten everything up! Favorite cook book is tough. I have such a diverse collection but the one that changed my life and perspective and appreciation for food is the French Laundry.
Your standard breakfast?
Toast and coffee.

Michael Voltaggio

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Michael Voltaggio is the winner of Top Chef Season 6 and the owner and head chef of ink. in Los Angeles. Michael is known for his adventurous cooking, melding his classical repertoire with unconventional techniques.

Chef Michael Voltaggio of Ink. – Los Angeles, CA

What hooked you on cooking?
The endless possibilities.
The coolest example of science in your food?
The use and control of temperature to create various textures.
The food you find most fascinating?
The ones that mother nature provides us – that in their purest form require little to no manipulation.
What scientific concept–food related or otherwise–do you find most fascinating?
Right now, hybridization of plants, creating new vegetables and ingredients.
Your best example of a food that is better because of science?
Sous vide cooking. It has become a basic cooking technique much like braising, sautéing, frying, etc.
How do you think science will impact your world of food in the next 5 years?
Science will help chefs do their jobs more efficiently by giving us tools we need to achieve new and precise results.
One kitchen tool you could not live without?
Vitamix blender.
Five things most likely to be found in your fridge?
Condiments, champagne, lunch meat, cheese and leftover Chinese food.
Your all-time favorite ingredient?
Salt.
Favorite cookbook?
French Laundry cookbook.
Your standard breakfast?
Cold-brewed coffee.

Nicole Rucker

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Nicole Rucker is a pastry chef for the Gjelina group, more specifically, Gjelina Take Away in Venice. At the beginning of her culinary career, Rucker worked in various bakeries and cafes across California, from San Francisco to San Diego. In the quest to create the perfect pie crust, Rucker came up with a recipe that helped her win the KCRW Annual Good Food Pie Contest in Los Angeles, as well as a blue ribbon in the National Pie Championship in Orlando. Fascinatingly, her award-winning apple pie utilizes dried apples and cardamom.

Pastry Chef Nicole Rucker of Gjelina Take Away- Los Angeles, CA

What hooked you on cooking?
In short – Failure. I used to watch a lot of cooking shows as a teenager, and I would try to make the recipes from the shows for my family. I grew up in a single parent household and I made a lot of the meals for myself and my siblings. I wanted to impress a young man one summer and I tried to make a cake from scratch with my best friend, it was a complete mess. So I started from that culinary failure (and the many more to come…) and worked my way to a place of understanding. This is what hooked me, the desire to understand.
The coolest example of science in your food?
The point of doneness and its many indicators. The reactions of methods and applications and ingredients. The scientific method of figuring things out – even down to what tastes good with what. Adding salt to fruit – thats a practical application of a very simple scientific reaction.
The food you find most fascinating?
Fruit and vegetables – Its magical the way nature and man cooperate (or not) to make these things edible. I’ve always been in love with apples and tomatoes and their many varieties.
What scientific concept–food related or otherwise–do you find most fascinating?
The cultivation of produce – I’m not talking about the Monsanto GMO stuff, but the kind of thing my grandpa used to do, tying one citrus plant to another citrus plant, or developing a hotter chile by grafting… this stuff I could hear about all day long.
Your best example of a food that is better because of science?
Not exactly a food but a process – fermentation. My life would be less without cheese/wine/miso/bread…
How do you think science will impact your world of food in the next 5 years?
The more people become interested in their food and food systems, the more people want to understand the world of food. This could lead us to a greater appreciation for quality, sustainability and the science of food. Not the science of creating artificial foods and flavors but the science of keeping a sustainable food system alive that can extend the availability and the appreciation of quality, healthful, interesting food to everyone. Rich or poor. Idealistic but hey…
One kitchen tool you could not live without?
My hands.
Five things most likely to be found in your fridge?
Mustard, Aged White Cheddar, kale, eggs, BUTTER.
Your all-time favorite ingredient?
Well, salt is the always favorite ingredient… but other ingredients come and go, my favorites change by the week or the season. Currently in heavy use is buckwheat flour. Talk to me in a few weeks and it will probably be lemon verbena and further into summer… elephant heart plums.
Your standard breakfast?
Eggs and bacon in any form with toast, coffee or tea.

Lena Kwak

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A graduate of Rhode Island’s Johnson & Wales Culinary Institute, Cup4Cup President and Co-Founder Lena Kwak began her culinary career as a private chef and caterer. While serving as Research & Development Chef for The French Laundry, Kwak was tasked with testing edible innovations. She excelled quickly and was assigned to devise a gluten-free version of Chef Thomas Keller’s famed Salmon Cornet. The result, which garnered a tearful response from a dinner guest with gluten intolerance, was the genesis of “Cup4Cup.” Since Cup4Cup’s release in 2011, Lena has been honored as one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” in 2011 and garnered a Zagat “30 Under 30” award in 2012.

See Lena Kwak June 1, 2014 at “Harnessing Creativity (and the Science of Pie)”

Lena-Kwak_C4C

What hooked you on cooking?
It was my mother, who is the quintessential Asian tiger mom. When it came to food, this is how she expressed her love for her family through her cooking. Around meals, I would see how her tough as nails exterior would melt as she watched her family eat the dishes she poured her love into. I would say that is how I learned what I loved about cooking even to this day—it is a way to express care and love and a way to strengthen human connections.
The coolest example of science in your food?
As a chef, I believe the coolest part about cooking is to recognize the series of chemical reactions that occur when you execute a certain recipe. When you begin to understand the technicality behind certain reactions, you are able to hone in on how to make improvements, or for that matter, also innovate a dish based on the science.
The food you find most fascinating?
Funny enough, it’s wheat flour as it’s something I’ve researched heavily over the years. I’ve grown an appreciation for how complex the ingredient is for being made up of a single composition. It provides structure, flavor, coloring, and a wide range of different textures. I’d say it’s the admiration for the ingredient that pushes me to continue the product development of gluten free products, as it would be truly a shame to not be able to experience those wonderful qualities for someone who couldn’t have gluten.
What scientific concept—food related or otherwise—do you find most fascinating?
That’s a tough question as I have always been fascinated with innovation in medical science, but as it related to my profession, I am also thoroughly interested in human science. For consumer product goods companies, such as Cup4Cup, there is a heavy consideration of human eating behaviors. The success of any product is not just based on a perception of a single individual, but the perception of millions of people. so, it is important to understand the average consumer perception within different target categories. What people choose to buy provides us with key insight into what influences human perception.
Your best example of a food that is better because of science?
Chocolate has come a long way from the first records of consumption by the Aztecs and Mayans. Over centuries, it has only been improved by the further understanding of the cacao bean itself. Through science, we’ve been able to figure out processes to improve texture, taste, and performance of chocolate. For example, the improvements that are made through tempering or conching.
How do you think science will impact your world of food in the next 5 years?
Finding solutions to keep up with the supply and demand as populations of the world increase every year and life span of individuals grows longer. It will be interesting and necessary to see what solutions there are to be able to sustain the growing public. To that same point, finding ways to improve the yield of food sources while being sustainable and not destructive to the environment.
One kitchen tool you could not live without?
A spoon.
Five things most likely to be found in your fridge?
Eggs, almond milk, at least one type of hearty greens, hummus, and chocolate covered pretzels (yes, cold).
Your all-time favorite ingredient?
Hands down my favorite ingredient is eggs.
Favorite cookbook?
For favorite cookbook (similar to picking your favorite child) I’d say as of this moment it’d have to be Jerusalem.
Your standard breakfast?
Eggs, sunny side up or a six minute boil, plus starch, vegetable, or grain, plus sautéed greens. (What can I say, I wake up hungry…)

Dana Small

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Dr. Dana Small is a Professor in Psychiatry at Yale University, a Fellow at the John B. Pierce Laboratory, and visiting Professor at the University of Cologne. Her research focuses on understanding the mechanisms behind flavor preference formation, investigating the role of cognition in chemosensory perception, and determining how the modern food environment impacts brain circuitry.  She currently serves on the executive committee for the Association for Chemoreception Sciences and the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior.

See Dana Small May 14, 2014 at “How We Taste”

dana_small

What hooked you on science? On food?
I just loved biology class. It was love at first sight. I became a neuroscientist interested in flavor and food because I wanted to understand neural circuits that regulate appetitive behavior. Neuroimaging had just become available and I wanted to know if what we understood about the neurobiology of appetitive behavior in rodents applied to humans. The rodent work was based on studies where rats pressed a lever to have food pellets dispensed. I guess that means that rat chow got me hooked on food!
The coolest example of science in food?
Jelly beans because they are the perfect food to demonstrate that “taste” is mostly smell.
The food you find most fascinating?
Soufflé.
What scientific concept–food related or otherwise–do you find most fascinating?
Evolution. I am interested in understanding how the environment shapes biology—including the food environment.

Are there any analogies you like to use to explain difficult or counterintuitive food science concepts?

If I can speak of neuroscience of flavor, then I like to compare the oral capture illusion (which occurs when volatiles that are in the nose are referred to the mouth) with the visual capture that occurs when one watches TV. The sounds comes from the speakers but appears to come from the actors’ mouths.
How does your scientific knowledge or training impact the way you cook?
My scientific knowledge totally influences how I cook and eat. I avoid all artificial sweeteners and liquid calories (OK, except wine). I rarely eat processed food. I buy organic and try to eat locally. I eat a big breakfast and a light dinner. I avoid foods high in glycemic index (except on a special occasion) and search out high fat yogurt as a favorite lunch.
One kitchen tool you could not live without?
In truth I should be kept out of the kitchen!
Four things most likely to be found in your fridge?
Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries.
Your all-time favorite ingredient?
Eggplant.
Your standard breakfast?
Steel cut oats, pomegranate seeds, blueberries, raspberries, and sliced almonds. Its my biggest meal of the day. Double latte.

Morihiro Onodera

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Morihiro-Onodera-400

Chef Morihiro Onodera trained as a sushi chef in Tokyo, and at seminal Los Angeles restaurants including Katsu, R-23, Matsuhisa, and Takao as well as Hatsuhana in NY. By the time he opened his first restaurant, Mori Sushi in Los Angeles, he was preparing many of the same handmade ingredients, harvesting his own locally grown rice and creating handmade pottery to be used in the restaurant. After selling Mori Sushi in 2011, Mori began creating handmade pottery for several Michelin Guide restaurants in Los Angeles and established a partnership with rice farmer, Ichiro Tamaki. Tamaki farms in Uruguay will harvest its first crop in May of 2013 and will be available for distribution world-wide.

See Morihiro Onodera April 23, 2014 at “The Science of Sushi”

What hooked you on cooking?
The desire to want to eat and taste delicious food.
The coolest example of science in your food?
My basic approach to cooking is to think about the natural ingredients and the climate (seasons) of its origin, ingredients that are kind to the body and to earth—a very simple-minded attempt with natural science at its core.
The food you find most fascinating?
I’m always seeking the true flavor of a given ingredient—that’s what fascinates me.
What scientific concept–food related or otherwise–do you find most fascinating?
Natural science.
Your best example of a food that is better because of science?
Konbu and natural salt.
How do you think science will impact your world of food in the next 5 years?
It will be interesting to see how the true flavors of ingredients change over time—how natural science will affect that change. Simultaneously, I will continue my studies in discovering and knowing what’s kind for the human body and our earth.
One kitchen tool you could not live without?
Rice cooker, including donabe (Japanese clay pot).
Five things most likely to be found in your fridge?
Fresh local vegetables, miso, umeboshi (pickled plum), homemade yuzu kosho (pepper), and leftover cooked brown rice. Outside of the fridge: dry goods, salted bran (used for pickling), rice, oil (sesame and olive), salt, konbu.
Your all-time favorite ingredient?
Rice.
Favorite cookbook?
Book series by Rosanjin (Kitaoji Rosanjin, Japanese artist and epicure).
Your standard breakfast?
Black tea (straight). Seasonal, local fruits. Bread or hot rice cereal. Sometimes eggs (steamed) cooked with sautéed spinach.

Ole G. Mouritsen

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ole-mouritsen

Ole G. Mouritsen is a professor of molecular biophysics at the University of Southern Denmark. His research concentrates on basic science and its practical applications to biotechnology, biomedicine, gastrophysics, and gastronomy. He is an elected member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, The Danish Academy of Technical Sciences, and the Danish Gastronomical Academy. His books include Life: As a Matter of Fat; Sushi: Food for the Eye, the Body, and the Soul; Seaweeds: Edible, Available, and Sustainable and Umami. Unlocking the Secrets of the Fifth Taste.

 

See Ole G. Mouritsen April 23, 2014 at “The Science of Sushi”

What hooked you on science? On food?
Science: Curiosity, in particular in the history of natural sciences (thermodynamics, statistical physics). Food: A combination of a continuously growing interest in cooking, a liking to eat good and challenging food (in particular Japanese food), a challenge to apply science principles to food and cooking, as well a deep interest in using food and taste as a vehicle for science communication.
The coolest example of science in your food?
Access to foodstuff from the ocean as a prime source for unsaturated essential fatty acids together with the invention of cooking for producing soft food as key driving forces for human evolution. Next to that, dairy products have a wonderful science content.
The food you find most fascinating?
Almost all traditional Japanese food, because of the combination of its cultural history, deliciousness, aesthetic looks, freshness, and bounty of good stuff from the ocean.
What scientific concept–food related or otherwise–do you find most fascinating?
Self-assembly and interface-active compounds.
Are there any analogies you like to use to explain difficult or counter-intuitive  food science concepts?
I have found that a pacman analogy is a great way of making people understand the secrets of the synergy in the umami taste sensation. Not really counter-intuitive, but somewhat surprising and good to understand better what you already know.
How does your scientific knowledge or training impact the way you cook? Do you conduct science experiments in the kitchen?
I am an intuitive cook in my own kitchen and I have no patience for recipes, and hence never use cookbooks. Sometimes I ask science questions, but in most cases cooking to me is more like performing music (not that I know since I am not a musician). Also, the kitchen for me is a place for mental repair and relaxation, the foreplay being shopping at food markets.
One kitchen tool you could not live without?
My Japanese all-purpose kitchen knife.
Five things most likely to be found in your fridge?
Skyr (or yoghurt), a selection of tsukemono, marinated herring, miso, yuzu juice, and dried/smoked/aged sausages.
Your all-time favorite ingredient?
Avocado.
Favorite cookbook?
I have no favorite cookbook (don’t care much for cookbooks). My favorite food-related book is no doubt McGee’s On Food and Cooking.
Your standard breakfast?
At home, always skyr (or yoghurt), home-mixed basis muesli with no dried fruit but always with roasted buckwheat, topped with a sip of fresh orange juice and possibly some fresh blueberries, if in season. To drink, fresh orange juice with as much pulp I can get and black tea. When traveling, I am an omnivore and prefer to eat like the locals.