Molecular Cuisine

The term molecular cuisine was coined in 2002 by Davide Cassi and chef Ettore Bocchia to describe a method of gastronomic research based on the study of the physical and chemical properties of food. In 2003 Cassi and Bocchia drew up the Manifesto of Italian Molecular Cuisine, included in the book Il gelato estemporaneo (Sperling & Kupfer, 2005) and its Spanish edition La ciencia en los fogones (Trea, 2005) — the world’s first manual on the subject, exhibited in the permanent collection of the Fundació elBulliFoundation.

The techniques developed at the Gastronomic Physics Laboratory include glucose frying, egg curd, impromptu ice cream with liquid nitrogen and cryogrinding. In 2007, with Fulvio Pierangelini, Cassi developed dry pre-cooking of legume and soft wheat flours, a technique presented at Identità Golose 2007 and Lo Mejor de la Gastronomía 2008.