Snail porridge, salmon with liquorice and bacon and egg ice cream…Make you want to gag and run to the toilet in disgust? Well, it shouldn’t, seeing as it’s part of a new wave in cooking known as molecular gastronomy.

In short it refers to chefs who decided to convert their kitchens into science labs because, as we all know – a bit of science applied to anything is a recipe for success.

They concoct the perfect recipes by breaking down food into their chemical components and then re-combining foods that have the same chemical make-up.

This weird logic (or should I say, total logic) works to produce combinations that make you go “Hmmmm” even though you probably scrunched your nose in disgust before taking a bite!

To become a molecular gastronomist you must firstly have a passion for food and cooking. There are numerous chef schools in South Africa that also touch on molecular gastronomy but a qualification in chemistry with an interest in food is a better starting point.
 
Bon appetit!