The future of kitchen science

[castironchef]

What are the "hot" topics in the kitchen science field? Is there even such a field? I mean, are there academics actively pursuing research? Or are the only scientists working in the field employed by the same companies that brought us "cheese food product" and other items that are technically edible but not really food.

Also, now that you have completely revised On Food And Cooking, what are up to in the future?

Thanks.

[smiley]

There is a couple in Vancouver BC who are running with this, they have their own school and are doing amazing things analysing all sorts. www.dcduby.com

[Harold McGee]

There is a discipline known as food science in which you can get university degrees, and it has a number of professional associations (Institute of Food Technlogists, etc). I use the term kitchen science to mean any kind of science, food or otherwise, applied to activities of home and restaurant cooks. It’s informal and decentralized, and really defined by what cooks are doing and want to understand. So the hot topics right now are all the things you read about—sous vide and hydrocolloids and liquid nitrogen (hot and very cold!) and such.

As for me—I’ve got several projects in the works, including an update of The Curious Cook and a book about taste, smell, and flavor.

Harold