AFTER HEARING ABOUT HOW A MAN WAS HOSPITALISED AFTER CHUGGING A COCKTAIL INFUSED WITH LIQUID NITROGEN, MANY ARE NOW HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY. RESTAURATEURS SAY IT IS POPULAR BECAUSE THE SMOKE EFFECT MAKES THE DISH LOOK GOOD.
CT ASKS THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TO CLEAR THE SMOKE AROUND IT
For those who were impressed by the use of fancy dishes and drinks served on the table emanating smoke that soon evaporates, the news that a liquid nitrogen drink burnt a hole in a businessman's stomach came as a shock. A party with friends in Gurugram went downhill for a Delhi businessman, who gulped down a drink prepared with liquid nitrogen before the smoke coming out of his drink could evaporate. The doctors had to remove a part of his stomach after he was rushed to the hospital complaining of uneasiness.
His blood tests revealed severe lactic acidosis, which refers to the presence of high level of lactic acid in the blood, resulting from oxygen deprivation in the body .
The incident has not only left people shocked, but has also highlighted the flip side of the growing fad of molecular gastronomy that has been picked up even by city restaurants. Staff members' lack of training and poor knowledge on the use of liquid nitrogen or other such additives can lead to disaster, say restaurateurs.
PRESENTATION OVER QUALITY?
Presentation of food was always an important aspect for restaurants, but over the years, the presentation of a dish has become a priority to impress those who are more interested in taking pictures of the dish and sharing it on their social media pages even before tasting it. One of the reasons why molecular gastronomy or the use of chemicals in food became a trend at restaurants is that it makes the dish look more presentable and fancy.
However, culinary expert Dr chef Damu disagrees, and says, "I am against adding any kind of chemicals to food.It's harmful to the health. We can pres ent the food in a very appealing way using our own traditional ingredients and there's no need to resort to these gimmicks."
Known for his adherence to traditional ways of cooking and encouraging the same, he says, "I believe in parambaryam.Food is medicine and medicine is food.Addition of any kind of chemical ingredients should be discouraged."
Saying that he does not see such fads as a long-lasting one, Damu adds, "Molecular gastronomy is making some inroads into our restaurants. But the ingredients used to create the effect, do not add any taste to the food. It's used only for fashion. One should have a passion for cooking but not add fashion to food."
Bengaluru-based chef and restaurateur Abhijit Saha says most restaurants use liquid nitrogen for two reasons -one, to cool the food rapidly and two, to create visual drama. "Liquid nitrogen is used to cool food rapidly . It is usually used to create ice creams, mousse and sometimes used in cocktails,"he says. But how safe it is to use liquid nitrogen is, we ask."Liquid nitrogen is as safe as water and as harmful as fire. We all know what fire can do but that doesn't stop us from using fire while we cook. Similarly , it is safe as long as all necessary precautions are taken and as long as it evaporates from the dish or the drink," he adds.
Ajit Bangera, senior executive chef of ITC Grand Chola says that molecular gastronomy should not be used just for the sake of adding drama to the food. It should add some value to the food and for that you should have a trained set of staff members, he says. "We apply the principles of molecular gastronomy in our restaurant as well but we do so with all the precautions. In food, mere drama is not enough, taste is ultimately important. We have a well-travelled team, that has been trained properly . Every dish that reaches the customer's table is tried, tested and validated by me."
Emphasising that safety has to be the first priority, he says, "I don't validate what other people are doing. I don't validate mixing liquid nitrogen with alcohol.You cannot entrust the job of food safety to the customer, it should be the job of the chef and his team to ensure that food is tasty and safe."
Arasu Dennis, brand consultant for a number of restobars, says that mixing liquid nitrogen in alcoholic beverages is yet to catch up in the city . "I know that it's a big fad in other cities but we Chennaiiites are very conservative when it comes to spending money . Implementing molecular gastronomy techniques means an additional cost for the consumer and they seldom prefer it."
TRAINING FOR RESTAURANT STAFF A MUST
He adds that such experiments in food and beverage should be done under expert supervision. "If I have to implement it in the restobars I am a consultant for, I would definitely bring in an expert to create awareness and teach how to go about the process. In addition to the restaurant staff, we need to educate the customers too, as to how to consume it, which is a very critical aspect of it," he says, adding, "We should never blindly copy a fad just for the sake of it."
CUSTOMER SPEAKS
Though this incident has raised concerns among restaurateurs, some customers say that it won't deter them from eating out."The incident definitely puts a doubt in my mind, and has made me more aware of the food practises one can adapt to Indian working conditions. I will be cautious about what I order from now on, but I also expect the restaurant to inform me if such an ingredient is being used by them," says Rohan Palkar, a software professional.
Dr Wasim, preventive and wellness consultant and a food blogger says, "It's wrong to mix molecular gastronomy and liquid nitrogen. The extensive use of liquid nitrogen should not deter or bring a bad name to molecular gastronomy." He adds, "I have strong reservation when it comes to the use of liquid nitrogen in food, especially in combination with alcohol. I have seen chefs use it very carelessly in many places. In order to create theatrics and mimicry, safety should not be compromised. I am a fan of molecular gastronomy if done well." Anusha Vincent, a writer and foodie, says that she is never fascinated by the `science in food.' "I believe that food should be a product of love, not a product of science! I do not want to eat food that looks like it was manufactured in a biotech laboratory . You could say I am more of a Jamie Oliver gal than a Heston Blumenthal one! Give me a real mango any day over mango in gel or paper form," she concludes.
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