Top int'l chef Ryan Clift holds first modern gastronomy class

MANILA, Philippines -  For years, a new culinary trend called “molecular gastronomy” has been labeled as the most exciting development in the world of professional cooking.  It has become commonplace for top restaurant chefs to create faux caviar from sodium alginate and calcium chloride, spaghetti noodles made without any egg or flour, various meats to be cooked “in vacuum” for more than 24 hours and so much more.

In the most recent ranking of the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants, almost all of the world’s most celebrated culinary professionals are cooking to a different beat than everyone else. Which leads us to ask: Is this just another fad or truly the future of cooking? Is it practical for Philippine adaptation or reserved only for the elite? Can our local industry benefit from this or is it only for other countries?

Fresh catch: Salmon and dashi broth with squid ink coral

Devoted to answering the many questions raised by the term “molecular gastronomy” is The Epicurean Lab, the science department of Global Academy founded by chef Roberto Pengson. The Lab’s mission is to explore cutting-edge professional cooking in order to eventually share this information through classes and collaborations with chefs, food professionals, educational institutions and purveyors.

Very different from the old school adage of “chefs keeping recipes secret,” the Lab’s philosophy is that individual growth is actually enhanced when there is open sharing. This is why the Epicurean Lab aims to be synonymous with innovation, creativity, exploration and experimentation of all things culinary and pledges to be a resource for like-minded individuals looking for new techniques through which they can unleash their culinary artistry.

Tools of the modern trade: Epicurean Lab equipment includes an immersion circulator, liquid nitrogen, Thermomix, induction tops, foamers, vacuum sealers and dehydrators.

Together with main sponsors Julabo Fusion Chef and The Global Academy, the Epicurean Lab recently held its very first modern gastronomy class called “Sous Vide & Avant Garde Cooking,” which was conducted by top international chef Ryan Clift.

Clift is the cofounder and chef at Tippling Club who, over the course of his 20-year career, worked with some of the best culinary brains, including Marco Pierre White, Peter Gordon, Emmanuel Renaut and Raymond Capaldi. In 1999, Ryan moved to Australia and became head chef of Vue de Monde with Shannon Bennett, winning three hats in The Age Good Food Guide. It was in Melbourne where Ryan met Matthew Bax, his current partner. They became close friends, sharing an interest in all things epicurean, revolutionizing the dining experience by pairing designer cocktails with each course. In 2008, they joined forces with businesswoman Cynthia Chua, and together established Tippling Club in Singapore, which is currently ranked #15 in Asia’s Miele Guide. Notably, chef Ryan was also one of the youngest presenters in the 2011 Madrid Fusion, a festival frequented by Ferran Adria, whom many consider the pioneer of this style of cooking.

Beet it: Mock truffle with beets

Many of the country’s top chefs, caterers and restaurateurs closed out enrollment for the Sous Vide & Avant Garde Cooking Class, raising hopes in the Epicurean Lab team that the country’s younger chefs will follow suit and take interest with the same vigor and excitement as the country’s more established professionals when it comes to progressive haute cuisine.

Following Clift’s class, the Epicurean Lab will have several courses available throughout the year that carry the same theme of modern, progressive cooking for new and veteran culinary professionals. For more information on these classes you can call 519-7199, 553-0639 or visit Global Academy Makati at 118 Jupiter St, Bgy. Bel-Air.  You can also log on to www.globalacademyph.com or www.epicureanlab.com.