Omnivore - Molecular gastronomist researches antique equipment?

You never know where you’re going to run into a good chef indulging bad taste. A few years ago, for example, I saw a well known Hispanic chef at the window of a Taco Bell. (Hey, I was just driving by!) I’ve seen another buying his restaurant’s bread at Publix. I know a particularly brilliant chef who lived for years on Domino’s pizza.

But, oh no, not this! I caught Richard Blais of Element ordering one of those blended coffee drinks at Starbucks last Sunday. Blais is our city’s culinary alchemist, practitioner of so-called molecular gastronomy. As such, he changes the forms and textures of food, often intensely distilling flavors. Hmmm. Now that I think of it, those Starbucks drinks taste like cake thrown in a blender — a primitive kind of molecular gastronomy. Maybe Blais was just slumming or researching antique equipment.

If you haven’t already, check out Food Editor Besha Rodell’s review of Element here.