Hervé This: The Father of Molecular Gastronomy
Hervé This (born June 5, 1955) is a renowned French physical chemist working at the INRAE and AgroParisTech. Recognized as one of the two founders of Molecular Gastronomy and the sole inventor of Note by Note cuisine, his career has been dedicated to using science to profoundly understand and transform cooking. His core scientific focus is molecular and physical gastronomy, which is the study of culinary transformations.
Key Innovations and Discoveries
Hervé This has made numerous specific contributions that blend scientific rigor with culinary art:
Hervé This has made numerous specific contributions that blend scientific rigor with culinary art:
- Precise Egg Cooking: He invented "eggs at 6X°C," a technique where the egg is cooked around 65°C to coagulate the white without setting the yolk.
- Novel Foams: He developed techniques for making stable foams, like "Chocolate Chantilly" (a chocolate foam without eggs), proving that structure can be achieved without traditional ingredients.
- Technical Optimization: He discovered that adding a small amount of cold water to egg whites significantly increases the final volume of the foam.
- The Emotional Element: While a scientist, This emphasizes the emotional aspect, noting that “Cooking is love, art, technique.”
The Future of Food: Note by Note Cuisine His most visionary concept is Note by Note cuisine, invented in 1994. This represents the application of chemistry to cooking.
Instead of using whole ingredients, Note by Note cuisine constructs dishes entirely from pure chemical compounds (molecules). This frees the chef from the constraints of existing food sources. This compares it to a painter using primary colors or a musician composing individual notes, stating that it unlocks billions of new creative possibilities in flavor and texture.
Hervé This continues to teach, publish, and promote these concepts, notably receiving the Sonning Prize in 2025 for his groundbreaking contributions to food science.
As a prolific writer on his specialty, Hervé This has authored many publications on molecular gastronomy, with his books widely available in both French and English. Some of his most recognized works include: "Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor," "Kitchen Mysteries: Revealing the Science of Cooking," "Note-by-Note Cooking: The Future of Food," and "The Science of the Oven".