As a summer design intern for The Chautauquan Daily, I’ve had the opportunity to not only design the newspaper, but write several stories about some pretty cool people, including the Director of the International Spy Museum Peter Earnest and bestselling author Dan Brown.
For one last story, I attended a cooking demonstration about Molecular Gastronomy. The demo itself was fascinating, there were samples, and the featured chef had amazing talent. He worked alongside world-renowned chefs at the number one restaurant in the world, El Bulli. The demo showcased a variety of cooking techniques that really open the doors for creativity in culinary arts. Read about the dishes in the demo here.
What I took away from the event was a promise for the future of the foods we eat. By using certain chemicals and instruments, a chef can create entirely new tastes and textures. Chef Ross Warhol used everything from spherification to make a solid out of a liquid and aeration to take “melt in your mouth” to a whole other level. He paired white chocolate with pea soup and Parmesan cheese with strawberries and Nutella. The possibilities and combinations are endless. It is an exciting development for the 21st century that pairs modern technology with a most traditional practice. In 10 years, maybe these techniques will make it down to family restaurants and become more commonplace.
In addition to the exposure to these techniques, this was a great opportunity for me to practice the skills I am developing as a visual journalist. Not only was I able to write the story, but I also designed my own section front. I went back to the photographer’s full take to create the menu-like pull out information of each dish. I thought it was important to highlight the dishes I discussed in the story, and also the science that went into making them. For the dominant photo, I went back and fourth with a variety of shots similar to the secondary image. I finally decided on this one because it looked more science related and active. I thought the secondary image was important to include so that the Sous Chef would be presented as well.
Overall, the story and the package was a great experience and the opportunity was perfect for me in all aspects.
The section front as it appeared in the 8/20/11 Weekend Edition of the Chautauquan Daily
The Novice Foodie 