The Wonders of Chef Heston Blumenthal

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Heston Blumenthal’s dance with culinary arts started when he was 15 years old and his parents brought him to L’Oustau de Baumaniere in France. This is one of the country’s famous restaurants and it is situated somewhere in Provence. It was there that he discovered the beauty of culinary arts and he was immediately drawn to the world of gastronomy.

How It All Began

This experience prompted him to try to get into various restaurants in London upon his return. However, this proved to be a challenge for him, but he wasn’t discouraged. On the contrary, he continued to pursue a chef job and he spent the next decade of his life learning everything that he can about French cuisine and cooking. He worked in various kitchens as a cook in order to fund his visits to France. He thoroughly researched everything about French cuisines. He visited various restaurants, butchers and vineyards. Eventually, all his efforts paid off. His researches eventually marked his culinary skills. Indeed, he taught himself the fine art of cooking.

In August 1995, he opened The Fat Duck Restaurant, one of the most famous restaurants in the world. Indeed, it is recognized globally for its unique dishes and its chef’s unique approach to cooking. It received three Michelin stars in January 2004. It was also proclaimed as the world’s best restaurant in 2005.

His Inventions, Innovations and Creations

Intrigued by the idea that foods can trigger people’s senses, emotions and memories, Chef Heston Blumenthal experimented with innovative style of cooking and recipes. This is also why he is often regarded as a cooking alchemist. His pursuit of sensory gastronomy has earned him the respect of his colleagues, food physiologists and biochemists. Her Majesty the Queen has even awarded him with OBE to recognize his contribution to the world of gastronomy. He was also given an Honorary Doctorate of Science by the University of Reading for his achievements. In truth, he has received countless awards for his culinary achievements. He has been profiled by numerous publications. Some of which includes The Independent and Caterer & Hotelkeeper.

His recipes are regularly featured in the Guardian and Family Food, his first cookbook. Kitchen Chemistry, his 30-minute cooking series, regularly airs on the Discovery Channel. This is an interesting show. This is where Chef Heston Blumenthal toys with scientific researches in relation to food. BBC has featured him in Ever Wondered and Kitchen Cornucopia, a three-part series. The world is indeed fascinated with him as he is fascinated with culinary science.

Blumenthal’s Yellow Beetroot Jelly Recipe

Ingredients

2kg yellow or golden beetroot

20g leaf gelatine

Method

Juice the beetroot, then pass through a fine sieve. Weigh 600g juice into a saucepan and heat gently. Meanwhile soak the gelatine in cold water. When it has softened, squeeze out as much water as possible, then stir the gelatine into the warmed juice. Pass the juice through a sieve. Pour the juice into a 29x19x3.5cm mould to form a layer 0.5cm thick. Refrigerate this until set.

Extracted from The Big Fat Duck Cookbook.

Recipe via Times Online UK

Image Credit: Zimbio

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