It looks like an egg - maybe poached, maybe fried - right? You're close, but...not really. That's Marcel Vigneron's Cyber Egg, made with no egg whatsoever. Rather, it's a dollop of carrot-cardamom puree that has been mixed with sodium alginate into calcium chloride to create the appearance of a "yolk," and coconut milk mixed with agar hardened in a ring-shaped dish.
Marcel Vigneron was a finalist in this past season's Top Chef, and though he didn't win with his surreal creations like the above shown Cyber Egg, Potato with Truffle Espuma, and Coffee "Caviar," it is dishes like these that have at least brought what we call "moleclar gastronomy" to the masses. Wired magazine has a short video interview with the Top Chef finalist, as well as three slideshows of his creations.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-07-2007 @ 11:00AM
Chris Furniss said...
I wanted to punch marcel right in his face that whole season. What a douche.
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5-07-2007 @ 11:03AM
Pol Pot Pie said...
Ummm…
That idea (egg with carrot yolk and coconut white) has been served at Alinea in Chicago for quite some time. Why is this asshat becoming the poster boy for molecular gastronomy?
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5-07-2007 @ 11:59AM
Seth said...
Molecular Gastronomy is a cool idea, but thats about it. Most of the food ive seen made under this idea does not look appetizing. Marcels cyber egg ( dumbest name ever! 1999 called and wants their egg back ) does not look like something I want to eat. Day after day I try to avoid foods that contain "alginates" and "chloride" so why would I want to eat this? Its like the 50's and 60's craze of "tasty fakes"... Like a hamburger that is actually a chocolate cake. I think molecular gastronomy should focus on cooking techniques, and not the use of chemicals. Dont use powdered citric acid.....just squeeze a lime! I will pass on the plastic fantastic. Oh and I would punch Marcel right in the face as well. I dont care how he tries to defend his behaviour on the show....he knows hes a deuche.
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5-07-2007 @ 12:44PM
Hawk said...
Wow, it's so awesome that some fancy chef did this! Nevermind when the chinese do it, people bash them:
http://www.weirdasianews.com/2007/05/04/chinas-10-steps-to-make-a-fake-egg/
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5-07-2007 @ 2:35PM
sarahparah said...
But how does it taste?
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5-07-2007 @ 6:07PM
Aaron said...
I know everyone hates Marcel, but Grant Achatz of Alinea did not come up with the idea for this dish either.
A very similar dish has been on the menu at WD-50 for quite a while now.
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