Food News 11-3

11.03.04

Heston Blumenthal, the three Michelin star chef known for his experimental dishes such as smoky bacon and egg ice cream, has always prided himself on his scientific approach to cooking. Now his pioneering work has been recognised by the academic establishment, which has awarded him a grant to set up the country's first laboratory attached to a restaurant.

Tour of Duty. A British businessman has just finished up an eight-year dining tour of every Michelin three-star restaurant and produced his own ideal menu from the experience...

Whole Hog. Pigs' brains may be on restaurant menus, but would you go the whole hog at home? Clare Rudebeck serves her unsuspecting guests an offally good feast.

Pim (she is regarded by her many friends as one of the best Thai cooks outside her native Thailand) knows Jay Rayner, restaurant critic for the Observer, UK, and she took him to Manresa for dinner.

McDonalds may be dropping their iconic golden arches and replacing them with a question mark (?). Rather appropriate we say, because why the fuck would you eat there in the first place - QUESTION MARK.

Some real fast food.

Nancy Davidson interviews the classmates who beat her to the food writing table. "Still new at interviewing, I was nervous about talking with Pete (Wells). When we met, he had recently won his second and third Beard Awards—named for the legendary cooking-teacher and author—for magazine-feature writing. He shrugged off my congratulations. "Some people call them the Oscars of the food world,” he said, "but it’s a very tiny world."

El Bulli tasting menu, family style.