10 Life Skills We Could All Learn From Professional Chefs

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about why I believe every able teenager in America should work as a server before entering the world of adulthood. It's been wonderful to hear echoes of support and concurrence and to the seven of you who made positive comments, thank you! But since then, I've had this little inkling of guilt that perhaps I focused a bit too much on the Front of House. I have too many friends who cook professionally and too much respect to not give proper love to the kitchen as an amazing place to learn life skills. In my defences, it is much more difficult to get kitchen jobs because most of them require some form of training. That being said, if I had my druthers, everyone would know what it's like to work in a commercial kitchen. Here are the top 10 invaluable skills they would learn:

1. PERSONAL APPEARANCE:

I've never met a chef whose hair wasn't clean and off her face. I've never seen a chef with dirty nails or schmutz on his clothes (except food). Enough said.

2. RESPECT: 

Professional cooks learn day one that their jobs depend on a certain amount of respect. Respect goes beyond people. It extends to the kitchen, the equipment and the ingredients. Cooks learn early on to clean and store equipment properly and keep their heads down and their stations clean. Our chef at Haven's Kitchen, David, carries on the Thomas Keller torch with the constant reminder that "ingredients don't come from the walk in. They come from the farmer." It's not just a piece of meat or a potato; it's someone's hard work. Or in the case of the meat, a cow's life.

3. SUSTAINABILITY:

Owing in part to that respect, professional cooks learned ages ago how to use the entire vegetable, or pig, or what have you. They've known forever how to manage waste by thoughtfully planning, storing and utilizing. On top of the fundamental understanding of what went into those ingredients, chefs know more than anyone how expensive those ingredients get. And restaurants need as close to zero waste to be close to economically viable.

4. APPRECIATION OF LEARNING: 

Chefs know better than anyone that we learn by doing. But when there are paying customers out in the dining room, there can't be any mistakes. So the kitchen is a veritable hotbed of education. Line cooks build on the technical skills they've learned in a real time environment. It's what separates the cooks from the chefs. And while the chefs who work at Haven's are actually teaching classes, all chefs learn from other chefs, and all chefs teach other chefs. Chef David phrased it this way "We're all constantly learning and constantly teaching." It's a beautiful system and one that has remained mostly untouched.

5. APPRECIATION OF PROCESS:

Building on #4, no young cook eager for a career in the food world would dream of opening a restaurant before working her way up the ranks at other restaurants. In the chef world you start at A and maybe, with a ton of hard work, burns, cuts and blisters, maybe get to C. Or G. Or whatever. But if you've ever heard a 20-something question why he shouldn't just be hired as a CEO, you may agree that the idea of working one's way through the ranks seems like an anachronism to many of our young people. I see that as a problem and it's virtually non-existent in the restaurant community.

6. BE PREPARED and CLEAN AS YOU GO:

This goes back to neatness and respect, but watching the pros work is like watching a beautiful ballet. It's passionate and full of talent, but the technical piece is critical to a truly special end result. Chefs learn to make their mis en place, which literally means, "putting in place" before they turn on a burner. Everything is cleaned, measured, chopped, and then laid out on the prep station, making the process smoother and easier, not to mention less vulnerable to mistakes. For the most part, chefs are trained to clean their workspaces and tidy up after each step of the preparation. I've adopted both techniques in my home cooking and it's made a world of difference (plus I feel cool).

7. MAKE THE BEST OF THINGS:

If you've ever been in a professional kitchen, it's most definitely not smooth sailing all the time. Things get messed up. It just happens. And there's no ordering take out if the main course burns. So chefs learn to improvise, use what they have and make it work. I wish we could all do that... instead of hitting a brick wall and breaking down crying, chefs say, "Huh. A brick wall. Let's see how I can get over, under, around or through it." Admirable.

8. TEAMWORK:

While we see a lot of big egos on television food shows, the world of restaurant chefs is all about mutual respect, admiration and working together to make beautiful food. For every component on the plate at your next restaurant meal, there was probably at least one cook responsible for the dicing, slicing, par boiling, shocking, pickling... you get it. It takes a village to make a restaurant meal.

9. APPRECIATION of SCIENCE AND NATURE:

I've covered the appreciation and respect of ingredients, and this is a bit of an extension of all that. Jonathan Benno, who trained David at Per Se and was trained by Thomas Keller, has a famous quote in the chef world that is something along the lines of, "show me how to use NaCl and then I'll show you the rest." Molecular is great, foams are fabulous, but good cooking is already all about chemistry and alchemy. The fundamental understanding of natural laws and reactions is a part of a chef's daily work. Wouldn't it be amazing if that was how they taught high school science?

10. DO WHAT YOU LOVE, LOVE WHAT YOU DO:

The most wonderful part of working with professional cooks and chefs is the absolute love they have for feeding and nurturing people. Some are quieter than others. Most I know are somewhat introverted. But watching them work and transform their ingredients to create the food we eat is a privilege I enjoy every day. Even if its as simple as olive oil, salt and some acid, chefs touch their food with a certain magic, and as I watch, I'm stuck by how lucky these people are to have figured out what gives them pleasure. And then they figured out how to make a living doing it. That's a skill more of us need. I know perfectly well that not all cooks are in the kitchen out of love, but I bet if you asked the vast majority of them if it's just a job, they would say no. It's too challenging, too hot, too intense to be just a job. It's a labor of love.

never let your guard down

24 hours cooked laverstock farm lamb shoulder, spiced lamb patty, spinach gnocchi, chlorophyll oil, lavender yoghurt

this dish stayed from the very first menu till the last due to very simple reason that it was hard to find anything like that. it was so soft that it was difficult to eat with just knife and fork. the recipe was quite simple but methodical., miss one step and it was easy to ruin the final dish.

it was beautiful British sunday morning. i entered kitchen by 8 as i had lot in hand. we had 42 diners booked for lunch and 22 for hi tea. i started off mise-en-place and after an hour or so Danny the restaurant manager came to kitchen for some work. i asked any extra booking, he said we are house full, no more booking will be entertained. i had so much to do so thought lets prep only for 42 diners. finally just before first guest walked in i got over with mise-en-place.

orders started pouring in and i didn't realise when service was over. it was time for mise-en-place for hi tea. i was due to start at that very moment Danny came to kitchen and told chef Mr. Mackenzie has just arrived with three other guests and asking for table, what shall i do? Mr. Mackenzie was a very regular to Vatika. he was seated on terrace and he ordered four 5 course menu, i cursed British Summer. i dishes out 3rd course and that time i realised sauce for lamb course was almost finished and the remaining would not be sufficient for 4 portions. i ran to walk in and got lamb drippings and started reducing it while i was doing that chef called for lamb. i cooked lamb and finished the sauce but i forgot to taste it.

lamb went out and within 30 seconds all four came back. Danny informed chef that guests have complained that amount of salt in sauce is too much. chef tasted sauce and i saw frown on his forehead. almost instantly i realised something heavy got stuck in my throat. chef called me asked to taste sauce, i did and stood there to be butchered.

chef almost murdered me. i did another fresh 4 portions of lamb with carefully tasted ( almost 5 times) lamb sauce. chef was so pissed with me that he left pass out of sheer disgust and i had sent it out.

in the evening when chef was wee bit in good mood he asked me to come and meet me him with coffee and cigarette at outdoor office ( outdoor office was just a bench and table at the one corner of beautiful vineyard where restaurant was part of it). he spoke to me over coffee and narrated his own story somewhat similar to me. at the end of it i got the message NEVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN. 

beautiful bright sunny summer day overlooking vineyard 

holy grail moment

pan seared sea bass, spiced coconut reduction, wilted Asian green 

this dish is inspired from my ex head chef Jitin Joshi at Vatika, Southampton. i started as chef in charge for canape, starches for main courses and petit fours section. it was easy for me and i was quite happy to do that. but some where within me i wanted to be the king of stove and fryer section. on occasions i had word with head chef about me cooking orders. to get the opportunity sooner i started doing extra work than i was expected to do and did blunders and got dam bollockings from chef. but it was all worth the day chef asked me to take over stoves during lunch time. after few orders i crumbled and i was sent back to my section with another load of bollockings. matter of fact i never gave up to bollockings as i knew for sure that i am learning and in days to come bollockings will turn into silence (which was a form of praise from my head chef). it was clear to me from day one that "The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude".

next day i went up to chef and asked to allow me to cook orders, he looked very hard at me and after about 10 seconds or so he said "margin for error is zero". in between when i was handling stoves all alone it happened (DISASTER), it was friday dinner service and orders started pouring (i was cursing Danny the restaurant manager for punching all orders in one go)in and i started to crumble again. it was 5 course menu for table of 4. chef called for 3rd course and started cooking 4 sea bass pan fried. after about 7-8 minutes i shouted "Chef bass on pass", almost immediately he said it bloody over cooked, do it again and do it right. bloody me i under-cooked the second batch. that was enough for chef to piss off. bass plates started flying around in the kitchen and it was dam pin drop silence. he said this is your last chance either do it the way its suppose to be done or that's the exit door. 

i started off cooking the same order third and final time. i was sweating and bollockings were piling up. after about 7 minutes i shouted "chef bass on pass". pin drop silence. i couldn't bear to listen "fuck off from kitchen" hence started off doing next order by which time there too many piled up. and i got to hear the most beautiful sound, SILENCE (PAUSE), SERVICE BASS AWAY. 

after that incident i never either over cooked nor under-cooked any fish, but always cooked it to the right donenes. i got praised about my fish cooking skills from even Michel roux junior at Master chef UK professional.  

that friday dinner service was my holy grail in cooking, after that i learnt to handle and treat any ingredient with utmost respect and "the philosophy of MARGIN FOR ERROR IS ZERO STUCK TO ME FOREVER."

New Menu

wickham vineyard

canape

lamb rump

venison

spice salt

Sous vide lobster 45c

Scottish scallop

crab 3 ways

Bread and butter pudding

Bread and butter pudding

beet root jelly, mushroom foam, spice salt

beet root jelly, mushroom foam, spice salt

24 hrs cooked lamb shoulder

sous vide lamb shoulder, spinach gnocchi, lamb burger, spinach oil

coconut sheet, caramelized honey due melon salsa, balsemic vinegar sauce

Coconut sheet with kappa, caramelized honeydew melon, balsemic vinegar sauce

beetroot vol-au-vent, sweet basil oil and spice salt

Mushrrom mousse, beetroot glass and basil oil

Mushroom mousse with kappa
beetroot glass with liquid glucose and
sweet basil

Where to begin

I'm a chef an accidental one. When I wake up I think of what I want to make. When I am driving home I think what I could have done better. Too many owners that did not give a shit or to many employees more worried about which waitress they are going out with. I was introduced to some new techniques and ingredients recently that have changed my outlook. Instead of what will I grill today I wonder what I will freeze or sous vide. As I started exploring and trying new things I found that there is not a lot on information on getting started. The blogs I have read have got me thinking out of my comfort zone. I hope my experiences and creations do the same for other people

Hydrocolloid Recipe Collection

Hydrocolloids

A hydrocolloid can simply be defined as a substance that forms a gel in contact with water. Such
substances include both polysaccharides and proteins which are capable of one or more of the
following: thickening and gelling aqueous solutions, stabilizing foams, emulsions and dispersions and preventing crystallization of saturated water or sugar solutions.
In the recent years there has been a tremendous interest in molecular gastronomy. Part of this interest has been directed towards the “new” hydrocolloids. The term “new” includes hydrocolloids such as xanthan which is a result of relatively recent research, but also hydrocolloids such as agar which has been unknown in western cooking, but used in Asia for decades. One fortunate consequence of the increased interest in molecular gastronomy and hydrocolloids is that hydrocolloids that were previously only available to the food industry have become available in small quantities at a reasonable price. A less fortunate consequence however is that many have come to regard molecular gastronomy as synonymous with the use of hydrocolloids to prepare foams and spheres. I should therefore emphasize that molecular gastronomy is not limited to the use of hydrocolloids and that it is not the intention of this collection of recipes to define molecular gastronomy.

Food Photography

Any suggestions for food photography...

Some of the most used ingredients in restaurant kitchens

E322 Lecithin
E327 Calcium lactate
E331 Sodium citrates
E400 Alginic acid
E401 Sodium alginate
E402 Potassium alginate
E403 Ammonium alginate
E404 Calcium alginate
E406 Agar
E407 Carrageenan
E407a Processed eucheuma seaweed
E410 Locust bean gum (Carob gum)
E412 Guar gum
E413 Tragacanth
E414 Acacia gum
E415 Xanthan gum
E416 Karaya gum
E417 Tara gum
E418 Gellan gum
E422 Glycerol
E425 Konjac
E440 Pectins
E441 Gelatine
E461 Methyl cellulose
E463 Hydroxypropyl cellulose
E464 Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose
E466 Carboxymethyl cellulose
E473 Sucrose esters of fatty acids
E474 Sucroglycerides
E621 Monosodium glutamate
E631 Disodium inosinate
E636 Malto
E953 Isomalt
E1103 Invertase
E1400 Dextrin
Transglutaminase

who is a chef

Somewhere between the innocence of pot washer and the majestic indignation of the local tycoon (Who wants a special dinner tonight and you are booked sold) there is harassed, tormented, overworked, underpaid, pitiful creature known as the CHEF.

The chef is also manager, the cook, the boss and the supervisor.

Chefs come in all sizes, shapes and condition. You find them everywhere – upstairs, downstairs, at the range, in the freezer, checking portions, repairing equipments in the kitchen, in the dining room, in the supply room, in the office.

A Chef is patience with a clenched fist, humor with fingers crossed, experience with scars on hands, imagination with a recipe and a childlike trust in the honesty of guests.

A Chef has the work capacity of a computer, the energy of a lion, the curiosity of a cat, the judgment of an umpire and the enthusiasm of a child at a circus.

A Chef loves big parties, prompt arrivals, full tables, quick turnovers, cheerful employees, happy patrons, clean dinning rooms, good waiters and Waitress and free publicity.

They aren’t much of clutter, clatter, waste, carelessness, mistakes, delays, gripes, accidents, complaints, deadbeats, burned food, drunks or employees who don’t show up for the work.

Chefs are amazing creatures. When you want them, you can’t find them; when you don’t they are looking over your shoulder.

You can keep them out of your sorts, but you can’t keep them out of your hair. You can frustrate their desire but you can’t frustrate their drive. You can top their jokes, but you can’t top their performance. They are inspiration, our example, our parent image, our critic, our conscience and our passion.

But when the dinning rooms are full and the guests are smiling, the Chef is the personification of benevolence and lovable.

And when they go to the last great banquet, St. Peter will smile a warm welcome, bow and ask “Are you sure you have a reservation”

“Chefs are rare and dangerous breed and we must protect them from marrying so that their tribe does not increase” (Not for everyone)

Recipe

Melon Cantaloupe caviar
250g Cantaloupe juice
2g Algin500g water
2.5g Calcic

Mix the Algin with 1/3 of the melon juice and blend. Mix in the remaining 2/3, strain and set aside. Dissolve the Calcic in the water. Fill 4 syringes with the melon and Algin mixture. Expel it drop by drop into the Calcic base. Remove after 1 minute, strain and rinse the resulting caviar in cold water.

Spherical mango ravioli
250g mango puree
1,250g water
1.8g Algin1.3g Citras
5g Calcic

Blend the Citras with 250g of water, add the Algin and blend once more. Bring to a boil, allow to cool and mix with the mango puree. Blend 1000g of water with Calcic. Pour the contents of a dosing spoon full of the mango and Algin mixture into this Calcic bath, leave for 2 minutes and wash in cold water. Repeat until all of the ravioli are made.

Spherical tea ravioli

975g water
16g Earl Grey tea
25g sugar50g lemon juice
1.5g Algin
3.25g Calcic

Mix 400g of water, the tea and 20g of sugar while cold and steep in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Strain. Combine the lemon juice with 5g of sugar and freeze in an ice tray. Blend the Algin with 75g water.Dillute the Calcic in 500g water. Mix the tea infusion with the Algin base and allow to rest. Place in the freezer to chill but do not allow it to freeze.Place a lemon cube in a 3cm dosing spoon and fill the rest of it with the tea base. Place in the Calcic bath for 30 seconds. Rinse the ravioli in cold water.

Consommé macaroni

250g beef and chicken stock
6.5g Gellan
1 pvc rod 0.3cm in diameter

Mix the Gellan with the stock and blend. Bring to a boil and transfer to a container. Allow to gel and slice with a mandoline into 0.15cm thick rectangles. Roll each rectangle with the help of the rod to make macaroni.

Saffron tagliatelle

250g unsalted consommé
10 saffron threads
4,8g Gellan

Combine the three ingredients and bring to a boil. Allow to gel in a flat tray. Cut into 0.5mm thick

Porcini amber

5 fresh porcinis
200g porcini stock
3g Kappa

Slice the porcinis to a thickness of 0.3cm. Mix the stock with the Kappa and bring to a boil until dissolved. Dip a porcini slice into the mixture and place on a flat tray. Repeat with the rest of the slices.

Gelatinated cucumbers in bloom

20 cucumbers in bloom
100g brine from pickled gherkins
0.75g Kappa

Wash the cucumbers in bloom and refrigerate. Combine 100g of brine from pickled gherkins with the Kappa in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Dip the cucumbers twice in the warm mixture and refrigerate.

Milk gelatin

200g milk
0.6g Iota

Mix the milk with the Iota and blend with a hand-held mixer until completely dissolved. Pour into a saucepan, heat to 80 °C and allow to gel in the refrigerator.

Pineapple gelatin

250g pineapple juice
0.3g Iota

Mix the pineapple juice with Iota and pour into a saucepan.Bring to a boil and allow to gel in the refrigerator.

Hot Norway lobster gelatin

250g Norway lobster stock
0.6g Agar
salt

Mix the Norway lobster stock, salted to taste, with the Agar. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring continuously. Allow to gel in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and heat under the salamander before serving.

Terrine of basil

250g basil water
0.9g Agar
salt

Combine 1/4 of the basil water and the powdered Agar. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring continuously, remove from heat an add the rest of the basil water, salted to taste. Foam. Allow to gel in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, in a square container so that it has a thickness of 1 cm.

Tender broad bean balls

For the Metil mix
100 g of water
3 g of Metil

Mix the two ingredients at room temperature in the blender to obtain a lump-free mixture. Strain and leave tosit in the refrigerator for 24 h.

For the tender broad bean balls

65 g of shelled tender broad beans
20 g of Metil mixture

Mix the shelled tender broad beans with the Metil mixture.Make 8 balls of 8.5 g each. Keep in the refrigerator. Put the balls in salted water which has been kept hot at 90° C and leave to cook for 1 min.

Frozen Parmesan air

500g grated Parmesan
450g water
3g Lecite

Mix the Parmesan with the water and gradually heat to 80 °C. Steep for 30 minutes and strain. Add 1.3g of Lecite for every 250g of Parmesan solution obtained. Use a hand-held mixer on the surface of the liquid, allow to stabilize for one minute and collect the air that has formed on top. Freeze the air in a container of choice.

Lime air

225g lime juice
275g water
1.5g Lecite

Combine the three ingredients and use a hand-held mixer on the surface of the liquid; allow to stabilize for one minute and collect the air that has formed on top.

Olive oil spiral
For virgin olive oil caramel

100 g of Isomalt
25 g of glucose
1.5 g of Sucro
45 g of extra virgin olive oil
1.5 g of Glice

Mix the Isomalt, the glucose and Sucro and cook at 160° C (they will obtain the missing 5° C with their own heat).As the caramel is cooking, dissolve Glice with the virgin olive oil at 50° C.When the caramel is at 160° C drizzle the oil and bind with a spatula.When the caramel has absorbed all the oil, spread out on sulphurised paper.With this caramel we can make many different forms, such as the olive oil spiral.

Black olive emulsion

50 g of black olive water
1 leaf of gelatine
2 g(previously rehydrated in cold water)
0.5 g of Sucro50 g of black olive grease
0.5 g of Glice

Dissolve the gelatine with 1/3 part of the black olive water at medium temperature and add the rest of the water.Add Sucro and blend with a turmix.At the same time, dissolve Glice with the black olive grease at a temperature of about 50° C. Continue to add the grease to the black olive water while binding with the turmix.Keep in the refrigerator for 2 h. When it has set, cut 10 pieces of 0.2 g each. This emulsion is served with the disc of mango.

Photos coming soon
All recipes by Ferran Adria (El Bulli)

Texturas

Texturas product name of ingredients and small tools available at El Bulli stores world wide. By using the ingredients one can do number amazing experiments. Its basically palying around with texturas of food.

Texturas divided into four different categories

1. SFERIFICACIÓN

Algin (Sodium Alginate)

A natural product extracted from brown algae (of Laminaria, Fucus, and Macrocystis genera, among others) that grow in cold water regions of Ireland, Scotland, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, etc. Depending on the part of the algae that has been refined, the texture and Calcic reactivity of each alginate varies. For this reason, we have selected Algin as the ideal product for achieving spherification with guaranteed results.

Characteristics: Presented in a refined powder. Gels in the presence of Calcic. Dilutes while cold with strong agitation. It need not be heated to produce spherification.

Calcic (Calcium Chloride)

This product is a calcium salt traditionally used in the food industry, for example in cheese making. Calcic is essential in the reaction with Algin that produces spherification. It is the ideal reactant for its high water solubility, considerable calcium content, and consequently great capacity for producing spherification.

Characteristics: Presented in granules. Highly water soluble. Great moisture absorption capacity.

Citrus

A product made from sodium citrate, obtained mainly from citrus; it is usually used in the food industry to prevent darkening of cut fruits and vegetables. It has the property of reducing the acidity of foods, and using it makes it possible to achieve spherical preparations with strongly acidic ingredients.Dissolves easily and acts instantaneously.

Characteristics: Presented in a refined powder.Highly water soluble.

Eines

Spherification is a new process that uses a very specific technique. For this reason, the tools used for this purpose have been subjected to numerous tests. The Eines pack contains the most useful tools for each step in spherification. Once the desired shape and size are determined, the right tool must be chosen: Syringes are used to create drops that make spherical caviar. For larger preparations (mini-spheres, ravioli, gnocchi, balloons), Dosing Spoons must be used. Collecting Spoons are used to remove and wash the spherical preparation from the Calcic bath.

Gluco

Gluco consists of calcium gluconolactate, a mixture of two calcium salts (calcium gluconate and calcium lactate) that produces a product rich in calcium and perfect for the technique of Inverse Spherification, while adding no flavour whatsoever to the food under preparation. In the food industry calcium gluconolactate is used to enrich different foodstuffs with calcium. Gluco was chosen for its excellent behaviour in spherification processes.

Characteristics: Presentation in powder form. Soluble in cold liquids. To avoid difficulties in dissolving, add Gluco before any other powder product. Problem free in acidic, alcoholic or fatty mediums.

2. GELIFICACIÓN

Gellan

A very recently discovered (1977) gelling agent obtained from the fermentation of Sphingomonas elodea bacteria.Depending on the production method, there are two different types of gellan. This sample is firm gellan. Gellan allows us to obtain a firm gel that slices cleanly and withstands temperatures of 90 °C (hot gelatin).

Characteristics: Presented in a refined powder. Heat to 85 °C, then allow to cool to achieve the gelifying effect.It loses its gelling capacity in concentrated saline solutions.

Kappa

A gelling agent extracted from a type of red algae (mainly from Chondrus and Eucheuma genera).It is a carrageenan, a name originating from Carragheen, Ireland, where these algae have been used for more than 600 years. In the mid 20th century, this “Irish moss” started to be produced industrially as a gelling agent. Kappa produces a gel with a firm, brittle texture.

Characteristics: Presented in a refined powder. Mix while cold and bring to a boil. Its rapid gelification allows us to cover an ingredient. Once gelled, it can withstand temperatures of up to about 60 °C. In acidic mediums, it loses part of its gelling capacity.

Iota

A gelling agent extracted from a type of red algae (mainly from Chondrus and Eucheuma genera), like other carrageenans.They are found on the coasts of the north Atlantic, as well as in the Philippine and Indonesian seas. Iota has very specific characteristics and produces a soft, elastic gel. It can also be used to make hot gelatins

Characteristics: Presented in a refined powder. It dissolves while cold and is heated to about 80 °C for gelification.A soft gel that does not form while the mixture is stirred.If the gel breaks, it will reform if allowed to rest.

Agar

Extracted from a type of red algae (of the Gelidium and Gracilaria genera), AGAR is a gelling agent used in Japan since the 15th century. In 1859, it was introduced to Europe as a characteristically Chinese food, and at the start of the 20th century it began to be used in the food industry. It is a source of fiber and can form gels in very small proportions. It can be used to make hot gelatins.

Characteristics: Presented in a refined powder. Mix while cold and bring to a boil. Gelification is fast. Once gelled, it can withstand temperatures of up to 80 °C (hot gelatin). Allow it to rest for correct gelification. In acidic mediums, it loses part of its gelling capacity.

Metil

Gelifier extracted from the cellulose of vegetables. Unlike other gelifiers, Metil (with a metilcellulose base) gelifies when heat is applied. When cold it acts as a thickener. There is a wide range of viscosity in metilcelluloses, which affects the final result of the gelification. Metil has been chosen for its great gelifying power and reliability.
Characteristics:Available in powder form. Mix cold, shaking vigorously, and leave to rest in the refrigerator until it reaches 4° C for hydration. Next apply temperature up to 55° C. When the product cools it loses gel capacity and becomes liquid.

3. EMULSIFICACIÓN

Lecite

A natural soy lecithin-based emulsifier, ideal for making airs.This product, discovered at the end of the 19th century, was first produced for the food industry in the last century.It is useful in the prevention of arteriosclerosis and contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.Lecite is made from non-transgenic soy.

Characteristics: Presented in a refined powder. Cold soluble. Very soluble in aqueous mediums. Thanks to its great emulsifying power, Lecite is the ideal product for converting juices and other watery liquids into airs. It also has a surprising capacity to emulsify impossible sauces.

Sucro

Emulsifier derived from sacarose, obtained from reaction between sacarose and fatty acids (sucroester). This product is widely used in Japan. Due to its high stability as an emulsifier it is used to prepare oil in water type emulsions. It is a product similar to water, and so it must first be dissolved in that medium. It also has aerating properties.
Characteristics: In powder form. Indissoluble in fat. It is dissolved in water with no need to apply temperature, though with heat it dissolves faster. Once it has dissolved, it must be slowly added to the fatty medium.

Gelice

Monoglyceride and diglyceride derived from fats, obtained from glycerine and fatty acids.Glice has been chosen for its high stability to act as an emulsifier which integrates a watery medium into a fatty medium. It is an emulsifier similar to oil, which means that it must first be broken down with a fatty element and then added to the watery element.

Characteristics: Available in flakes. Indissoluble in water. It dissolves in oil heated up to 60° C.The mixture of oil and Glice in water must be integrated slowly for the emulsion to be satisfactory.

4. ESPESANTES

Xantana

Its an amazing product. Used with liquid to create suspension effect.

5. SURPRISES

Malto

Malto is a product based on maltodextrin, a carbohydrate obtained from cornstarch molecules, in this case those of tapioca, which have been broken down. It has low sweetening power and does not add calories. It is employed as a bulking agent, but can also absorb oils. Used in the food industry in the preparation of beverages, dairy products, candies, soups, and so on.

Characteristics: Presentation in a very fine powder. Readily soluble when cold or hot. Becomes a manipulable powder when mixed with oil (2 parts Malto to 1 part oil) and dissolves completely on contact with any aqueous medium.

Crumiel

This product from the Surprises family offers cooks a magic possibility unthinkable until now – the easy, convenient use of honey in its crystallised state. Crumiel enables us to incorporate all the flavour of honey into a vast number of dishes, both sweet and savoury, to enhance them and make combinations with the widest variety of flavours and ingredients, adding a unique crunchy texture to every dish.

Characteristics: Presentation in small, irregular granules. It is extremely important to store CRUMIEL in a cool, very dry place to avoid humidification.

Fizzy

A product with an effervescent effect in the shape of long thick granules. They can be consumed in the usual way (directly or dissolved in water), though we also recommend a selection of less usual uses: bathe them whole in chocolate or caramel, or grind them into a powder and mix them with other ingredients, such as fruit or sorbets. Fizzy has a neutral flavour with a hint of citric, which allows it to be combined with any number of flavours and ingredients.

Characteristics: Presentation in elongated granules. Conserve in a cool very dry place to avoid humidification.