WD~50 Review – In the lab of a culinary genius.

Is cooking an art or a science?

For years, the fine dining has been described as the display of “culinary arts” in its finest form, and I agree with that description. Simply following precise measurements of a cook book doesn’t make you a master chef. Like all forms of art, to reach the higher level, you will need a healthy dose of creativity. Science, then, is the process of honing your technique so that the artistic inspirations can shine with perfect execution.

Yet perhaps I’m looking at the term “culinary science” from a perspective that’s far too shallow.

Say a cook book tells you to add 3 ingredients in a particular order, the author (usually an artistic chef) probably tried dozens of creative solutions before arriving at this delicious instruction. Whereas a molecular gastronomist, a.k.a. culinary scientist, would explain how the 3 ingredients generate chemical changes in the food which would trigger different senses.

Sounds like a mad science, and you know what, we New Yorkers like things that are mad in nature. Which brings us to one of New York’s maddest food scientists, Wylie Dufresne.

Wylie Dufresne, a former sous chef at Jean Georges, opened his WD~50 restaurant on Clinton Street back in 2003, over 5 years ago. Perhaps it was ahead of its time, for the most part, it flew under the radar. Sure it received a good review from New York Times (eventually bestowed 3 stars by Mr. Bruni), and favorable feedback from diners, but it was something that was hard to recommend to friends who were less than adventurous. When friends ask you, a foodie, what you thought of WD~50, the word “interesting” is usually not what they were looking to hear.

The mad genius in his lab

Then suddenly, everyone became foodies.

The coming of shows like Iron Chef, Top Chef, etc. really put a primary focus on creativity, and innovative chefs shine. Watching Morimoto is always more entertaining than Batali. In 2007, Wylie Dufresne took on Mario Batali and lost in Iron Chef America. Despite the defeat, people saw the madness, and loved it. His appearance of Top Chef Masters helped too, despite yet again a less than stellar showing.

I had never experience molecular gastronomy before, and was quite excited for the evening. We came right after a visit to Daniel’s kitchen where I interviewed chef Boulud, so even though I didn’t dine at Daniel, I was hoping the dinner at WD~50 would cap off a glorious evening.

WD~50, a non descip exterior and neon lighting.

We arrived slightly early, and luckily got a table in the “bar area” of the restaurant, where it is first come first serve, but more crowded and less private. The restaurant’s decor, was well, “interesting”. (oh no, that word again).

Colorful, modern, weird, and interesting.

The menu includes some of the most interesting combinations you’ll have ever read in a restaurant, but for this evening, we really wanted to throw our taste inhibitions and see how this man has applied science to making things taste good.

Cuttlefish, cashew, and root beer jelly.

Appetizers included a cuttlefish dish with root beer jelly, some corned duck, and a pumpernickel soup. So when the cuttlefish dish you see above arrived in front of me, I tried to scoop up a perfect mix of the ingredients, and most of the time I ended up with a spoon of only cuttlefish. Now while I’m sure if I get a perfect mouth full of the ingredients, it would have tasted sublime, perhaps Chef Dufresne didn’t think of the inaccurate servings in the hands of a hungry diner with a spoon. The soup was a bit on the salty side, but the corned duck was excellent.

Pumpernickel soup with smoked sable.

Corned duck over crisps

For the main course I went with pork loins, to see how the chef would tackle perhaps the most boring looking item on the menu. Mrs. Cheng went with another appetizer, the shrimp noodle. My pork was perfectly executed, and I could taste what the chef was trying to achieve. I had no idea what “caraway mashed” meant when I ordered it, and afterward still don’t have a clue. The shrimp, made into noodles was an interesting play on texture, but not too exciting. There I used the word interesting again, damn.

Pork loins with balls of "Caraway Mashed"

Shrimp Noodles!

To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t quite blown away as I expected to be from a Michelin star chef.

Enter the lab

After the tables were cleared, we were invited to tour the kitchen. Apparently the cooking apparatus, or stove, or whatever that thing is, was customized to Wylie Dufresne’s personal specs, and made out of a single block of stainless steel. We greeted Chef Dufresne and promptly left the bustling kitchen because I actually felt quite out of place. I often tell friends that a dinner at Jean Georges or Daniel is so unique, because no matter if you’re a millionaire or someone who saved up for the special occasion, they always make you feel welcome and you belong. I felt that in Daniel’s kitchen, not so much in WD~50′s lab.

At the end of this experiment with molecular gastronomy, I have come away with a deeper appreciation for technique. Compared with the old fashioned trial and error, practice makes perfect mentality, molecular gastronomy brings a higher level of precision into the kitchen. However, it is only a means to an ends. Fine food is art, and requires creativity and passion.

CS

Rating:  

Interesting.

WD~50 (Make a Reservation)
50 Clinton Street
New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212.477.2900