Looking at me, y’all probably would never know that I have a secret passion for food.
So when Jeff spoke to me about photographing two chefs – and their food creations – I was overjoyed because, not only would I be getting to visit these chefs, but I would also get to see these guys use modernist cuisine in person, something I had only seen before on shows like Top Chef.
First, I visited Chef Peter Sclafani at Ruffino’s.
Chef Peter Sclafani cuts ahi tuna into bite-sized pieces at Ruffino's on Thursday, July 28, 2011. Sclafani has been dabbling in molecular gastronomy, what he calls "modernist cuisine," for the past few years. (Photo by Erin Parker / 225 Magazine)
Chef Peter Sclafani's creation - seared ahi tuna with a soy "dipping sauce", thickened with agar, and micro cilantro on a Himalayan salt block - at Ruffino's on Thursday, July 28, 2011. (Photo by Erin Parker / 225 Magazine)
And then I visited Fred Heurtin, a corporate chef and a founding board member of Slow Food Baton Rouge, who was cooking up a meal at a friend’s home in Baton Rouge.
Baton Rouge-based chef Fred Heurtin whips up an avocado foam while making compression of watermelon with yellowfin tuna and marcona almonds at his friend's house on Tuesday. August 2, 2011. Heurtin uses modernist cooking techniques in his dishes. (Photo by Erin Parker / 225 Magazine)
Baton Rouge-based chef Fred Heurtin sprinkles marcona almonds on top of his compression of watermelon with yellowfin tuna at his friend's house on Tuesday, August 2, 2011. Heurtin uses modernist cooking techniques. (Photo by Erin Parker / 225 Magazine)
Not only did I get some great images of both chefs in action, but I had an incredible time learning about modernist cuisine.
To read more about modernist cuisine here in Baton Rouge, you can read Maggie Heyn Richardson’s article here.
