The Photography of Modernist Cuisine is a feast for the eyes that serves up the beauty of food through innovative and striking photography

Modernist Cuisine is an interdisciplinary team in Bellevue, Washington, founded and led by Nathan Myhrvold. The group includes scientists, research and development chefs, and a full editorial team all dedicated to advancing the state of culinary art through the creative application of scientific knowledge and experimental techniques. 

The Photography of Modernist Cuisine is a feast for the eyes that serves up the beauty of food through innovative and striking photography. In the team's newest book, simple ingredients, eclectic dishes, and the dynamic phenomena at work in the kitchen are transformed into vivid, arresting art in 300 giant images. Hundreds of jaw-dropping photographs include some of the most amazing images from Modernist Cuisine and Modernist Cuisine at Home as well as many new and unpublished photos. 

The Photography of Modernist Cuisine also takes you into The Cooking Lab's revolutionary kitchen and its photo studio on a visual tour that reveals the special equipment and techniques the Modernist Cuisine team uses to create its culinary inventions and spectacular images. Aspiring photographers will find useful tips on how to frame and shoot their own professional-quality photographs of food in both the restaurant and the home. 

With spreads nearly 60% larger than those in Modernist Cuisine, using stochastic printing on the highest quality paper, The Photography of Modernist Cuisine will be a prized possession and a treasured gift for food lovers, photo buffs, and anyone who appreciates the natural beauty of food and the joy of seeing it from intriguing new perspectives.

About the Author

Nathan Myhrvold, the founder of The Cooking Lab, co-author of Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking and Modernist Cuisine at Home, and author of The Photography of Modernist Cuisine, has had a passion for science, cooking, and photography since he was a boy. By the age of 13, Nathan had already cooked the family Thanksgiving feast and transformed the household bathroom into a darkroom. 

Myhrvold holds a doctorate in theoretical and mathematical physics as well as a master’s degree in economics from Princeton University. He holds additional master’s degrees in geophysics and space physics and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles. At Cambridge University, Myhrvold did postdoctoral work with Stephen Hawking in cosmology, quantum field theory in curved space-time, and quantum theories of gravitation, all before starting a software company that would be acquired by Microsoft. 

As his career developed, he still found time to explore the culinary world and photography. While working directly for Bill Gates as the chief technology officer at Microsoft, Nathan was part of the team that won the Memphis World Championship Barbecue contest; he worked as a stagier at Chef Thierry Rautureau’s restaurant Rover’s, in Seattle; he then took a leave of absence to earn his culinary diploma from École de Cuisine La Varenne, in France. 

Nathan retired from Microsoft in 1999 to found Intellectual Ventures and pursue several lifelong interests in photography, cooking, and food science. During this time, some of his photographs were published in America 24/7 (DK Publishing, Inc., 2003) and Washington 24/7(DK Publishing, Inc., 2004). Unable to find practical information about sous vide cooking, he decided to write the book he felt was missing — one that provided a scientific explanation of the cooking process, the history of cooking, and the techniques, equipment, and recipes involved in Modernist cooking. Inspired by this void in cooking literature, he decided to share the science of cooking and wonders of Modernist cuisine with others, hoping to pass on his own curiosity and passion for the movement. 

In the process of creating his first book, Nathan founded The Cooking Lab, hired an interdisciplinary team that included scientists, research chefs, and writers, and published the much-acclaimed six-volume, 2,438-page Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, in 2011. That set was followed by Modernist Cuisine at Home, in 2012, which applies the insights of the original book in a format designed for home cooks. In 2013, he wrote The Photography of Modernist Cuisine, and The Cooking Lab partnered with Inkling to publish the Modernist Cuisine at Home app.

Modernist Cuisine is an interdisciplinary team in Bellevue, Washington, founded and led by Nathan Myhrvold. The group includes scientists, research and development chefs, and a full editorial team — all dedicated to advancing the state of culinary art through the creative application of scientific knowledge and experimental techniques. 

Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking is an encyclopedic treatment of cooking. Its six volumes of 2,438 pages explore the history of cuisine and explain the science of cooking in a way that’s accessible to both professional chefs and home cooks. Created by a team of scientists, chefs, editors, and writers, these volumes explore research spanning the field of culinary science, with careful attention to practicality and applicability in the kitchen. Through gorgeous illustrations and otherworldly techniques, this set will inspire you to innovate in your own kitchen.

About the Author

Nathan Myhrvold, the founder of The Cooking Lab, co-author of Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking and Modernist Cuisine at Home, and author of The Photography of Modernist Cuisine, has had a passion for science, cooking, and photography since he was a boy. By the age of 13, Nathan had already cooked the family Thanksgiving feast and transformed the household bathroom into a darkroom. 

Myhrvold holds a doctorate in theoretical and mathematical physics as well as a master’s degree in economics from Princeton University. He holds additional master’s degrees in geophysics and space physics and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles. At Cambridge University, Myhrvold did postdoctoral work with Stephen Hawking in cosmology, quantum field theory in curved space-time, and quantum theories of gravitation, all before starting a software company that would be acquired by Microsoft. 

As his career developed, he still found time to explore the culinary world and photography. While working directly for Bill Gates as the chief technology officer at Microsoft, Nathan was part of the team that won the Memphis World Championship Barbecue contest; he worked as a stagier at Chef Thierry Rautureau’s restaurant Rover’s, in Seattle; he then took a leave of absence to earn his culinary diploma from École de Cuisine La Varenne, in France. 

Nathan retired from Microsoft in 1999 to found Intellectual Ventures and pursue several lifelong interests in photography, cooking, and food science. During this time, some of his photographs were published in America 24/7 (DK Publishing, Inc., 2003) and Washington 24/7(DK Publishing, Inc., 2004). Unable to find practical information about sous vide cooking, he decided to write the book he felt was missing — one that provided a scientific explanation of the cooking process, the history of cooking, and the techniques, equipment, and recipes involved in Modernist cooking. Inspired by this void in cooking literature, he decided to share the science of cooking and wonders of Modernist cuisine with others, hoping to pass on his own curiosity and passion for the movement. 

In the process of creating his first book, Nathan founded The Cooking Lab, hired an interdisciplinary team that included scientists, research chefs, and writers, and published the much-acclaimed six-volume, 2,438-page Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, in 2011. That set was followed by Modernist Cuisine at Home, in 2012, which applies the insights of the original book in a format designed for home cooks. In 2013, he wrote The Photography of Modernist Cuisine, and The Cooking Lab partnered with Inkling to publish the Modernist Cuisine at Home app.

Volume 1

History and Fundamentals

Volume 1 of Modernist Cuisine is dedicated to the history of cooking as well as fundamental scientific principles that govern the way we grow, cook, store, and eat food. This volume also explores the physics of water and food, heat and energy, food safety, and microbiology.

Volume 2

Techniques and Equipment

Learn about the techniques and equipment of Modernist cuisine in Volume 2. From traditional techniques, such as barbecuing and stir-frying, to the science-inspired tools of the Modernist kitchen, this volume includes an in-depth discussion of sous vide machines, centrifuges, dehydrators, and cryogenic freezers.

Volume 3

Get to know the science

Animals and Plantsbehind cooking all of your favorite plants and animals. Volume 3 explores the structure of meat, the science of the Maillard reaction, the nuances of pressure cooking, and the hidden complexity of cooking vegetables.

Volume 4

Ingredient and Preparations

Volume 4 takes you through both traditional and Modernist ingredients and preparations. It explores key principles like thickening, gels, emulsions, and foams as well as the science of two of our favorite beverages: wine and coffee.

Volume 5

Plated-Dish Recipes

From the sublime to the otherworldly, Volume 5 is completely dedicated to the plated-dish recipes we created for this book.

Volume 6

Kitchen Manual

The Kitchen Manual contains every reference table, technique step-by-step, and recipe found in Modernist Cuisine. Each page of this spiral-bound volume is waterproof and tear proof, making this manual a durable companion in the messiest of kitchens.

 

The culinary revolution that has transformed restaurant menus around the world is also making its way into home kitchens. 

The Cooking Lab, publisher of the encyclopedic two-volume set Modernist Cuisine, which immediately became the definitive reference for this revolution, has now produced a lavishly illustrated guide for home cooks, complete with all-new recipes tailored for cooking enthusiasts of all skill levels. 

Modernist Cuisine at Home, by Nathan Myhrvold with Maxime Bilet, is destined to set a new standard for home cookbooks. The authors have collected in this 456-page volume all the essential information that any cook needs to stock a modern kitchen, to master Modernist techniques, and to make hundreds of stunning recipes. 

The book includes a spiral-bound Kitchen Manual that reprints all of the recipes and reference tables on washable, tear-resistant paper. Drawing on the same commitment to perfection that produced Modernist Cuisine, Modernist Cuisine at Home applies innovations pioneered by The Cooking Lab to refine classic home dishes, from hamburgers and wings to macaroni and cheese. 

More than 400 new recipes are included, most with step-by-step photos that make it easy to bring dining of the highest quality to your own dinner table. Among the amazing techniques you'll find are: how to cook fish and steak perfectly every time, whether you re in the kitchen, the backyard, or tailgating in a parking lot; how to use a pressure cooker to make stocks in a fraction of the usual time while capturing more of the flavor; the secret to making quick, sumptuous caramelized vegetable soups and purees; how to outfit your home oven to make pizzas as crispy as you would get from a wood-fired brick oven; along with recipes for: perfect eggs and breathtaking omelets that remove the guesswork for stress-free breakfasts, even for a crowd; gravies and a hollandaise sauce that are wonderfully rich, perfectly smooth, and never separate; a flawless cheeseburger and an ultra frothy milkshake; chicken wings made better with Modernist techniques, plus seven great sauces and coatings for them; macaroni and cheese, including stove-top, baked, and fat-free versions, that can be made with any cheese blend you like, from gouda and cheddar to jack and Stilton. 

Cooking like a Modernist chef at home requires the right set of tools, but they're less expensive and easier to find than you might think. You'll also learn how to get the best out of the kitchen appliances you already own. Learn how to use your microwave oven to steam fish and vegetables to perfection, make exceptional beef jerky, and fry delicate herbs. 

The first 100 pages of the book are a trove of useful information, such as: how to test the accuracy of a thermometer, and why it's time to switch to digital; how to use (and not to use) a blowtorch to sear food fast and beautifully; how to marinate meats more quickly evenly by injecting the brine; the myriad uses for a whipping siphon beyond whipped cream; why those expensive copper pans may not be worth the price; how to deep-fry without a deep fryer; how to stop worrying and get the most out of your pressure cooker; how to cook sous vide at home with improvised equipment, a special-purpose water bath, or a home combi oven. 

Modernist Cuisine at Home is an indispensable guide for anyone who is passionate about food and cooking.