I was curious when I came across an event called From -196 to 63.3C hosted by Grain  and Secret Cooks Club. So a few days ago, I headed to an address in Aljunied in Singapore to attend a cooking experiment.

The title of the five-hour workshop refers to creating dishes at temperatures from -196 to 63.3 Celsius . On the menu – coconut ice cream, eggs, salmon, and beef. Chefs Isaac and Michael demonstrated using liquid nitrogen (LN2), Anova’s sous-vide, and blow torches. Essentially, it was a workshop in molecular gastronomy, a term coined in the late 1980s. This is the scientific approach to creating innovative culinary artistry and techniques.

Liquid Nitrogen in Culinary Art

A cryogenic fluid, nitrogen is a liquid in extremely low temperatures and so freezes foods in moments. Wonderful presentation of foods can be made with the smoky effects created by LN2 interacting with warmer air. It can be used to create ice cream, cocktails, and airy foams. By studying and understanding the chemical properties of foods and using modern cooking tools to control temperature, chefs can create interesting forms, textures, and tastes.

First up at the workshop was an introduction to the use of LN2 and safety precautions. Because LN2 can freeze living tissues in seconds, it’s important to understand how to use it properly and allow it to completely evaporate before consuming foods made with it.

This was a casual and fun workshop in a commercial kitchen. Limited to a small group of people, it was an intimate setting.

LN2, Sous-Vide & Blow Torches

We began first with the LN2 demos with Chef Michael making coconut ice cream. He started by showing how to properly open a young coconut. It was a smokey scene as he prepared the ice cream, with another person adding LN2 as needed.

The next experiment was sous-vide eggs. Three sous-vides were set up – 62°, 63.3°, and 67°. Everyone has their preference, of course. The sweet spot was the middle temperature, especially for the dish he was preparing – sous-vide eggs and frozen berries. Using the back of a metal scoop, Chef Michael broke the fruits apart into smaller bits.

The last part was the main course, the fish and meat, cooked with a blow torch. The temperatures were 42°, 52°, and what they referred to as the Michelin Star favourite, 45° Celsius.

Singapore is bustling with activity. There are always events happening somewhere in the city, which prides itself in attracting professionals and innovation in all industries. When I first relocated to Singapore nearly ten years ago, I joined the Singapore Art Museum Docent program with Friends of Museums. There are many ways to learn about the culture and find new friends in Singapore.