Ultimate Comeback

In Paris the hottest chef this season is Nicolas de Bonnefons. Little matter that he’s been dead for almost 400 years. De Bonnefons advocated light meals, subtle flavor combinations and lots of vegetables. In November a book de Bonnefons published in 1665 is being reconceived for modern readers by megachef Pierre Gagnaire and prominent chemist Hervé This. Published by Flammarion, Alchimistes aux Fourneaux (“Alchemists at the Stove”) explores gourmet cuisine through the prism of science. “Cooking is a result of chemical reactions,” says Gagnaire, “like everything else.”

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