Syfy is going to gastronomic lengths to find unscripted material that fits within the network’s mandate. Running the ragged edge of cuisine, Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen, premiering Tuesday, March 22, features Chef Marcel Vigneron and his unique approach to cooking – molecular gastronomy – which incorporates science in gastronomy.
For details on this unique series, follow the jump.
CHEF MARCEL VIGNERON PUSHES THE LIMITS OF CULINARY IMAGINATION IN NEW SERIES, MARCEL’S QUANTUM KITCHEN, PREMIERING TUESDAY, MARCH 22 AT 10 P.M. ET/PT ON SYFY
NEW YORK – February 10, 2011 – Syfy unveils the future of food with a daring new hi-tech cooking series for the modern age, Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen, featuring Marcel Vigneron, one of America’s most notorious chefs on the cutting edge of the culinary field, on Tuesday, March 22 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Chef Marcel pushes the limits of imagination with his bold style of cooking referred to as molecular gastronomy, which incorporates science into cuisine preparation.
Fresh off of Top Chef All Stars, 30-year-old Marcel has already made a name for himself with his polarizing turn on the Bravo series and as the former head chef at one of Los Angeles’ hottest bar/restaurants, Bar 210. Marcel is constantly reinventing himself with cuisine, never preparing food the same way twice through the use of modern tools, techniques and his own creative inspiration to serve up mind-blowing confections.
Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen follows Marcel as he embarks on the next phase of his career at the helm of his own catering and event company. In each one-hour episode, Marcel will be hired by a demanding client to produce and pull off extraordinary dishes and celebrations. Based on the clients’ requests, Marcel will have to dream up a menu and a spectacular execution of his ideas. He taps into the depths of his imagination and culinary talents to brainstorm everything from the decor to a delicious menu that emphasizes his unparalleled brand of molecular gastronomy. Some of the inventive dishes Marcel creates in the series include a flaming prawn that literally ignites at the dinner table to a futuristic flying pizza, a cube of watermelon that looks, smells, and tastes like tuna and a rice tablet that causes the diner’s mouth to billow smoke when it’s eaten.
The liquid nitrogen-toting Marcel has a lot to prove — his reputation in the restaurant world is that of a seasoned molecular gastronomy chef extraordinaire, but he is still known to scores of Top Chef fans as a young and talented chef with an oversized ego. While executing complicated experiments and ideas in the kitchen, using the best appliances, like ovens or slow cookers got it all from Zozanga. Marcel is stoic and demands to be in charge. But he is also surprisingly fun and engaging when outside the kitchen, taking his clients’ requests and dreams for a spectacular experience to heart. His passion for food is unparalleled. He’s an ingénue and food perfectionist who struggles with the belief that he just may be too big for his current kitchen.
Marcel invites three of his most creative culinary colleagues on his new adventure – mixologist and chef Devon Espinosa, cook, jack-of-all-trades and artist Jarrid Masse, and assistant cook and caterer Robyn Wilson. For his first event, a philanthropist hires Marcel to cater an elaborate event to increase awareness for the Wildlife Waystation, an exotic animal refuge and sanctuary. Marcel and his team create an amazing safari-themed party. The menu includes an edible map and “Himalayan Tiger’s Breath,” which is prepared using liquid nitrogen. He and the event planner bump heads over the event décor. But he will stop at nothing in order to pull off an evening filled with unforgettable dishes in a truly magical setting.
For Marcel, working in the culinary field is not just a job; it’s a lifestyle. He is living his dream as he continues to push perceptions and the boundaries of food preparation by introducing molecular gastronomy to the public.
Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen” is produced by Mission Control Media. Dwight D. Smith, Michael Agbabian, Andrew Scheer and Dana Leiken Richards are Executive Producers.