The inaugural Lab event at London's Tobacco Docks this weekend was a hot bed of culinary creativity and food-based wizardry.
ABOVE: Experiments galore at The Lab
The three-day "flavour experience", hosted by food writer Gizzi Erskine, showcased cutting edge cooking tips and techniques from the A-List of the foodie world, including Bruno Loubet, the Duck & Waffle’s Daniel Doherty and The Kitchen Table’s James Knappett.
ABOVE: Host Gizzi Erskine
Over in the Noma Flavour Test area, the Danish restaurant's head of research and development Lars Williams hosted tutorials involving delicacies such as finely cured ant salt.
ABOVE: Anyone for ant salt?
On the main stage of the dock-based warehouse, iconic forager Miles Irving held masterclasses alongside pioneering drinks scientist Tony Conigliaro, who co-founded The Drink Factory in 2005, to experiment with flavour and aroma.
ABOVE: A masterclass from drinks scientist Tony Conigliaro
The entire event had the feel of a Willy Wonka factory, with daring experiments and offbeat concoctions being dreamt up at every juncture.
ABOVE: The Noma taste test
Highlights included an interactive mixology lab and presentations on the science behind being a better cook.
Guests were given different coloured poker chips, which could be exchanged for flavour-infused dishes such as mojito and pistachio ice-cream, Carpaccio of mackerel with caviar and asparagus risotto with parmesan and quail’s egg.
ABOVE: Asparagus risotto with parmesan and quail’s egg
Drinks were equally as sumptuous, with wild berry Rekorderlig cider and Laurent Perrier welcome cocktails making the menu.
ABOVE: The Laurent Perrier welcome cocktail
There was even "Hawaii in Mumbai" and "Persia" chocolate from ground-breaking chocolatier Aneesh Popat, featuring flavours such as white chocolate saffron, cardamom, rose and raspberry air and honey glazed cumin pineapple.
ABOVE: Aneesh Popat's white chocolate saffron and cardamom chocolate
No wonder Guardian food critic Marina O’Loughlin dubbed the event "the perfect collision of food, fashion, performance and social media", in an article for Stylist this week.
ABOVE: Foodie innovation ruled
The Lab was a one-stop ticket for foodie drama and excitement, paving the way forward for evermore innovative and unusual taste creations.
The Lab event took place on 25-27 April 2013 in Tobacco Docks, London. It was organised by Taste, which will celebrate its 10 year anniversary for the Taste of London festival in June 2013. See more info here
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