Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine April 2018 | Page 82

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Explore | Interview
INTERVIEW
“I don’t like to say that I think
outside the box. I prefer to say
that there’s no box at all.”
As Indonesia’s leading molecular
gastronomist, Andrian Ishak prides himself
on finding new and innovative ways to put
his country on a plate.
For most people, three minutes isn’t a long
time to wait for instant noodles. For Andrian,
this was an opportunity.
“I always thought that ‘instant noodles’
should really be instant, so I started
researching,” he says. “Normally edible gel
sets when it’s cold, but there’s one type that
sets when it’s hot. Put it in broth, and you
have three-second instant noodles.”
And he didn’t stop there.
“They tasted even more authentic than
regular ones. We made the noodles out of
chicken itself; we took Indonesia’s mie ayam
(chicken noodles) to a new level,” he says.
Molecular gastronomy is a type of food
science, made popular by British chef Heston
Blumenthal, which manipulates the physical
and chemical properties of ingredients to
create unique dishes. Tools such as liquid
nitrogen and dry ice are used to blur the lines
between cooking and science.
As the first restaurant of its type in
Indonesia, Andrian’s Namaaz Dining in
Jakarta is combining these scientific
techniques with Indonesian cuisine. Andrian
says, “To be a really good chef, you have to
beat the hot oil and the knife skills. At my
restaurant, we use only Indonesian ingredients,
and we want to showcase all of Indonesia.
Food and taste is priority, but it’s not just
about that. It’s about art, culture, places.”