How many times do I have to tell you kids!? It looks like German chef Heston Blumenthal blew off both of his hands while “trying to empty a canister of liquid nitrogen.” The use of liquid nitrogen is apparently part of some discipline called molecular gastronomy “a scientific discipline involving the study of physical and chemical processes that occur in cooking.” (thx wikipedia)!
I, personally, feel it’s a little over the top using something that boils at -196 Celsius in your cooking, no matter how bad ass you think you are. Hadn’t this fellow seen Terminator 2?
(big ups to UK Telegraph and @thesquare)
UPDATE: Despite several sources claiming it was Blumenthal himself who destroyed his hands, it now appears it was an unknown German chef attempting to use a method commonly used by Blumenthal. (Thanks, Graham!)
I’m not sure about the accuracy of that article. It says that Blumenthal is 24 years old. He’s in his mid-40’s. Do some better research and confirm the story from a source that knows its ass from a hole in the ground.
Had dinner in Toronto at Colburne Lane where they make LN2 ice cream… pretty wild (and yummy)
Actually, the Irish are just a bunch of dumb idiots.
The headline to the article doesn’t match the facts of the article. Blumenthal’s hands are just fine. It was some other chef who was using Blumenthal’s cooking techniques that lost his hands through stupidity.
I have messed with LN2 over many years. It is a great coolant for large electromagnets and freezes the hell out of incipient skin cancers.
Let’s hear it for liquid nitrogen!
Had dinner in Toronto at Colburne Lane topped off with LN2 Ice Cream prepared at the table… pretty wild stuff (and yummy too)
Sorry ’bout double post…. Urrrrrrgh
Liquid Nitrogen is an extremely volatile substance and proper care should be taken while using it. I am sorry to hear about this Germen chef, hope he recovers soon.