its an art.. ppl decorate food to look beautiful and unique so that got appetite to eat.. i do agree.. it oso apply some science knowledge.. i think it is when we need need to set up fire.. and mostly the oven and all those stuffs are created by some science ppl.. but for me.. cooking is more to art than science..

ermm.. ermm.. when i think back, art and science not same? ppl put many ingredients inside food, i think it is same with ppl put chemicals in chemistry.. lol.. need to do experiment about the amount and quantity, only food will taste nice.. lol.. blur @.@ btw.. i already vote art..

i don't think you have any idea what is COOKING.

what you stated was FOOD STYLING, that has to do with presentation.

COOKING and FOOD STYLING are 2 different things.

no matter how nice you style your food, if it suck it sucks.

COOKING is purely science actually. the knowledge of what to mix with what to get what result.

take for example baking - the amount of heat, and the duration? whether to put a foil on top? it's science of heat, where the experienced will know how to get the crust crispy and the insides warm enough to have the cheese melted yet not burning the outer layer.

that also among the many other things, like say for example making beef - did you know that beef tastes better medium rare than well done? many people don't, go straight order well done. damn, ordering well done, might as well just order chicken.

then there's the preparation part - how long to freeze the meat? did you know that some preparation could go over many months? again - science of understanding how temperature / condition could affect the subject.

ever notice how some people prepare fish so good that it's odorless? You can marinate fish with lemon juice to eliminate odor - call that art? again it's science of knowing how the elements react.

ever seen black colored spaghetti? it's mixed with squid ink - art? maybe you can say so but getting to the art part is also about science of knowing how elements react, allowing you to COLOR your creation.

Should be both... Just like what goldfries said. Sometimes my roasted chicken doesn't taste right because of the right temperature, duration, heat and etc etc

i looked up the definition of ART - just to add to the discussion.

now I'd like to add that if you look at COOKING in the sense of SKILL (creating food, as in creating artwork), then it could be said that it is an ART.

confused yet?

IMO it's a combination of both. The creation part, you could say is art. but you need the knowledge of how to mix the elements, and that is the SCIENCE part.

some people fry the chicken wrongly la.

a lot of chinese chap fan stall fail that - the chicken looks damn tasty, crispy skin but after you start to eat, WTH inside there's blood and uncooked meat. WTH!?!?!

such cooking is strictly commercial la, no art............ but apparently they don't apply science as well, that's why the outcome fail.

to get a chicken done properly, first - don't fry the fella straight out of the freezer. then the heat shouldn't be too hot, too hot then the skin turn brown already inside not yet cooked. so how? put lesser heat so it heats up evenly.



grilling can be fun too! the think is some people think grilling must always have high heat - it's not necessarily so. it can be done with indirect heat.

the scientific knowledge of what you have with you are just damn important to get the food right. after that, to add sour cream on top and cover it with olive oil, well that's out of your ARTISTIC creativity already la.

oh another thing, some people cook vegetable took long. it shouldn't. vegetable should go in and out of the wok fast. within a minute or 2.

and some restaurants, aiyoh i damn hate their "yau cham" (oil dipped) fish - cos they fry until the meat already not nice to eat, all hardened.

my upcoming experiment is to make nice beef patty, which I've yet to do so.

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Added on November 17, 2009, 12:50 am

i watch and learn lor.

from my food blog, i get invited to fine dining places as well so once in a while i get to talk to the chefs who create those master pieces.

besides that i also watch AFC. and i do cooking too.

so i learn la, try here and there. my wife cooks do, i give feedback / suggestion if the food not so nice.

the knowledge very important when comes to making food - let's say you want to serve beef for dinner, which part of the cow to choose? and how to prepare that part? cos the meat is different and therefore requires different preparation.

tomorrow i go food shopping, still learning to pick nice parts.

i not so clever to have recipe yet. i just like to cr[eat]e food.

sometimes people choose fried fish because if the fish not fresh, then it doesn't taste that bad. unfortunately over-frying does occur.

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Added on November 17, 2009, 12:57 am

so far one of the most fun dish to look at........



the igloo was the most interesting part. so big presentation but only 3 small things to eat.

itu la fine dining - ART of presentation. small items but quality dishes.
beef has this special taste and smell that chicken doesn't. chicken hor, you mix with practically anything also can turn out nice, but this is not so for beef.

duck meat also nice.

Pork meat also got

Unfortunately my skin grow some red scar... Nearby my BCG, my back shoulder... Wanna eliminate it must see Skin Specialist but will not guarantee gone forever 'cause it will grow again. If itchy or touch with my bare hands, sure spread or getting bigger like the size of our fingers. And so, i dare not to eat bloody stuffs like beef, mutton, lamb and so on. Chicken meat still ok-ok lah...

i think this 1 line sums it well.

it is a skill (art) that requires the knowledge (science) to make it happen.

i think this 1 line sums it well.

it is a skill (art, the creativity) that requires the knowledge (science) to make it happen (because too creative but no knowledge will actually spoil the food.......... but on the other hand it actually could lead to discovery, rarely la. ).

Deer Meat ... YUMMY , Deer Meat of Sizzling Hot Plate ... damm i'm hungry

Sensitive skin, hmm, should be

Seafood, i didn't eat everyday. Fish okay lah. But prawns, crabs, lobsters... I was advised not to. As long it was done and not bloody, it was all good and fine.

Oh my... Deer meat?

Rabbit meat, hare meat, kangaroo meat, dog meat, cat meat, zebra meat, veal and others, i really cannot make myself to eat. I will think of them and cry

How come the poll can only vote for either one?  Hmmm, I'm thinking of shd be macam MCQ, got A, B, then C is all the above, and D is none of the above...

I would think that should be both art and science, you guys have pretty much discussed the points.

But hor, just to add to the "confusion", I want to say:
Cooking is also an exercise, a sport!

Exercise -  coz you burnt some calories when cooking, just look at how those chef sweats during the process.., think of those energy required to chop, cut, stir fry, flip the wok..

Sport - think of cooking competition...

I never use wok. Well, maybe in the future 'cause currently i'm perfecting my Western recipes. Trying to get use to the electric cooker. Bit difficult to control the heat and the temperature. Have to be fast, quick and swift!

traditional fire meanings must go to chop woods ah?  wah, more exercise..

My family been using electric kitchenwares for years d. Need to change the gas tank almost every week! Last time lah... Almost everyday cook 24/7 as outside food didn't give their best ingredients and most important, is their oil! Gawd! Saw a restaurant 2 years d didn't change oil. So dark!

Is that egg?