Chemistry is bringing chefs ‘a new revolution of cooking’ — here’s what the food of tomorrow looks like

Greg Powers/Minibar

Molecular gastronomy is a modernist style of cuisine that combines science and cooking. These chefs (who are also physicists) will freeze ingredients with liquid nitrogen or turn them into foam with pressurized gas, yielding crazy dishes, like cotton candy "cakes" and burgers with whipped meringue "buns." Their dishes are scientific works of art.

The 12-seat Minibar in Washington, DC pioneered molecular gastronomy in the US, and continues to receive glowing reviews and awards.

"It's a new revolution of cooking. Chefs are thinking differently, not following recipes, and questioning everything that was available," Minibar's Head of Research and Development Rubén García tells Tech Insider. "We're re-thinking cooking, and we're not worried about breaking boundaries." He works directly with head chef José Andres to design new dishes for the restaurant.

Take a look at how Minibar is shaping the future of modernist cuisine.

Minibar features two bars (each with only six seats) near the open kitchen, so that diners can watch their food being prepared by the chef.

Each seating is more of a tasting extravaganza than a traditional a la carte experience. Most of the time, Minibar doesn't even print a menu, since the dishes constantly change. Below there's: Quail with dark chocolate and rose water; charred monkfish and lemon yolks; fusilli injected with pesto; thai rabbit; potato gnocchi with ibérico broth; white chocolate asparagus; piña colada tablet; cherry bombs; chocolate eclairs; pumpkin seed tarts.

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Diners are served whatever Chefs García and Andres choose for the evening, like this slider — which isn't what it seems. The patty is made from minced raw beef, and the "bun" is made from piped egg whites and strategically-placed poppy seeds.