Adam Sayler, the executive sous chef at the Renaissance St Louis Grand Hotel, emailed me last week with an interesting question. He and the culinary team had been debating which culinary innovations have had the most impact on food over the last 20 years, and wanted to know what the corporate team thought.

I listed our thoughts below.

There have been several divergent paths culinary innovation has taken over the last 20 years.

1. Tools designed more ergonomically like the microplanes, rivet free knives, pot handles to better fit hands, etc.

2. Technology in equipment. Induction, combi ovens, speed cooking convection microwaves, blast chillers, immersion bath cooking, and rethermalization systems.

Food itself has taken two roads:

1. Ingredient based simple cooking that strives to enhance the essence of natural flavors and product integrity. Best example is what Thomas Keller does.

2. Molecular cuisine designed to convert ingredients into unique shapes and textures. Best example is Ferran Adria from El Bulli and Heston Blumenthal from The Fat Duck. 

This was such an interesting question, that I thought it would be great to hear from you. Send me an email and I'll post your thoughts in November on the most important culinary innovation of the last 20 years.

What's on YOUR plate today?

Brad Nelson is the vice president culinary and corporate chef of Marriott International, he has worked to build an international culinary team that continues to raise the bar in dining. He takes his respect for nature's simple, clean flavors and instill it into the philosophy of the numerous kitchens he oversees. www.chefblog.marriott.com/aboutBrad