David Chang is a famous Korean-American chef who is known for his trendy restaurant group Momofuku. Now, the celebrity chef and his team have teamed up with Rachel Dutton, a Harvard microbiologist, to develop a one-of-a-kind tasting menu. Chang hopes to find unique strains of bacteria and mold to introduce in his dishes.

Fermentation is often a process used in cooking, especially in Asian cuisine. Microbes are essential to traditional Asian dishes such as miso soup, kimchi, koji, and rice vinegar. The Momofuku R&D team is currently monitoring how foods decay in their test kitchen. Plastic containers are filled with ingredients such as popcorn, beans, and peas. Dan Felder, head of the R&D at Momofuku’s test kitchen explains that, “We’re still totally mystified.”

Mold pictured:

1. Cranberry Vinegar, 2. Kimchi, 3. Koji, 4. Pork Bushi

image credit: Grant Cornett

Momofuku