Hervé THIS 

French chemist Hervé This is an expert in the field of food chemistry.

His research topic is molecular gastronomy, a discipline created in 1990 with physicist Nicholas Kurti (1908-1998), of Oxford University. 

 In Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor, This explores topics such as the proper temperatures for cooking various dishes, the microorganisms contained within food, proper techniques for heating and cooling food, chemical reactions that occur during cooking, and more.

For the dedicated cook and food connoisseur, This tackles numerous myths, adages, and bits of accepted kitchen wisdom, with an eye toward supporting the provable and myth busting that which cannot withstand scrutiny.

As a result of This's work and his collaborations with chefs in kitchens around the world, unusual but flavorful dishes such as tobacco-flavored ice cream and sardines on sorbet toast have proved successful, and unusual implements such as blowtorches and refractometers are finding utilitarian uses in kitchens.

Among his numerous writings:

Les Secrets de la Casserole, Éditions Belin (France), 1993.
Révélations Gastronomiques, Éditions Belin (France), 1999.
Ateliers experimentaux du gout, Éditions Belin (France), 2001.
Casseroles et eprouvettes, Éditions Belin (France), 2002.
La cuisine c'est de l'amour, de l'art, de la technique, Odile Jacob, 2006.
Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor, translated by M.B. DeBevoise, Columbia University Press (New York, NY), 2006.