He is the chef who brought us lickable wallpaper, sardine sorbet and snail porridge. Now Heston Blumenthal is applying his unique brand of molecular gastronomy to hospital food.
Blumenthal, whose Fat Duck restaurant was named the third best in the world earlier this week, has signed up to improve NHS meals for elderly patients.
There will be nothing too outlandish on the menu, however. The Michelin-starred chef has been tasked with injecting flavour into traditional fare such as shepherd's pie by enhancing umami - a Japanese term for the so-called "fifth taste" alongside sweet, sour, bitter and salty.
The first experiment in the three-year scheme involves enhancing the flavour of mince. Blumenthal and scientists from the University of Reading are adding the savoury properties found in foods such as shiitake mushrooms, parmesan cheese, anchovies and Worcestershire sauce.
The team have visited the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, to watch Blumenthal at work and see how his ideas can be transferred to hospital kitchens.
Dr Lisa Methven, lead researcher at the university, said enhancing the flavour of meals would help to tackle the problem of malnutrition in elderly patients.
Daily Telegraph, p15