by Todd Huffman: Todd Huffman

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A kitchen equipped for "molecular gastronomy"-gourmet cuisine as cooked by Mr. Wizard, basically-is all about the tech. Devices that wouldn´t be out of place in a chemistry lab fill the kitchens of some of the world´s most adventurous chefs, enabling far-out dishes like whipped-cream pancakes, lobster sorbet (shells and all) and meat-flavored mushrooms. Wiley Dufresne, head chef at one of molecular gastronomy´s Meccas, WD-50 in New York City, is so protective of his machines that he wouldn´t allow them out of his kitchen to be photographed for this piece, insisting that we get our own. And so we did.

For a look at the most extreme kitchen gadgets in use today-as well as some more-accessible gizmos for the home chef-launch our gallery here.

Related:

See Ted Allen´s profile of Dave Arnold, the DIY guru who inspired many of these machines (and hacked together a few of his own), for more molecular-gastronomy tech.