Coming Soon to a Kitchen Near You — 3D Printed Food By Carlie Wagner From fine dining establishments to nursing homes, chefs are starting to take advantage of the applications of 3D printing to create some truly unique foods. While you may expect to see a 3D printer at work in an engineering firm or design studio, a kitchen may seem like a bit of a stretch. But, as material technologies continue to evolve (see my previous article about materials for more information), 3D printing is popping up up in all sorts of interesting new places. From fine dining establishments to nursing homes, chefs are starting to take advantage of the applications of 3D printing to create some truly unique foods. 3D Printed Food Gets Fancy Recent gastronomy trends have been all about pushing the limits as to how food is prepared, presented, and tasted. It is no surprise, then, that cutting-edge fine dining restaurants have been amongst the first to embrace 3D printing. example, was a printed chocolate globe that opened up to reveal compartments filled with flavors inspired by global cuisines. 3D printing is also starting to become a staple in more permanent dining establishments. With the help of a wave of new culinary 3D printers, such as the Foodini, chefs are able to really take their presentations to the next level. Whether they are printing mashed potatoes into a pattern on the side of a plate, crafting doughnuts into unique shapes, or creating architecturally-inspired cake toppers and chocolate molds, printers allow restaurants to automate processes that once took a high level of skill and patience. While some restaurants see the power of 3D printing for more refined approaches, others have more whimsical ideas. One printer, for example, prints customizable gummy candies. At last year’s 3D Printshow London 2015, 3D printed food took center stage at the world’s first 3D printed popup restaurant. This collaboration between FabLab Maastricht and Michelin-starred chefs resulted in a one-of-a-kind tasting menu. The nature of 3D printing allows chefs to create edible works of art that would otherwise be next to impossible. One of the featured desserts, for www.cadlearning.com 27