What molecular cooking innovations did Wylie Dufresne create at wd~50?

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Plate of sushi rolls with salmon, vegetables, and rice wrapped in seaweed, served with chopsticks and a small bowl of soy sauce on a wooden table. — gastronomy A common rice dish of Japanese cooking is sushi. To make a type known as *maki-zushi*, a sheet of seaweed is spread with rice flavored with vinegar. Seafood or vegetables and garnishes are then placed on top. Finally, the whole sheet is rolled into a cylinder and sliced.

At his restaurant wd~50 in New York City, chef Wylie Dufresne was a prominent figure in the development of molecular cooking. This culinary trend involves the application of tools, ingredients, and methods derived from scientific research to transform traditional cooking practices.1

Dufresne is noted for his inventive approach to food science, which resulted in several singular creations, most notably:

Deep-fried mayonnaise: A technique that reimagines the texture and preparation of a common condiment.1
Protein-based noodles: Dufresne developed methods to create noodles using proteins, such as shrimp, as a substitute for traditional flour-based pasta.1

These innovations exemplify the experimental nature of molecular cuisine, where chefs utilize laboratory-inspired techniques to challenge conventional culinary boundaries.1