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Why were the terms molecular gastronomy and molecular cooking separated around 1999?

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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.

Around 1999, the terms molecular gastronomy and molecular cooking were formally separated to distinguish between scientific research and culinary practice.1

Initially, the term molecular gastronomy was often mistakenly used to describe both the scientific study of culinary phenomena and the application of new techniques in the kitchen. To resolve this confusion, it was determined that distinct terminology was necessary to separate the two fields:21

Molecular gastronomy is strictly reserved for the scientific discipline that investigates the physical and chemical mechanisms of culinary transformations.21
Molecular cooking (or molecular cookery) refers to the technologically oriented style of cooking that utilizes new tools, ingredients, and methods derived from scientific research.21
Molecular cuisine is the term used to describe the specific culinary style that employs these modern techniques.21

This distinction ensures that the scientific pursuit of knowledge—established in 1988 by Hervé This and Nicholas Kurti—remains separate from the creative and professional culinary trends that it helped inspire.21