The "New Cookery"

In today's Guardian the cooks/food writers Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal, Thomas Keller and Harold McGee made a statement on "the new cookery." Their points:

1. They are guided by "excellence, openness, and integrity"
2. They value and build on tradition
3. They also embrace innovation: "new ingredients, techniques, appliances, information, and ideas" -- but not novelty for its own sake
4. They believe that "cooking can affect people in profound ways, and that a spirit of collaboration and sharing is essential to true progress in developing this potential."

Very interesting. Absolutely nothing anyone could disagree with in the summary statements or as far as I can tell in the elaborations of each point. A second article explains that they are rejecting the mechanical approach to "molecular gastronomy" and going back to basics.

Why do I wish for something more controversial?

See - Top chefs' manifesto on good cooking & I'm just serious about food