British chef, TV personality, and proprietor of the many-starred Fat Duck in Bray, England, Heston Blumenthal is known for innovative and elaborate cooking styles, but his latest production takes the cake. Blumenthal designed a canned bacon sandwich for Major Tim Peake, a British astronaut stationed at the International Space Station, and transport of the expensive sandwich cost "a couple million pounds," according to The Mirror. That's over $2.8 million.
The chef, who often makes use of molecular gastronomy techniques in his kitchens, curated a handful of meals for Peake, all of which were was designed to hold up under zero-gravity situations. The meal also had to abide by the strict regulations of the world's space agencies which had to approve the meal. Heston spent two years working on the sandwich, eventually landing on canning as the best method of preservation. Though canning cut the risks, it still left Blumenthal in of fear of giving Peake food poisoning, The Guardian reported.
In addition to the bacon sandwich, Blumenthal created a red Thai curry, beef stew with truffles, Alaskan salmon, and apple crumble, among other items. These dishes were sent to the International Space Station on a rocket from Cape Canaveral and were waiting for Peake when he arrived in December. Back then we didn't know Blumenthal was the chef, though we did know Peake was excited about having a bacon sandwich in space.
Most expensive bacon sandwich ever? Probably. Worth it? Peake will be the judge, and the world will find out in a TV special called, "Dinner in Space," featuring a video-chat dinner with Peake and Blumenthal, which airs on March 20.