To boldly go? Soy Vay attempts to make culinary history by cooking a marinated chicken in the stratosphere

08-Oct-2013 - Last updated on 09-Oct-2013 at 12:55 GMT

"While in flight, the exothermic heat source will be activated and the Soy Vay marinated chicken will be sous vide, within the insulated capsule.”

As food-related PR stunts go, this one is probably up there with the best of them - and we mean literally up there - because it’s in space… (well, almost).

This Saturday (October 12), the maker of Asian-influenced Soy Vay sauces and marinades will attempt to make culinary history by carrying a custom-made capsule 100,000 feet into the stratosphere via a weather balloon... and cooking a marinated chicken.

(Ok, so technically, ‘space’ begins around 50-60 miles, or 264-380,000 feet, up in the air, but this chicken is going up pretty high nonetheless).

PR manager Kelly McAlearney told FoodNavigator-USA: “Co-designed by a team of rocket scientists, the Soy Vay Space Cooker capsule was developed to withstand the sub-zero temperatures of the upper atmosphere while generating enough internal heat to transform fresh, organic chicken into a Veri Veri Teriyaki marinated masterpiece — sous-vide to perfection.

“While in flight, the exothermic heat source will be activated and the Soy Vay marinated chicken will be sous vide, within the insulated capsule.”

The capsule was developed to withstand the sub-zero temperatures of the upper atmosphere

The Soy Vay Space Cooker will be in-flight for around 4.5 to 5 hours, although timing may vary depending on weather and wind patterns, she added.

“The capsule will be deployed near Nashville, Tennessee. The exact location will be determined in the early morning hours of October 12, when we will be able to factor in wind and weather patterns.”

For those unable to make it to Nashville to witness this bizarre spectacle, don’t worry, the “action will be captured by an on-board camera, enabling us to share video evidence of this awesome feat of food”, she said.

soy-vay-artwork — The Soy Vay Space Cooker capsule was developed to withstand the sub-zero temperatures of the upper atmosphere while generating enough internal heat to cook a chicken

And, it’s not purely a marketing stunt, she insisted.

“We’re serious about our record-setting attempt to prove we can cook a Soy Vay marinated chicken in space, and we’ve partnered with a team of rocket scientists to ensure the best chance of success.”

Soy Vay sales up 16% YoY

Asked about less lofty matters, such as how well the Clorox-owned brand Soy Vay is performing in the US food retail market, McAlearney said sales were up 16% vs last year, driven by sales of Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki, with distribution now expanding beyond specialty stores and gaining national listings at retailers including Whole Foods and Kroger.

To find out more about the space cooking experiment, click here.