Beyond Taste

WHAT A series of fine-dining tableware that heightens the multisensory experience of eating by exploring the synergy of food and design. WHY There is much more interplay between our senses than previously thought. The shapes, colours and textures of the dishes used to serve our food all influence our eating experience. This is the realm of gastrophysics: a new, interdisciplinary field applying principles from neuroscience, physics and chemistry to gastronomy and cooking. HOW Teresa Berger worked closely with Floris van Straalen, head chef at Michelin-star restaurant Envy in Amsterdam, to develop tableware for an eight-course menu. In each piece, she focuses on one or two sensory cues other than taste, linked to the origin or the preparation of the food.