The Culinary Institute of America's Department of Menu Research and Development

Deconstructed Dinner on the Brain
The Art and Science of Flavor Perception

Date: September 19, 2008, 6-8:30 P.M.
Location: Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street at East 4th Street, New York City
Price: $125
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Chefs are sensory experts and believe that all pertinent knowledge is gained through their senses. The senses are the chef's tools, used to create craveable dishes and indelible gastronomic experiences. Scientists have begun to reveal the underlying sensory phenomenon that explain how flavor works on the palate and in the brain, realizing recently what chefs have known for centuries - flavor is a multimodal experience. This interactive dinner will serve as a lens into the fascinating worlds of flavor science and culinary technique.

Have you ever wondered: why certain foods pair well with certain wines; how aromas contribute to your overall perception of flavor; how mixtures of seasonings lead to a "balanced" flavor profile in a dish; why contrasts in texture are desirable in some dishes, but not in others; how appearance primes the senses for a pleasurable dining experience; and the role that "pain" plays when consuming a red Thai curry dish?

If you would like to learn about these and other flavor experiences commonly encountered in the kitchen and at the table, then join a neurobiologist, a flavor chemist, a psychophysicist, a food scientist, and a chef at the nexus of art and science for a dinner of flavor discovery and sensory exploration.

World class Chef, Mark Ainsworth, and food scientist Chris Loss, Ph.D. from The Culinary Institute of America, and preeminent scientists Stuart Firestein, Ph.D. (Neurobiologist, Columbia), Terry Acree, Ph.D.(Biochemist, Cornell), and Jeannine Delwiche, Ph.D. (Sensory Sr. Scientist, Firmenich, Inc.) will share a cross-disciplinary perspective on flavor, and serve as your guides through a gourmet, five course dinner at Astor Place in New York City. Learn about the connections between culinary technique and the science of flavor perception. Begin to discover your unique perspective on the flavor landscape around you, and enjoy a fascinating evening of convivial companionship.

For more information contact Chris Loss, Director of Menu Research and Development, The Culinary Institute of America at 707.967.2406.

Register Here!