“Music and vibrational sound have a very noticeable effect on the composition of flavours, which in turn affect physical parameters such as taste, smell and texture,” explains composer Alexis Storey Crawshaw.
Crawshaw has been studying the correlation between sound and flavor for years.
“Music, with its many short, dynamic changes, helps bring out and separate different characteristics of a dish,” she said, adding that music can change the way the brain interprets a meal.
“It's amazing how the outside environment can change your sense of taste,” says Barbareño chef Preston Knox.
Knox, chef at Santa Barbara restaurant Barbareño, is collaborating with Crawshaw to combine food and music for a sensory dining experience.
“Even though you're conscious of what's going on, it's a subconscious thing,” says KSBY News reporter Juliet Remar as she tests out the concept.
“That's the idea!” Knox replied.
The peppers became hotter or less hot, more or less sour, and the texture became more noticeable.
“When something is in your mouth, it changes the way your brain perceives it,” Remer continues.
“Exactly,” Knox said.
Through their research, Knox and Crawshaw have adapted menus to music using a variety of instruments, vibrations and vocal tones, creating a new form of art.
“For me as a chef, it's interesting how the environment can have such a big impact on the food, and now when I cook I consider those things as well as the five basic tastes, the texture, the temperature, the atmosphere and the music that's playing. I think it makes the food taste better and more interesting,” Knox explains.
The pair are currently working on a menu series that will incorporate tactile and auditory input for diners to enjoy in the coming months.