Exploring how brain and culture collaborate on taste
Photo: Scott Wright of Limelight Studio - with thanks to Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Shanghai
Food goes to the stomach, but it can also activate the brain and can rouse strong memories and emotions
Flavor is not in the food; it is created by the brain
Knowledge about taste can help us understand ourselves as human beings
Food, ingested into individual bodies, feeds our social memory
Taste, smell and touch are the stuff of culture and senses with big communication potential
Taste is the predominant determinant of food choice in most cultures, and the liking for particular foods is a complex product of biological predispositions, cultural traditions, and individual experiences.
Every culture has its beliefs and rituals when it comes to food
The perception of flavor is perhaps the most multisensory of our everyday experiences
The food crisis we’re spending so much time and money on might be better thought of as a large-scale flavor disorder
The form of the learning environment - the architecture - has a significant impact on the student's daily learning processes
Culinary art is about the knowledge of nature and those who live there
The natural sciences, the humanities, the food industry as well as the gastronomical world tend to work in disparate spheres when it comes to understanding how we come to like certain tastes and dislike others.
There is so much potential in taste to be unfolded. We believe the time has come to work in a cross-disciplinary manner - and develop a new understanding of taste.
We have invited a renowned architect, a famous performer, a brilliant food writer and a star chef to the stage. We give them each two of the world's best researchers on taste, one from the natural sciences, one from the humanities. We ask them to rethink TASTE during four thematic sessions on memory, learning, storytelling, and sharing.
We add a highly competent audience, exciting tastings and excellent food.
In conclusion: All curious taste lovers meet in the beautiful Aarhus Theater 4-5th of September, 2017.
We hope to see you!
During the two days we serve:
Molecules and Memory: from sensing taste to remembrance of food
Nerves and Narratives: taste and story telling
Landscape and Learning: building taste into houses and minds
Substance and Sociality: the magic of sharing taste
