All five senses are closely linked with taste. Smell is actually stimulated through both the nostrils and the esophagus. Flavor qualities are associated with color and aesthetic. Temperature and texture can affect taste intensity and enjoyability. These factors do not literally alter flavor but influence perception as the result of natural, inborn responses and recollection of past events. Involuntarily, the brain stimulates one sense if it is reminded of an experience involving another sense. For example, sweetness could be associated with high pitches because ice cream trucks play high pitched songs.
Charles' Fugue is an original concept, a five-course multisensory dining experience exploring the interconnections of the five senses and their influences on taste.
Charles' Fugue is an original concept, a five-course multisensory dining experience exploring the interconnections of the five senses and their influences on taste.
“As infants, we begin to experience new tastes by exploring our tactile senses. It is, in a sense, our original obsession.”
—Hortense Koster
Upon sitting down at the table, the diner chooses Bach, Beethoven, or Pachelbel, predetermined five course meals.
The tray is present on the table as the diner is seated. It remains on the table for the duration of the meal. The plate and instruction cards are changed in and out for each course.
The water and serving spoon are present on their tray for the duration of the meal.
The serving spoon is filled with a palate cleanser of sorbet before each dish is served.
Each course includes a sensory stimulant to alter the perceived flavor or enjoyability of the food. Instructional cards are provided to guide the diner through using or noticing the additions.
“Our brains constantly combine information from different sensory modalities in order to make sense of our environment.”
—Anne Sylvie Crisinel and Charles Spence
The bill appears as a keepsake.
After the meal, the diner receives a box to remember and reignite the experience.
Sliding the lid upwards slowly reveals sensory candies—soft taffy with bubble wrap, flavor-altering berries, and white chocolate colored dark—and a takeaway book.
The diner receives a booklet specific to his or her chosen meal. The booklet explains each dish and its surprises in detail to help the diner further understand multisensory dining.
In the box, a wooden flap underneath the booklet lifts up to reveal a DIY book of experiments to revisit multisensory food experiences.
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