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The Perfect Meal

The Multisensory Science of Food and Dining
By Betina Piqueras-Fiszman and Charles Spence
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Check link for latest rating. ( 47 ratings, 4 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Perfect Meal explores how a diner's senses combine to create the complete multisensory experience of a meal, particularly in a restaurant setting. The authors focus on non-flavour factors influencing the dining experience, such as the colour of plates, shape of glasses, dish names, and background music. The book examines these elements through perspectives like decision neuroscience, marketing, design, and psychology.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$7199
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book suits food enthusiasts, chefs, and anyone intrigued by the science and psychology behind dining experiences. It appeals to readers interested in gastronomy, sensory studies, and the intersection of neuroscience with culinary arts.

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The authors of The Perfect Meal examine all of the elements that contribute to the diner's experience of a meal (primarily at a restaurant) and investigate how each of the diner's senses contributes to their overall multisensory experience.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The authors of The Perfect Meal examine all of the elements that contribute to the diner’s experience of a meal (primarily at a restaurant) and investigate how each of the diner’s senses contributes to their overall multisensory experience.

The principal focus of the book is not on flavour perception, but on all of the non-food and beverage factors that have been shown to influence the diner’s overall experience.

Examples are:

  • The colour of the plate (visual)
  • The shape of the glass (visual/tactile)
  • The names used to describe the dishes (cognitive)
  • The background music playing inside the restaurant (aural)

Novel approaches to understanding the diner’s experience in the restaurant setting are explored from the perspectives of decision neuroscience, marketing, design, and psychology.

The Perfect Meal was the 2015 Popular Science Prose Award Winner.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Times praises the book as unique and eye-opening, challenging the notion that taste is only on the tongue. The New York Journal of Books highlights its revealing look at multisensory eating and cooking experiences. Nature notes the entertaining and informative analysis including fascinating details on cutlery evolution. Renowned chefs Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adrià commend the book for demonstrating the complexity and creativity involved in gastronomy and the critical role of sensory perception.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781118490822

Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 October 2014

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Wiley-Blackwell

Contributors:

  • Foreword by Heston Blumenthal

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 168.0mm

Height: 244.0mm

Weight: 839g

Pages: 432

Collections

Betina Piqueras-Fiszman Charles Spence Cook Books & Recipes Cooking & Food Education & Reference Engineering, Technology & Agriculture Science & Nature Uncategorised

About the Author

Charles Spence is Professor of Experimental Psychologyand Head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory in the Department ofExperimental Psychology at Oxford University. Betina Piqueras-Fiszman was Consumer and SensoryResearcher at the Crossmodal Research Laboratory in the Departmentof Experimental Psychology at Oxford University and is currentlyAssistant Professor in the Department of Marketing and ConsumerBehaviour at Wageningen UR.

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