Auditory–gustatory interaction · Field study · 2024–2025
Sonic
Gastronomy
Understanding what happens when sound becomes an interactive part of a dish.
Overview
The project studies sound as something diners can encounter through food—not simply ambience playing around it.
Working with chefs and diners, the research investigated how sonic elements could be integrated into culinary composition and service. The study foregrounded the practical and sensory knowledge of people making and eating the food.
The findings surface opportunities and tensions around timing, control, novelty, interpretation, and the relationship between an auditory layer and the physical qualities of a dish.
- Role
- Lead researcher & designer
- Methods
- Field study, interviews, prototyping
- Participants
- Chefs and diners
- Output
- Design insights, CHI paper
Research question
How do chefs and diners make sense of sound when it becomes part of eating?
Contributions
An account of sonic gastronomy in practice
Empirical knowledge about how chefs and diners interpret interactive auditory food experiences.
Design sensitivities for sound and food
Considerations for timing, authorship, sensory balance, and the social setting of a meal.
A foundation for later systems
Insights that informed subsequent work on chef-facing auditory dining tools and experiences.
Publication
CHI 2025 · Full paper
Towards Understanding Interactive Sonic Gastronomy with Chefs and Diners