Food on the Brain : Neurogastronomy- the Neuroscience of Flavor

In this course, we'll make recommendations for how you can use the emerging field of neurogastronomy to enhance flavor perception–from haute cuisine to hot dogs.

University of Chicago Graham School of General Studies

Event Details

Unlike molecular gastronomy, which uses basic science to experiment with flavor, neurogastronomy explores how the senses interact with the brain to create culinary experience.

In Food on the Brain, we'll make recommendations for how you can use neurogastronomy to enhance flavor perception - from haute cuisine to hot dogs. Using experiments and examples from Chicago eateries, you'll learn the rationale for these recommendations as we explore the neurological systems responsible for flavor including sensation and perception (olfaction and taste), reward (striatum), emotion (limbic system) and language (cortex). Expect guest appearances from evolutionary psychology, philosophy of mind, anthropology and design along the way.

Don't worry if science isn't "your thing". We'll teach you all the neuroscience you need to know to make your next meal all the more worthwhile.

So are you a supertaster? Find out by a taste test or by counting the fungiform papilla on your tongue. While supertasting is a rare talent, smelling is not and since flavor is both more important than taste and largely smell based, a simple trick like breathing out while chewing may go a long way to compensate!

Supertasting is just one example of applied neurogastronomy. Come and join us July 13 at "Food on the Brain" to learn many more.

Your Instructors:

Chris Buckle MD, MBA ('13), FRCP(C) Clinical Assistant Professor of Radiology at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Clinical Instructor in Radiology at the University of Chicago is a neuroradiologist interested in applying neuroscience to psychology and culture. 

Dawn Welsh, MBA. Dawn completed her MBA with specialization in Food and Wine at the Universita di Bologna and is interested in the interaction between food and design.

$115

Registration

Register Online

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Register By Phone: 773 702 1722

Deadline: 7/12/2013

Questions

Chris Buckle, '13 

7738181747