Sonic Wonderland uses music to enhance food's flavour profile

Sony recently collaborated with pioneering food designers Bompas & Parr for Sonic Wonderland, a culinary experience testing sound’s effect on perception. The project showcased Sony’s Multi Room speakers, at the same putting to the test experimental psychologist Charles Spence’s theory that a dish can be made up to 10% sweeter or 10% more bitter if accompanied by the right music.

Taking the form of an immersive dinner party, a collection of show-stopping culinary moments and perfectly-tuned experiments were devised to test how acoustic technology and science can reveal hidden aspects of our senses.

The evening’s sounds were chosen by a “sonic sommelier”, the composer and sound designer Dom James while Bompas and Parr took care of the catering. First on the menu was a “sonic cleanse”, a smorgasbord of sounds testing the full range of human hearing (– 20Hz to 20kHz), priming the ears for the festivities. Breast of quail, goat’s cheesecake and deconstructed trifle followed, shimmying round the taste spectrum (as hypothesised) as the music moved from romantic orchestral to low frequency drone.

Immersive dining is particularly hot at the moment. The project is a shrewd bit of marketing on Sony’s part – showcasing the audio capabilities of the speaker system whilst demonstrating how the product can scientifically enhance experience. The Waldorf Project Chapter Two/COLOUR recently pushed the boundaries of multi sensory experience, exploring the concept of colour through art, food design, fine wine, choreography and theatre.