Shaping Taste

Abstract

Today more so than ever before, people are willing to invest in experiences involving food. The gastronomic landscape is constantly evolving however the evolution of utensils or cutlery has seemingly become stagnant. Both the design language and the manufacturing process have changed little in the past century despite gastronomic trends continuing to change. This research addresses this disconnect between meal and implement, where there is great variety in the techniques and technologies chefs use to create the meal, there is little effort and variation put into the design of the implements that deliver food from plate to mouth. Within this research, 3D-printing and parametric modelling seek to bridge this gap by addressing how the perception of taste can be enhanced by the visual language and form of the implements.

The thesis will utilize existing research surrounding crossmodal correspondences and taste, pairing the basic tastes with functional elements of culinary implements. The research seeks to draw connections between these aspects by sectioning the contributing research into graphic, metaphoric and literature based layers within a conceptual framework. The framework uses this qualitative research in order to ground the design process and inform the design language presented through the iterative stage of this thesis. The framework is then revisited throughout the preliminary design chapter, with each development indicating how a designer or chef may interpret the information. Within this stage iterative sketching and 3d-printing act as a tool for research through design, informing the implementation of the framework through to the design of the culinary implements. Because there are several design elements that can enhance perceptions of taste, in order to define the scope of this research, this thesis is limited to the investigation of the forms of the culinary implements. 3D-printing acts as a means to quickly visualize physical prototypes whilst populating the framework and where possible the 3D-printing will guide the design process, creating forms not possible to manufacture any other way.

By using 3D-printing and parametric modelling it is possible to create customizable culinary implements. When presented as a framework this may allow designers or experts in field (chefs) to identify a particular taste and function and then alter the implement to a certain degree to best suit their purpose. Essentially this research presents an opportunity for chefs or home entertainers to be able to design the culinary implements alongside a meal or menu, enhancing or inhibiting the tastes to their desired experience. At a larger scale this research presents how 3D-printing could be utilized by businesses to prototype or design for highly specific scenarios, only requiring small production runs. This research also presents how 3D-printing can inform a new design language, simply not possible through traditional manufacturing methods. The outputs of this thesis are intended to present a design language and several scenarios specific to 3D-printing, but also a way in which it can facilitate the application of existing research, such as that surrounding the perception of taste.