Blurred Menu
Project Type - Edible Tool + Flavor Pairing System
Date - 2024
Blurred Menu is a scented tool that allows people to create unique flavors and bold taste combinations in a meal to build a personal flavor profile.
Chefs and family kitchens will learn and adjust the flavor to iterate their food design faster in the feedback cycle.
Why is innovation in the food industry much slower than in other industries?
Safety
Regulatory challenges
Easy Impact
Fixed Consumer Behavior
Estimated 300,000 edible plant species on earth, homo sapiens consume only 200 plant species.
Lead Direction of Developments
High Market concentration level
High Difficulty
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High development cost of new species
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Barriers to entry
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Cultural and geographical influences
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Stability of supply and economy
Interactive Blurred Menu
Texts and pictures are combined with detailed memories; the blurred menu focuses on scents to blur those influences in the choice session.
Goals
Take Bold & Easy Move - Customer
Allowing customers to discover bold new flavor preferences faster
Reshape people’s impression of Food - Kitchen
Collecting customer preferences precisely to track taste changes and encourage the chef to develop new recipes and iterations.
Why Scent?
Around 80% of flavor experience is determined by our sense of smell. (By Sonja Needs, University of Melbourne, The science of flavor)
User Behaviors
I. Pick different combinations & Sniff.
II. Eat & Pairing
III. The Kitchen receives the result from the flavor system and Prepares food.
IV. Building personal flavor analysis for broad uses.
Spring Flavor choice - A/B Winter Choice - A/D
Flavor Pairing Design
For Blurred Menu fabrication + Personal flavor profile
Contrast
Bright & Tangy
Sweet & Tart
Sweet & Spicy
Complement
Sweet & Smoky
Enhance
Umami & Rich
Savory & Herbal
Neutralize
Creamy & Nutty
Bright & Tangy
Ingredients - Lemon Juice, Honey, Pickled Red Onion
Flavor Profile - Tangy and sharp with a touch of sweetness
Use case - Salad dressings, marinades for fish or chicken
Umami & Rich
Ingredients - Butter, Parmesan Cheese, Mushroom
Flavor Profile - Deep Umami Flavors With Nutty, Rich Undertones
Use case - Risottos, Soups, A Base For Creamy Sauces
Flavor Profile Adjustment
80%
Pairing
20%
1 Salty & Spicy
Complement
2 Sweet & Heavy Complement
3 Bright & Tangy
Contrast
1-Chili Bean Sauce 2-Chocolate + Passion fruit Honey 3-Lemon + Honey + Onion
4 Savory & Herbal
Enhance
5 Creamy & Nutty
Neutralize
6 Umami & Rich
Enhance
4-Olier oil + Garlic + Basil 5-Roasted sesame + Coconut milk 6-Butter + Fried Minced Mushroom + Parmesan Cheese
Fabrication
Step 1.2.3. Flavor Storage Base
4. Texture + Styling
5. Aromatic Oil (Spray)
6. Plating & Serving
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1
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1. Mix Water/ Cornstarch/ Flavor Substances and stir evenly
2. Simmer over low heat until it becomes gelatinous
3. Bake it in the oven (175 F) with a baking tray.
Time depends on the desired thickness and shape of food materials.
4. Reshape and pattern the surface before it solidifies.
5. Aromatic Oil Making Methods (Depends on the materials)
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Steam Distillation
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Cold Pressing
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Solvent
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Extraction Drying + Dehydration
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Encapsulation
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Alcohol-based Tinctures
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Enfleurage