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Culinary Psychology: The Mind Eats First
- Jiya Kamat
- Oct 27, 2024
- 4 min read
The phrase “the mind eats first” indicates that before we taste food, our minds form perceptions, expectations and opinions based on visual, olfactory and emotional cues. Culinary Psychology finds connections between the mind and food lie beneath the surface level. Why do chefs pay so much attention to aroma? Why does a home-cooked meal taste more satisfying than others? How does colourful plating shape our opinions of a dining experience? In this article, we explore how the culinary world plays with our sensory stimuli, emotions and memories.
Visual Cues
The first sensory contact with food is through the eyes. Enhanced visual appeal can influence the amount of food we consume, the willingness to try new dishes and our overall opinion after the experience. A colourful arrangement of food items on our plate often looks more appetising, enhancing the perceived flavour even before we take a bite. Chefs are also mindful of the colour of the cutlery and serving plates. For instance, it was found that strawberry-flavoured mousse when served on a white plate is judged to be sweeter than when served on a black plate. Our body’s reflexive response to the sight, smell and thought of good food stimulates our salivary glands. We can conclude that a multi-coloured, neatly plated dish is pleasing to the eye, and creates the ‘mouth-watering’ effect that we tend to describe.
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Olfactory Cues
Taste is a multisensory experience. Our sense of taste and perception of flavour can be largely influenced by aroma, texture and even sound. The perception of a smell occurs when substances in the air pass through the nose and stimulate the olfactory nerve (smell). The smell of food can trigger hunger, even when we are not physically hungry.
If our sense of smell is blocked (such as during a cold), food tends to taste bland. The aroma of food can even trigger taste related memories. Much of the flavour of food comes from smell, so when you are unable to smell you have lost much of your ability to experience food. Smells can also evoke powerful memories. The scent of a meal may transport someone back to their childhood, reminding them of a pleasant occasion.
Auditory Cues
As for auditory cues, the crunch of a crisp apple, the crackle of warm bread and the sizzle of oil in a pan, sounds like these are essential in creating the full flavour profile of the dish. We associate high pitched and shrill sounds with sweet and sour tastes and lower pitched, deep sounds with bitter, earthy tastes. This means that background music can have a strong influence on our eating experiences.
A study conducted in a USA university canteen found that playing Spanish music led to more students choosing paella rather than the Italian chicken parmesan. Similar psychological connections are used in stores and restaurants. Classical music is associated with luxury and sophistication causing customers to spend more, especially in wine stores. Rhythm also influences our eating. We tend to match our eating speed to the tempo of background music played in restaurants: faster music makes us eat more quickly and slower music will make us linger over our meals longer. Thus we usually end up buying an extra drink or two!
Memory and Emotion
Food is deeply connected to our emotions and memories. The scent of freshly baked cookies may induce feelings of nostalgia and comfort. Maybe a couple is reminded of their wedding day, when they taste a flavour similar to their wedding cake. Or an ice cold lemonade may remind you of your trip last summer. Similarly, negative or traumatic experiences with certain foods can create life-long aversions. This emotional connection is why many people turn to comfort food during stressful times.
Emotional eating is a common response to feelings of stress, anxiety or sadness. These comfort foods are often high in sugar, fat and sodium, which stimulate the brain’s reward system by releasing dopamine, temporarily improving mood. Positive emotional states also shape our eating habits, often associating food with celebrations and social gatherings.
Social and Cultural Influences
Food is much more than just sustenance or a source of nourishment.It’s deeply embedded in our culture and traditions. The environment in which we eat plays a significant role in determining not just what we eat, but also how we feel about it. Culinary psychology digs into the rituals and practices surrounding food, revealing how they strengthen our emotional and social bonds.
Take holiday feasts or religious fasting. These practices highlight the ties between food and our identity and sense of belonging. By sharing meals, different cultures build a sense of community, creating lasting memories with specific dishes and flavours that evoke feelings of comfort and nostalgia. This is why families tend to hold onto a secret recipe for generations, or create personalised menus for special occasions
Conclusion
Culinary psychology offers valuable insights into the complex ways our minds interact with food. The mind truly does "eat first”. This is because visual, cognitive, and emotional cues shape our eating experiences long before the first bite. Understanding these psychological mechanisms and patterns can enhance, not only our appreciation of food but also our relationship with it, promoting mindful eating and better food choices.
Reference List
Food Unfolded (2021) How do sound and music affect the way we eat? Available at:
Frontiers (2013) The Psychology Of Eating. Available at:
Harvard Health (2022). Nutrition Psychiatry:Your brain on food. Available at:
National Library of Medicine (2007) Electrophysiological Representation of Taste Memory. Available at:
UConn. Health. Taste and Smell. Available at:
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