The Soul of a Chef

How does a chef think? How does (s)he strive towards perfection and to serve perfect food? The mind and soul of a chef reveals a lot of the psychological and emotional processes involved. Micheal Ruhlman takes you on this journey towards the dark hearts of the profession.

The Elements of Taste

Perception through the senses is the way people experience. Besides experiencing through their eyes, ears and skin, their tongue and nose determine the taste of food. But what constitutes their taste? And how can we influence people’s taste? This book provides some answers.

Parallels in Cooking and Design

Ryan Freitas (Adaptive Path) presented at UX Week 2007. “For those who manage creative organizations, the professional kitchen can provide inspiration for how to balance important principles like consistency, creative freedom and effective problem solving, all under stressful conditions. Ryan Freitas discusses these and other parallels between the worlds of the cook and the designer.” – His slides are available for download.

How To Eat Sushi

Not only the perspective of the designer but also the perspective of the user is important for experience design. In some cases, it is not as easy as it seems. “How to eat sushi and sushi bar etiquette… that’s what this document is about. Its target audience are non-Japanese people who enjoy sushi but aren’t familiar with the customs and traditions that make for an outstanding dining experience. If you enjoy sushi, or if you think you’d like to give sushi a try, this document is for you.” – By Eugene Ciurana.