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Gastrophysics

The New Science of Eating

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Gastrophysics

By: Charles Spence
Narrated by: John Sackville
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About this listen

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating by Charles Spence, read by John Sackville.

A ground-breaking book by the world-leading expert in sensory science: Freakonomics for food

Why do we consume 35% more food when eating with one more person, and 75% more when with three? Why are 27% of drinks bought on aeroplanes tomato juice? How are chefs and companies planning to transform our dining experiences, and what can we learn from their cutting-edge insights to make memorable meals at home?

These are just some of the ingredients of Gastrophysics, in which the pioneering Oxford professor Charles Spence shows how our senses link up in the most extraordinary ways, and reveals the importance of all the "off-the-plate" elements of a meal: the weight of cutlery, the colour of the plate (his lab showed that red is associated with sweetness - we perceive salty popcorn as tasting sweet when served in a red bowl), the background music and much more. Whether dining alone or at a dinner party, on a plane or in front of the TV, he reveals how to understand what we're tasting and influence what others experience. Meal-times will genuinely never be the same again.

 Agricultural & Food Sciences Food & Wine Food Science Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Science Aviation

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Critic reviews

Truly accessible, entertaining and informative. On every page there are ideas to set you thinking and widen your horizons (Heston Blumenthal, OBE)
His delight in weird food facts is infectious...fascinating (James McConnachie)
Not many people are as ready to realize the importance of the senses as Charles Spence (Ferran Adria, El Bulli restaurant, Spain)
Popular science at its best. Insightful, entertainingly written and peppered throughout with facts you can use in the kitchen, in the classroom, or in the pub (Daniel J. Levitin, New York Times bestselling author of 'The Organized Mind' and 'This Is Your Brain on Music')
This is partly serious tome and partly an amusing guide for the layperson to a whole new gustatory world. Gastrophysics is packed with such tasty factual morsels that could be served up at dinner parties. If Spence can percolate all these factual morsels to the mainstream, the benefits to all of us would be obvious (Nick Curtis)
Spence allows people to appreciate the multisensory experience of eating
The scientist changing the way we eat
Spence romps around such factoids in the style of a Blue Peter presenter . . . fascinating and provocative (Melanie Reid)
A fascinating look at the science of food and how our perception is shaped by all our senses, not just taste
If simply changing the name of a dish on a menu or the color of the plate on which it is served can dramatically alter our perception of taste and food quality, then everyone in the restaurant industry needs to read this and take a deeper look at the scientific secrets Professor Spence reveals in Gastrophysics (Larry Olmsted, New York Times bestselling author of 'Real Food, Fake Food: What You Don’t Know About What You’re Eating & What You Can Do About It')
All stars
Most relevant
I read Charles Spence's previous book, The Perfect Meal, so I had a rough idea of what to expect. Gastrophysics exceeded my expectations, it is engaging, funny and contains an awful lot of useful facts for anyone interested in food, food-related behaviour and preferences.

A foodie's must-read

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If you work within the food industry or mearly have an interest, this audible book is full of knowledge and facts.
Very interesting, superbly narrated and highly recommended.

As the title says......

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Was a very insightful book into how much thought can go into cooking and the world of gastrophysics. However, the book does seem a little repetitive and it often sounded like the author had covered this already.

Interesting but a little repetitive

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Fascinating food for thought. Anyone interrested in the influences and subconscious and subliminal attributes to an eating experience, this book is a must. It considers and discusses the multi sensory perceptions and reactions on the dining experience. A must for a curious mind.

So good, I listened to it twice

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A very well written book and fun witted too! I’ve learned so much about how the subtle changes in the environment around us impacts our thoughts on food. Whether that’s some sonic seasoning or the cutlery, all of it will impact our experience in one way or another, whether we realise or not!

If you love science and food, this book is for you!

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