Neurogastronomy: the science of what we eat and why, helping those who've lost the ability to taste food

By Greg Davis

Published March 23, 2022 at 7:14 AM EDT

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Chef Bob Perry plates up a dish of Ubatuba Paprika Chicken topped with Buttermilk Crème Fresh along with Seared Kale Agrodolce and Cornbread/Rice Cake in the Food Lab, part of the Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Kentucky. (L to R): Aaron Schwartz, Diatetic Internship Director; Bob Perry, Chef and Food Lab Coordinator; Rachel Thomas, Jordan Brown and Emma Simpson.

What if the foods that elicit strong memory and emotion in us no longer tasted the same? Certain foods hold so much sentiment in our lives, how
would we react if we could no longer have that experience?

Dr. Greg talks with UK Chef in Residence Bob Perry who will be a featured speaker at this year's International Society of Neurogastronomy Symposium next month in Bonita Springs, Florida.

Bob Perry has been a chef in a wide variety of restaurant operations for over 30 years and is a past board member of Chefs Collaborative and many
other sustainable agriculture organizations. He now conducts food system research and teaches “Quantity Food Production” and “CSA Gastronomy: Our Local Food System” at the University of Kentucky. He has scripted local food segments and appeared on the KET program “KY Life” many times. He also wrote and hosted the weekly Farmers Market Report on University of Kentucky’s NPR station WUKY. Perry’s hope is that examining high umami foods through the lens of neurogastronomy will help with appetites of cancer patients undergoing treatment, as well as COVID-19 patients who have temporarily lost their ability to taste and smell food.