Award-winning celebrity chef, Jozef Youssef demonstrated the power of colours to influence the sense of taste to the hospitality elite at Ambiente.
On Hotelier’s Day, Jozef presented the results of his exclusive survey on the hot hospitality topic and took guests on a colourful journey through his multi-sensory taste experience with a finger food menu.
With the help of six coloured plates, ,three desserts and several hundred tasters from four continents, Jozef, the creative force behind the design studio, Kitchen Theory, gained valuable insights into multisensory taste experiences.
Under the title ‘The power of colour: How coloured tableware influences the perception of food‘, he conducted an online survey exclusively for Ambiente to investigate how the colour of plates affects the perception of taste.
Jozef selected three desserts – Granola with fruit and yoghurt; fruit salad with ice cream; and a slice of chocolate cake with ice cream. He presented the on plates from exhibitors Bonna, Maham Sutio Revol, Rosenthal, Steelite International and Villeroy & Boch, in yellow, blue, green, white, black and red.
The tasters rated the desserts served according to appetite, healthiness and sweetness. The results showed that red plates for desserts increased the perception of sweetness. Dishes on yellow plates appeared particularly appetising. The blue, green and white plates made all dishes appear healthier. The food on black plates was rated as the least appetising, healthy or sweet.
Jozef concluded that the colour of the tableware can increase the appetite appeal and visual attractiveness of dishes. Visual attention can also be channelled – Colours could illustrate the menu offering in a supportive way, thus announcing seasonal dishes or special occasions.
The colour of the plate can influence taste expectations and aroma and enables catering to be tailored to the target group by serving different requirements and creating individual taste experiences. It also strengthens the brand and brand identity and can be used by restauranteurs and hoteliers to meet the expectations of guests, optimise marketing strategies and create unique taste experiences.
Ambiente will take place from 7 to 11 February, 2025.
