A Meal, Inspired by Fragrance

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July 13, 2012
1 Comment

When I worked in restaurants, there would often be a rule found somewhere, deep within the employee handbook, specifying that servers weren’t allowed to wear perfume. There was also one about no nail polish, or outlandish facial jewelery, but since those ones never applied to me anyway, I paid them no mind.

But the strict fragrance rule makes sense: smell is a big part of how we experience taste. A duo in New York City is taking that idea, and running with it.  

NYC-based chef Tessa Liebman of Methods & Madness is teaming up with MCMC Fragrances to create a four course “sensory” dinner, each course of which is inspired by one MCMC Fragrance. Diners will start with a yuzu and basil cocktail, and move on to duck confit with jasmine flowers and oysters with plum jam. If that doesn’t sound fancy enough for you, you should know about the innovative coffee palate cleansers, created by coffee expert Ezra Baker, that will punctuate each course. Their only requirement? That diners come completely free of any perfumes or scented products.

If you can give yours up, you have until Sunday, July 29th, 6:30 pm to get to the east coast.

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

Kenzi Wilbur

Written by: Kenzi Wilbur

I have a thing for most foods topped with a fried egg, a strange disdain for overly soupy tomato sauce, and I can never make it home without ripping off the end of a newly-bought baguette. I like spoons very much.

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1 Comment

AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames July 13, 2012
And of course. there's the age-old rule that no one seems to follow any more (but I do!) -- no flowers on the table, please, unless they have no fragrance whatsoever. Food tastes so much better without them. (I don't allow flowers on my sideboard either unless they meet the same criteria.) I'm strict about my candles, as well. Many sold as unscented actually are not. ;o)