Incorporating Shape-Changing Food Materials Into Everyday Culinary Practices
Elzelinde van Doleweerd, Ferran Altarriba Bertran, Miguel Bruns
Abstract
In recent studies researchers have developed compelling and exciting shape-changing food (SCF) materials. Unfortunately, the adoption of SCFs in culinary practice is still complex. We present a research-through-design exploration of a novel SCF material that can be developed in restaurant kitchens using everyday kitchen appliances with the only addition of a commercial desktop 3D food printer. Our lightweight process involves the preparation of edible paper, which can be folded into origami shapes and is actuated through the addition of an acidic liquid. We facilitated participatory sessions with five chefs in their restaurants and evaluated our material. Our qualitative study contributes design guidelines on how to incorporate SCFs into chefs’ everyday culinary practices. Building on the chefs’ perspectives of our material and its culinary potential we conclude with a speculation of how SCF materials could enable novel multi-sensory and interactive food experiences.