Did you know that noise and music have a bearing on our sense of taste? And that poor acoustics can cost stars in restaurant reviews?
Read an interview with Professor Charles Spence from the University of Oxford. In it, he explains why dedicated chefs should also take an interest in sound and acoustics.
Learn how food critics also consider sound levels when reviewing the restaurants they visit.
See how Noma’s Australian pop up-restaurant, the restaurant boat Black Louis (Sorte Louis) and the Tower Restaurant at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen all use acoustic ceilings to create the best possible environments for their guests.
Culinary excellence, Danish designer furniture and black-painted Troldtekt acoustic panels were the key ingredients that Noma used for its pop-up restaurant near Sydney.
For ten weeks, the restaurant served specially developed creations with an authentic Australian identity. All the tables were reserved in just 90 seconds, and 27,000 would-be diners had to reconcile themselves with a place on the waiting list!
Imagine if recipes included not only a list of ingredients but also a recommendation for the best music to play while eating.
According to Charles Spence, professor of experimental psychology at Oxford University, acoustics, noise, and background music have a significant impact on the way our senses perceive what we eat and drink.
Having lived for five years on an old Dutch customs boat in Aarhus, Preben Hald and Tina Steen had the idea of running a café on the water. Such were their ambitions that they decided to buy a small ferry, and convert it into a restaurant.
After a total makeover lasting several months, the boat now has a professional kitchen, oozes charm and even boasts a public bar. Now, diners can board Black Louis (Sorte Louis) and enjoy food prepared with fresh Danish raw ingredients in a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.
Rising 106 metres into the air, the main tower at Christiansborg Palace – home of the Danish parliament, or Folketinget – occupies a prominent position in the Copenhagen skyline.
During its restoration, the architects became aware of the huge potential of the large tower room with its eleven-metre-high ceilings. The space has now been transformed into an exciting restaurant, with public access to a large viewing platform.
When a well-known Dutch café came under new management it was immediately subject to a very extensive programme of refurbishment. This involved upgrading and replacing everything from floors to ceilings and from services to interior decor. Now black-painted Troldtekt ceilings contribute with good acoustics and fit well into the café’s cozy atmosphere.
One of the biggest restaurants in the UK for day guests is located at ZSL London Zoo. Each day, the newly refurbished Terrace Restaurant, which dates back to 1920s, serves up to 10,000 diners. SHH Architects were responsible for the design, with the Troldtekt ceilings enhancing the quality of the experience by helping to ensure comfortable acoustics.
The Koch brothers’ restaurant serves familiar lunch and dinner dishes in newly refurbished premises. The interior features warm and friendly colours and materials, black tables and chairs as well as sloping ceilings clad with Troldtekt. In 2015, Miss Koch (Frøken Koch) was the restaurant in eastern Jutland to receive the best reviews from guests.
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