A tableware collection that adds ‘sonic seasoning’

A unique and interactive set of dishes can help diners think about how their food is produced and consumed

Spotted: A new tableware collection has been created to help diners think about how their food is produced and consumed. The collection was crafted by Teresa Berger, a graduate of the Design Academy Eindhoven, and includes eight pieces made from unusual materials.

Berger’s Beyond Taste collection was developed by combining stoneware bases with textured surfaces and additional elements. For example, a mini-Bluetooth speaker is integrated into the base of a ceramic dessert plate. The speaker plays ambient sounds that have been found to impact upon the levels of sweetness and bitterness perceived by the eater.

Another piece, the Dancing Bowl, is designed so that soft food placed in a recess in the translucent silicone bowl moves and bounces around. A domed dish is intended to be used with meals that incorporate smoke. As the dome is lifted, the smoke rises to engulf the eater. Two plates in the collection are made of thick ceramics slabs that are sculpted to remind the eater of where ingredients came from, such as undulating hills. 

Berger hopes that her dishes will help people to rediscover a connection to food in their everyday lives, pointing out to Dezeen.com that, “We have breakfast on-the-go, eat lunch while swiping through Instagram and have dinner while watching Netflix. We do not take the time to look at our food and fully appreciate it, so the balance between the senses isn’t right – kind of like watching a movie with the sound off.”

A number of other designers have created products that help people to think differently about how and what we eat. Similar innovations recently covered by Springwise include tableware designed to make eating easier for those with cognitive impairments, and mirrored tableware that aims to help you eat less.