During PopTech 2009, I shot an interview with The New York Times scent critic Chandler Burr about his PopTech 2009 “scent dinner,” where he collaborated with Executive Chef Lawrence Klang at Natalie’s Restaurant in Camden, Maine. For each course, Chef Klang created in taste and flavors what Chandler created in scents:

Chandler told me that he has fallen in love with culinary perfumes, a category of scents little known in the U.S., which are either conceptually food – for example, a perfume that smells of salt – or perfumes made with food raw materials – such as peruvian pink peppercorns or crushed sugarcane used in the rum-making process.

This led him to his scent dinners – a delicious and educational experience that actually consists of two parallel dinners – one olfactory, the other edible.

Kudos to Camden-based David Berez at Post Office Editorial for his smart editing, Scott Buffrey for audio sweetening, Daniel Stephens for his artful shooting, and Mo Kirkham for his patience, even when the audio stopped mid-interview.

Oh, and Chandler’s NYT column is “Scent Notes.”

Rate this post:

• 12345678910
• Meh.
• Love it!
• Community Rating: 7

Related posts

• PopTech Science Fellow Gidon Eshel does the math on meat
• Michael Pollan's gospel of sustainable food
• Will Allen and the urban farming revolution

Related Videos

• David Rakoff on cultural excess
• Marije Vogelzang: Dine By Design

Comments

Name: Colleen

Really beautiful work on the video!
What are they smelling? Can you post the menu?

Name: Kristen Taylor

Great idea, Colleen! We’ll check with Chandler and see if we can post the menu—

Add your comment

No HTML or JavaScript, please.

Tags

Current Authors

• Emily Spivack (Editor-in-Chief)
• Emily Qualey (Contributor)
• Kiley Lambert (Contributor)
• Lindsay Borthwick (Contributor)
• Michelle Riggen-Ransom (Contributor)
• Sarah Brooks (Contributor)