103111/Z/13/Z: GastroFest

Project Summary:Building on our previous successful delivery of science and culinary events, GastroFest will be a new flagship project at the 2014 Edinburgh International Science Festival, aimed at engaging audiences that do not normally attend science festivals. A mini Festival celebrating the science of food and drink, GastroFest will run over three days, bringing together researchers and key figures from the world of cuisine, arts and cultural sectors. A carefully curated programme of innovative events w ill explore the centrality of science to our culinary experience, and offer opportunities for the public to interact with researchers and producers. We will structure GastroFest with a strong focus on the biomedical aspects of our relationship with food. It will probe the links between pleasure, taste and disgust; delve into the creative science behind mixology; and reveal some of the roles science plays in influencing our perception of food. Events include: Sensation: an interactive thea trical gala dining experience examining the links between food and our senses. A Perfect Match: producers and leading psychologists and neuroscientists reveal the secrets of the perfect flavour combination. SciMart: an original take on a farmers' market, pairing producers with researchers. GastroLab: part of our popular LateLab series. Making it: cuisine and DIY bio feature in the Festival's major new interactive exhibition. Discussion event(s): multi-disciplinary conversations that delve more deeply into key issues such as sustainability/food security, food taboos, and more. See Q9 (Methods) for details of individual events.

Grant Holder:Miss Amanda Tyndall

Organisation:Edinburgh International Science Festival

Financial Year:2013/2014