Welcome to The Ick Season 2, where I’m exploring the five senses via interviews with Twitter experts that I love and respect. For episode three, meet Adam, aka @cookingwong, a Master Chef and food entrepreneur who explains the chemistry and cultural context of food. Each post has two parts: essay + interview. Find the essay here: How to Taste.
Watch my full interview with Adam where we discuss everything from the chemistry of cooking to how to improve your taste. Don’t miss the end where I sample his new “beef snack” on camera.
Meet Adam [00:00 - 002:32]
How Adam’s cooking journey began
Comparing cooking to music composition
Balance and Intimacy [02:33 - 06:43]
Exploring balance in food, like the contrast between a hearty steak and a light salad
Deep dive into taste as the “most intimate sense”
Culinary Creativity and Context [06:44 - 14:12]
On being a supertaster and how it influences culinary creativity
Experimenting with non-traditional ketchup flavors
The power of minimalism and restraint
How cultural contexts enhance the eating experience
The Chemistry of Cooking [14:13 - 17:34]
How chemical changes like Maillard reactions and fermentation affect flavor
The Anatomy of a Reuben Sandwich [17:35 - 25:52]
Elements of a perfect Reuben: fermentation, pickling, smoking as chaotic processes
Adam’s "Dollar Diet"
How peasant foods have shaped modern cuisines
Your New Favorite Beef Snack [25:53-27:30]
Emily samples the new “beef snack”
Adam and Emily brainstorm names and CRACKLE BEEF is born
[Full Interview] How to Taste