Harold McGee is a man that requires no introduction if you are someone who has worked in food and drink in any capacity at all. In 1984 he published McGee On Food & Cooking and brought the science and technology of cooking and flavour to the masses. A second edition in 2004 served as the practical manual for any chef worth their salt, and elevated Harold to the status of godfather - or perhaps even god - of culinary science. More recently, he published a book called Nose Dive, which investigates aroma and smell, which is a topic we explore during our conversationAlso on the menu:Why humans enjoy bitterness, how herbs have co-opted us, how salt makes food more delicious, how water opens up the aromas of spirits, what happens when wine matures in the bottle, why some drinks have ‘length’, how evolution and culture have shaped our flavour preferences, what we mean when we say a drink or dish is balanced, what the next frontiers of flavour science look like, and much more.

📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/