The Fat Duck - Where An iPod Is Your Appetizer

UK chef, Heston Blumenthal decided that no seafood dish is complete without the sounds of the ocean.

At his restaurant, “Eating is a multi-model process (involving all the senses).” For this reason, the British restaurateur will soon be equipping his fine diners with Apple iPods.

Blumenthal, 41, has posted his philosophy on his site, a multi-paragraph explanation of how all the senses come into play when eating. “Sound can also play an important role in the perception of texture – a valuable part of the whole taste process. The perception of the crispness of a food can be modified by playing with volume and pitch.” The restaurant has a sound processor which reproduces these very noises.

One of his most famous dishes featured on his “Tasting Menu” is “Sound of the Sea” which will soon be served up with a side of soothing oceans sounds. The dish is served on a bed of sand-resembling tapioca, is topped with a mix of fresh seafood and garnished with vibrant seaweed.

I wonder if his Mango and Douglas Fir Puree will sound more like steel drums on a Caribbean beach, or like the merry resonance of Christmas.