General: Judge and modify sensory properties

Sensory Evaluation

Understand the five aspects of sensory properties: appearance, taste, texture, aroma, and sound.
Learn how to assess the sensory properties of food scientifically through sensory evaluation methods such as scoring tests, preference tests, and profiling.
Explore how professional chefs modify dishes based on sensory performance.

Having a good understanding of flavour profiles (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami) will allow you to judge dishes competently.
Texture is another important factor to judge in food. This includes aspects such as crispness in chips, tenderness in meats, and the lightness of cakes.
Knowing when and how to adjust seasoning, acidity, or balance of flavours is crucial in food preparation.

Understand how different cooking methods can alter the sensory properties of food, such as roasting to enhance sweetness, or boiling to reduce bitterness.
Know when and how to adjust a recipe based on the sensory properties, for instance adding sugar to balance acidity, or herbs to boost aroma.
Be able to adapt and modify recipes to meet dietary needs while maintaining pleasing sensory properties, such as making a dish gluten-free while ensuring it is still texturally pleasing.

Understand the importance of trial and modification in food preparation.
Analyze the results of modifications to a dish and track the changes in sensory properties.
Be able to learn from each cooking experiment to continually improve your cooking skills and dishes.