Food and psychology go hand in hand a lot more than we realise. With the emergence of the gastrophysics trend, the way we approach eating and dining out has gone scientific, and may never be the same again

I think about food – a lot. Not just planning dinner before breakfast is over; that’s for amateurs. I Google menus before committing to a restaurant, plan holidays around where friends recommend dining spots and have been known to fit five substantial meals, plus snacks, into a single day.

It turns out, though, there may be something other than greed propelling my innate joy in food. It is, after all, about the experience. Restaurants don’t consult architects, florists and lighting experts for nothing: scientists now know that the very taste of food is affected by the colours, textures, and sounds around us.