Nik Sharma Has a Winning Formula for Flavor

Scientist-turned-cookbook author Nik Sharma talks with Julia Turshen about emotion, research, and his favorite condiments.

ByJulia Turshen October 27, 2020

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Credit: Saroyan Humphrey / Eyevine / Redux

Nik Sharma is a Bombay-born, Los Angeles–based food writer, photographer, cookbook author, and recipe developer. Sharma first came to America to study molecular genetics before starting his food and photography blog,A Brown Table;他的第二本食谱，The Flavor Equation: The Science of Great Cooking Explained, was released earlier this fall. He and I have spent years comparing notes on everything from working on our books to caring for our pets. What follows is exactly what it sounds like when two cookbook authors talk about pretty much everything except food. —茱莉亚Turshen的创始人Equity At The Table(EATT) and author ofNow & Again

Has your definition of success changed over time?

It definitely evolves because I’m evolving as a person. The greatest joy for me is being able to have the privilege to write and photograph a cookbook. That people will actually buy the book and cook a recipe from it blows my mind.

我知道那感觉！我们可以谈谈情感扮演的角色吗？

这是我们体验风味的一部分。有时它是有意识的，通常是潜意识。如果您对某事有良好的经验，那么您会立即被那种特殊的味道，味道或食物所吸引。vwin德赢ac米兰

And what about not-so-positive memories?

Even the negative experiences are interesting. When I was researching the book, I was fascinated to learn that with a negative experience, food can taste much more sour.

还有其他任何激励您思考食物与情感之间的关系吗？vwin德赢ac米兰

我once worked as a food photographer for a start-up company where data scientists were mining customer behavioral responses to the dishes that they were buying on the app. For example, if there was an exciting thing happening, like a celebration, everybody went toward something sweeter.

食物的科学经常被认为是完全不人vwin德赢ac米兰道的。而且因为您使用了情感，所以您使科学感觉很有个人化和整体。

I thought it would be a disservice for me to write a cookbook just talking about science and not emotion because it is a measurable concept. Emotion and memory are interconnected, and they’re part of the way I cook; I cook because I’m emotionally excited.

您能告诉我您献给书的两个男人吗？

Floyd Cardoz [他于2020年3月死于19岁] was a very influential chef and cookbook author to me because he was the first person I saw representing Goan cuisine in American culture.

Did you ever get to spend time together?

我们做到了，事实证明我们来自同一社区。与我长大的地方但在另一个国家的地方拥有这种联系真的很酷。他的过世震惊了我，因为这是我认识的唯一一个关于果阿食物的人。vwin德赢ac米兰我认为重要的是要承认他的贡献，不仅对美国烹饪，而且对我的职业生涯。

还有其他奉献精神？

My husband has been there supporting me, giving critical feedback on every recipe, even if I don’t want it.

This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.