My life is driven by flavor. I wouldn't have the intense curiosity I do about food unless the seductress that is flavor led me into the larger rabbit hole of food studies.

When you're in the restaurant business, flavor is power and it needs to hit in the first few bites of food. But what exactly is it? And how is it created in your own head?

We've been following the interests of Arielle Johnson for years.

Her new book, Flavorama, is a guide to unlocking the art and science of flavor.

Hi, Ariel.

It is amazing to have you here in studio with me. of So what was the first moment if you can identify to remember that you knew you wanted to be Dr.

Flaver?

Yeah, the first moment I decided I wanted to be Dr. Flavor, and this was the pathway for me.

I'd already decided that chemistry and gastronomy, chemistry and cuisine,

the science of cooking, was going to be my subject area

was what I was obsessed with and you know willing to go to grad school for

which is you know no small undertaking

and the the first time you know small undertaking.

And the first time I read a paper about

gas chromatography, mass spectrometry,

combined with sensory analysis.

I know that's not exactly the, you know,

Proustian Madeline moment.

It was just so exciting to me that that flavor,

which was something that I had always, you know, enjoyed and chased and pursued

and wanted to know more about was actually something that you could understand with science.

And who were like who were your culinary mentors who put you within a context that allowed you to make that leap?

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